Tahoe’s pro athletes. They hone their craft to a level attainable only by an incredibly few, and their abilities are merely one factor that got them there. How many skiers, for example, do we all know that have mind-bending prowess on snow, but are not in the professional ranks? Athletes are required to also be professionals in self-promotion, social media, networking, and more, and in the course they have become some of the most well-known and celebrated names in Tahoe.
Some athletes take their celebrity to the next level and become involved in the social, political, or environmental realm, adding up to a serious juggling act. These politically-oriented actions bring a new dynamic, and can usher in both criticism and praise. Locally, this discussion has become more relevant than ever in the shadow of the proposed Village at Squaw Valley Specific Plan, and begs the question: Where does the role of professional athletes lie in areas outside of their sports?
A POWerful Debate
Truckee resident Jeremy Jones, arguably the most well-known big mountain snowboarder of all time, has lived this question firsthand. He moved into the political arena in 2007 by starting Protect Our Winters, a nonprofit with its core mission to fight climate change.
Jones is used to people not agreeing with POW, but the nonprofit has received recent local criticism from opponents of the Squaw development — and by association, the dozens of professional athletes affiliated with it — for the group not taking a stance against what critics see as an environmentally damaging project.
“I have been criticized over and over through the years. Mostly because of POW and our work with climate change. Usually, it has come from climate [change] deniers, but that criticism has more recently come from local groups,” Jones said.
He believes the opposition to the development has its heart in the right place, but that POW’s staff of three is not able to take on all fights. “We don’t have expertise on developments. It’s not in our mission,” said Jones. “We only have so many arrows, and we need to choose what targets to aim those arrows at.”
The organization’s partnership with Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows brings an opportunity to leverage a stronger voice for fighting climate change in places like Washington, D.C., where the biggest decisions are made, said Jones. At the same time, he doesn’t think that POW’s connection with Squaw means the developers get carte blanche to go forward with the project without scrutiny. “None of the positive work that Wirth or Squaw has done on climate change gives them a green light. It doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be major concerns with the development,” he said.
Still, others believe that the POW/Squaw affiliation gives Squaw a chance to present itself in a falsely positive light.
“By very publicly aligning themselves with POW’s good work they [Squaw and KSL] gain a degree of credibility for their claim that they are an environmentally responsible company, a real climate leader, when their own actions closer to home tell a very different story.” said Isaac Silverman, an attorney for Sierra Watch, a nonprofit that opposes the Squaw development.
Get in The Ring?
Ingrid Backstrom, who spent 12 years of her skiing career in Tahoe and is one of the world’s best female big mountain skiers, has chosen to mostly steer clear of politically-charged discussions.
“As an athlete, it can be hard to feel we have much of an influence on these issues,” said Backstrom, who is part of POW’s athlete community called the Riders Alliance. “People follow me on social media, for example, because of my skiing, so I tend to keep views on the religious or political side out of it.”
While Backstrom is not a sponsored Squaw Valley skier, there is concern that athletes’ sponsorships have an impact on voicing their opinion. Professional skiers and snowboarders, while in the elite class of their sport, are typically not making a fortune, and it is questioned whether they are resistant to biting the hand that feeds them.
Longtime Tahoe resident Robb Gaffney, former professional skier and advocate for Sierra Watch, says:
“Every member of the Tahoe community has a right to an opinion about the project, athletes included. But when an athlete has apparent personal gain to be made at the expense of the community, people are naturally going to question credibility.” He adds, “I feel for most of Squaw’s athletes who have remained silent, because they are obviously caught in a bind. It’s likely they’ve been subjected to pressures to speak in favor of the proposed development, while they also feel pressure from a community they’ve been a part of for many years to speak out against it.”
Four-time Olympian Marco Sullivan, who was born in Truckee, believes that the opinions presented by athletes are authentic.
“I honestly think that any opinions given by the athletes are their own. In 2014 the CEO of Squaw/Alpine wrote a letter to be printed in the Sierra Sun regarding the future plans of the company. I was asked, along with the other Squaw Athletes, if I would endorse the letter before it went to print. I politely declined because at the time I did not feel that I had enough knowledge of the subject matter. My decision was respected by Squaw’s management and it did not result in any loss of support from the company,” said Sullivan.
Historic Feather Ruffling
Outside of Tahoe and throughout history, the issue of athletes acting on non-sport-related topics has been common, and has drawn massive criticism and praise.
At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, black sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos stood on the medal podium with heads bowed and fists raised during the national anthem, to bring attention to racial discrimination and civil rights. They were suspended from the U.S. team and received death threats for actions deemed unpatriotic, but were lauded for their statement in later years.
In 1993, Nike ran a commercial where basketball star Charles Barkley declared: “I’m not a role model. I’m not paid to be a role model. I’m paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court. Parents should be role models.” Michael Jordan notoriously stayed silent on political issues during his playing days, and is credited with saying, “Republicans buy shoes too,” when he refused to support a Democratic senator in his home state of North Carolina in 1990. Since retiring, Jordan — whose father was shot and killed in 1993 — has been vocal in regard to police violence and violence against police officers.
And at time of press, the biggest news in the NFL was 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick — a University of Nevada Reno alum — choosing to not stand during the national anthem to protest oppression of black people and people of color. The action resulted in comment from President Obama, intense booing from fans — and his jersey sales skyrocketing to the number one spot.
Decisions, Decisions
While there are vast differences between the plight of civil rights activism and police brutality and the debate in Squaw Valley, it exemplifies the challenges of being in the public eye, where speaking out on issues can draw criticism, and so can being silent.
Julia Mancuso, a Squaw athlete who won four Olympic medals over three winter games including a gold in the giant slalom in 2006, is someone who, along with her sister and father, has spoken publically in favor of the development. But despite her personal choice, she doesn’t believe athletes are obligated to speak up.
“As an athlete we should not be required to speak up about issues that are controversial. We first and foremost have to focus on our career and how to perform at our best in a relatively short period of our lives. On the other hand, we are role models and leaders to the future generation. I think it’s important to stand up for what you truly believe in and show that in a positive way,” she stated.
Gaffney also hopes that athletes can give their undivided true feelings on these matters, for the shared betterment of the community.
“My hope would be that athletes could release any biases they might have due to their financial, institutional, and personal relationships with the developer, and speak out on what they truly, in their hearts, feel belongs in the valley,” said Gaffney.
