USA Nordic began to invest in development nearly a decade ago, however it was with addition of a large Junior National Team that the organization really made the focus to fill its stable of National team and World Cup athletes. The first athlete to make the leap this year is Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club alumni, Decker Dean.
Dean made the leap after reaching the podium in both the Normal and Large Hill events at the US Championships this summer and now joins the USA Nordic Ski Jumping “C” Team.
In an exciting update, this weekend in Chaikovsky, Russia, Dean will represent the USA in his first Summer Grand Prix event, a winter World Cup equivalent.
Billy Demong, USA Nordic Executive Director and Olympic Champion had this to say about the 18 year old athlete, “This is a good opportunity for Decker to experience international, FIS ski jumping.” Demong went on to say, “It makes sense to have him upwardly mobile in his impressive athletic career and it helps fill the pipeline of USA Nordic’s deep roster of jumping talent.”
On the multi-discipline Team that comprises USA Nordic, Dean is a multi-talent. Starting out as a Nordic Combined athlete, Dean made the jump to ski jumping a few years ago and has never looked back. Having all that skill base from which to pull serves him well to push him up to meet-n-greet-n-beat this new level of competition.
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Fly far Decker!