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BLAZING NEW TRAILS FOR ARMENIA'S OLYMPIC SKIING
By Tom Vartabedian // Posted on May 30, 2013 in Featured, Headline, Mid-Atlantic
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.-The road to Sochi may be high and mighty but Arman
Serebrakian is prepared to take his leaps and bounds. His passion
is skiing. His intent? To bring Armenia a skiing medal in the 2014
World Olympic Games in Russia-or at the very least, some credibility
in the sport.
Arman Serebrakian is full speed ahead in his quest to bring Armenia
a skiing medal in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
One might think it's been all downhill for the 26-year-old aspirant.
When you haven't competed for two years because of injuries, people
get skeptical. But Serebrakian has the talent and the resume to fill
the role.
Over the past seven years, he's been the top-ranked Armenian alpine ski
racer in the world, even during his lapse. As of April, he was listed
at the summit. He's had 4 Top 10 NCAA finishes while competing for
the University of Colorado, where he made the All-Academic Ski Team,
served twice as captain, and one year as an assistant coach.
A dual citizen, Serebrakian is currently a medical student at Temple
University School of Medicine, having just completed his second year
and waiting to go into surgery medicine.
When his father took him down his first slope at the age of two,
Serebrakian immediately fell in love with the sport. Growing up,
his Armenian parents continuously took him and his sister Ani (2010
Vancouver Olympian) to the mountains in Lake Tahoe, Calif., every
weekend in high school.
Arman decided to graduate early to focus solely on skiing with the
goal of pursuing his lifelong dreams-making it into the World Cup
circuit and eventually the Olympics.
"My father was the biggest influence of my life," he says. "He's skied
his entire life. My grandfather was one of the first to ever ski in
Iran. Many role models inspired me along the way, including Italy's
Alberto Tomba. My sister and I were always on the same club teams.
Even though we'd never admit it, there was always an unspoken sibling
rivalry there. We traveled together, stayed together, skied together."
Ani did her collegiate skiing at the University of San Francisco
and was one of four athletes to represent Armenia in Washington in
2010, along with Sergei Mikaelian, Kristine Khachatryan, and Arsen
Nersisyan. Don't be surprised to see her in Sochi.
"Realistically, there's a very good chance," says Arman. "I need to
be ranked among the top 500 in the world, which is where I was at the
end of my collegiate career by Jan. 24. Many people have asked me
why I'm doing this. I still have my deep passion for the sport and
I've continued to train. I grew up as one of the top-ranked junior
skiers in America and want to give it my best shot."
He spends five to six days in the gym, while balancing a heavy academic
curriculum to become a surgeon. Starting in mid-July, je needs to do
a month-and-a-half in New Zealand where the best summer conditions
are. Then comes the international race circuit with trips to Europe
and North America in pursuit of a higher world rank.
"I've been doing this my whole life," he says. "I'm so proud of my
Armenian heritage and I cannot think of a better way to express myself
than to go out there and compete at the highest level on the world's
biggest stages. It's my dream and that of the Armenian Ski Federation
to increase the popularity of winter sports in Armenia. They have
incredible mountains there and a great resort in Tzaghkadzor. What's
left is to build upon the culture and get athletes started at a young
age. My goal is to put Armenian skiing on the map."
If anyone can swing the pendulum Armenia's way, maybe he can.
Serebrakian helped design the Armenia ski team uniforms a couple
years ago. Through his connections and performances on the slope,
he's made a noticeable mark.
A great achievement was being awarded the Dr. Prentice Gautt
Postgraduate Scholarship from the Big XII Conference, which is awarded
to a student-athlete matriculating into graduate school at the end
of their eligibility.
Those younger moments carry their sentiments.
"My mom would pack us gourmet Armenian-Persian lunches in Tupperware to
eat while we were taking a break in the mountains skiing," Serebrakian
recalled. "The other kids were all left to eat cold bologna sandwiches
and boxed juices. It has not been difficult for me to keep my identity
intact because I wholeheartedly embrace both worlds and believe I
can learn from each of them, which makes me somewhat unique."
Ask him who his Armenian role models are and he'll quickly tell you
Joe Almasian and Kenny Topalian, who competed for Armenia in the
bobsled during the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer. Another happens to
be tennis stalwart Andre Agassi, who's devoted much of his time these
days to charity.
The burning question is why anyone with aspirations of becoming a
surgeon and who is dependent on his hands would risk everything to
ski. It's never crossed his mind.
"I'm a big proponent of living in the here and now," he admits. "If
the doctor feels so passionately about stepping into a ring with a
professional boxer, then I'm sure he has good reason and his patients
will surely understand. I'm very lucky to have the family around me
that I do."
While at Colorado, Serebrakian made the decision to pursue his other
quest in becoming a physician. He graduated with a master's degree in
integrative physiology and was accepted to Temple University School
of Medicine in Philadelphia, where he took out loans and began his
studies in 2011.
Even with demanding academic aspirations, he never relieved himself
of his passion for skiing and physical activity, spending hours in
the gym after classes, as well as biking and running in his new city.
As his second year of medical school comes to an end, the intensity
of his training program increases even more. He's committed to taking
the year off from college and postponing his graduation to pursue
this goal.
Although the Armenia Ski Federation has guaranteed full support for
Serebrakian, they are unable to financially assist him. With the high
cost of ski racing and the increased demand for world class equipment,
training, and coaching, he's seeking outside help.
