An Intro to Todd Lodwick: Olympian Skier and Avid Outdoorsman
John E. Phillips 02.03.14
Todd Lodwick of Steamboat Springs, Colorado loves to hunt and holds three world skiing titles in Nordic combined skiing. He won the silver medal in Nordic combined skiing in the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, and is the only person to qualify six times for the US Winter Olympic team. Lodwick’s passion for the outdoors also includes hunting, and he is a member of Mossy Oak’s Pro Staff. OutdoorHub’s John Phillips will be profiling this exceptional athlete over the next several days in the lead-up to the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Thirty-seven-year-old Todd Lodwick has participated in the World Cup since 1993 and took the silver medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics. He also won gold at the World Championships in 2009 for the 10 km mass start and the 10 km normal hill and bronze in 2013 Val di Flemme team normal hill. In addition, Lodwick took a gold medal at the 1996 Junior World Championships in Asiago, Italy, the first time the United States had taken a gold medal in the sport. Lodwick is known by several measures as the most successful North American Nordic combined skier in this sport, ever.
Lodwick retired in 2006 but returned to competition in 2008, setting his sights on making the team for the 2010 Olympics, which he did and has done again for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Lodwick, along with teammates Johnny Spillane and Billy Demong, has helped grow the sport of Nordic combined skiing in the United States from relative obscurity to international prominence in a little under two decades.
“The 2013 season was probably the most challenging season I have ever had in regards to my performances mentally and physically,” Lodwick told me. “I struggled trying to grasp and master the new jumping suits—it took me a lot longer to get used to them and come to grips that I needed to change my technique. It was a roller-coaster year, and I’m glad it’s ended. The Olympic Games is the pinnacle of our sport, so coming off a year of some pretty highs and really lows, I’m just really looking forward to having consistency and using what I’ve learned about ski jumping. I’m up for the challenge.”
Like many young skiers, Lodwick toyed with both jumping and combined before deciding in the summer of 1991 to stick with combined (his older brother Kris was a combined skier). Lodwick was named to the national team in November 1992. Playing inside was never an option for Lodwick as a child growing up in Steamboat Springs. Today, he has a burning passion for the outdoors, whether it’s chasing wild game with a bow or playing golf with friends in Steamboat. “Outdoors is something I grew up in, and it’s a great tradition I want to continue with my two children, Charley and Finn.”
You can learn more at http://www.toddlodwick.pro and http://nordic.usskiteam.com/athletes/todd-lodwick.
Check back tomorrow for more on Todd Lodwick and his hunting heritage.
John, the 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the year and the 2007 Legendary Communicator chosen for induction into the National Fresh Water Hall of Fame, is a freelance writer (over 6,000 magazine articles for about 100 magazines and several thousand newspaper columns published), magazine editor, photographer for print media as well as industry catalogues (over 25,000 photos published), lecturer, outdoor consultant, marketing consultant, book author and daily internet content provider with an overview of the outdoors.
Phillips has been a contributor to many national magazines, has been affiliated with 27 radio stations across Alabama serving as their outdoor editor and wrote for a weekly syndicated column, "Alabama Outdoors," for 38-Alabama newspapers for more than 13 years. Phillips was Outdoor Editor for the "Birmingham Post-Herald" for 24 years. Phillips was also the executive editor for "Great Days Outdoors" magazine for 3 years.
The author of almost 30 books on the outdoors, Phillips is a founding member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) and an active member of the Southeastern Outdoors Press Association (SEOPA). Phillips also is the owner of Night Hawk Publications, a marketing and publishing firm, and president of Creative Concepts, an outdoor consulting group.
Phillips conducts seminars across the nation at colleges in freelance writing, photography and outdoor education besides teaching courses in how to sell what you write to writers' groups. Phillips received his photography training as a still-lab photo specialist for six years in the Air Force. He was the chief photographer for Mannequins, Inc., a Birmingham modeling agency, for 11 years.
While serving as 2nd Vice President of the Alabama Wildlife Federation, Phillips was in charge of all press releases for the organization as well as serving as Chairman of Alabama's Big Buck Contest, which he founded more than 30 years ago. He also was president of the Alabama Sportsman's Association for three years.
Phillips is the recipient of a Certificate of Merit from the Governor of Alabama and the Department of Conservation for his work in the outdoor field. Phillips is vitally interested in the outdoors and travels the nation collecting personalities, stories and how-to information for his articles and features.
EDUCATION: B.S. degree from the University of West Alabama with a physical education major and a history minor.
EXPERIENCE: 10 years parttime and fulltime physical director for YMCAs and 34 years as a freelance writer, photographer, editor, book author, lecturer and daily-content provider for websites. Currently, Phillips is a field editor for Game and Fish Publications; serves on the editorial board of Grandview Media; is a regular contributor to 12 internet magazines and a daily content provider for 8 websites.
WRITING AWARDS: Runnerup - Best Outdoor Magazine Feature - 1981 - SEOPA; Certificate of Merit - Awarded by Alabama's Governor for writings on conservation; Most Outstanding Sports Writer in Southeast - 1983 & 1984; Best Outdoor Feature in Alabama, 1987 - Alabama Sportswriters' Association 3rd Place; Best Book of the Year - 1989 - SEOPA; 2007 - inducted into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame as a Legendary Communicator; 2008 - received award naming him 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the Year from the Crossbow Manufacturers' Association; 2009 - GAMMA Honorable Mention for Consumer/Paid Best Essay for July/August 2008 in "Southern Sporting Journal."