The fact his sister made the 2010 Olympic Team and he took a pass
didn't set too well. In some ways, he's out to make amends. "Getting
that call to say I wasn't going to Vancouver was one of the worst
moments of my life," Serebrakian recalled. "I've learned from that.
I'm trying everything in my power to avoid a situation like that
again."
To learn more or to donate, visit www.armanserebrakian.com.
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/05/30/blazing-new-trails-for-armenias-olympic-skiing/
By Tom Vartabedian // Posted on May 30, 2013 in Featured, Headline, Mid-Atlantic
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.-The road to Sochi may be high and mighty but Arman
Serebrakian is prepared to take his leaps and bounds. His passion
is skiing. His intent? To bring Armenia a skiing medal in the 2014
World Olympic Games in Russia-or at the very least, some credibility
in the sport.
Arman Serebrakian is full speed ahead in his quest to bring Armenia
a skiing medal in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
One might think it's been all downhill for the 26-year-old aspirant.
When you haven't competed for two years because of injuries, people
get skeptical. But Serebrakian has the talent and the resume to fill
the role.
Over the past seven years, he's been the top-ranked Armenian alpine ski
racer in the world, even during his lapse. As of April, he was listed
at the summit. He's had 4 Top 10 NCAA finishes while competing for
the University of Colorado, where he made the All-Academic Ski Team,
served twice as captain, and one year as an assistant coach.
A dual citizen, Serebrakian is currently a medical student at Temple
University School of Medicine, having just completed his second year
and waiting to go into surgery medicine.
When his father took him down his first slope at the age of two,
Serebrakian immediately fell in love with the sport. Growing up,
his Armenian parents continuously took him and his sister Ani (2010
Vancouver Olympian) to the mountains in Lake Tahoe, Calif., every
weekend in high school.
Arman decided to graduate early to focus solely on skiing with the
goal of pursuing his lifelong dreams-making it into the World Cup
circuit and eventually the Olympics.
"My father was the biggest influence of my life," he says. "He's skied
his entire life. My grandfather was one of the first to ever ski in
Iran. Many role models inspired me along the way, including Italy's
Alberto Tomba. My sister and I were always on the same club teams.
Even though we'd never admit it, there was always an unspoken sibling
rivalry there. We traveled together, stayed together, skied together."
Ani did her collegiate skiing at the University of San Francisco
and was one of four athletes to represent Armenia in Washington in
2010, along with Sergei Mikaelian, Kristine Khachatryan, and Arsen
Nersisyan. Don't be surprised to see her in Sochi.
"Realistically, there's a very good chance," says Arman. "I need to
be ranked among the top 500 in the world, which is where I was at the
end of my collegiate career by Jan. 24. Many people have asked me
why I'm doing this. I still have my deep passion for the sport and
I've continued to train. I grew up as one of the top-ranked junior
skiers in America and want to give it my best shot."
He spends five to six days in the gym, while balancing a heavy academic
curriculum to become a surgeon. Starting in mid-July, je needs to do
a month-and-a-half in New Zealand where the best summer conditions
are. Then comes the international race circuit with trips to Europe
and North America in pursuit of a higher world rank.
"I've been doing this my whole life," he says. "I'm so proud of my
Armenian heritage and I cannot think of a better way to express myself
than to go out there and compete at the highest level on the world's
biggest stages. It's my dream and that of the Armenian Ski Federation
to increase the popularity of winter sports in Armenia. They have
incredible mountains there and a great resort in Tzaghkadzor. What's
left is to build upon the culture and get athletes started at a young
age. My goal is to put Armenian skiing on the map."
If anyone can swing the pendulum Armenia's way, maybe he can.
Serebrakian helped design the Armenia ski team uniforms a couple
years ago. Through his connections and performances on the slope,
he's made a noticeable mark.
A great achievement was being awarded the Dr. Prentice Gautt
Postgraduate Scholarship from the Big XII Conference, which is awarded
to a student-athlete matriculating into graduate school at the end
of their eligibility.
Those younger moments carry their sentiments.
"My mom would pack us gourmet Armenian-Persian lunches in Tupperware to
eat while we were taking a break in the mountains skiing," Serebrakian
recalled. "The other kids were all left to eat cold bologna sandwiches
and boxed juices. It has not been difficult for me to keep my identity
intact because I wholeheartedly embrace both worlds and believe I
can learn from each of them, which makes me somewhat unique."
Ask him who his Armenian role models are and he'll quickly tell you
Joe Almasian and Kenny Topalian, who competed for Armenia in the
bobsled during the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer. Another happens to
be tennis stalwart Andre Agassi, who's devoted much of his time these
days to charity.
The burning question is why anyone with aspirations of becoming a
surgeon and who is dependent on his hands would risk everything to
ski. It's never crossed his mind.
"I'm a big proponent of living in the here and now," he admits. "If
the doctor feels so passionately about stepping into a ring with a
professional boxer, then I'm sure he has good reason and his patients
will surely understand. I'm very lucky to have the family around me
that I do."
While at Colorado, Serebrakian made the decision to pursue his other
quest in becoming a physician. He graduated with a master's degree in
integrative physiology and was accepted to Temple University School
of Medicine in Philadelphia, where he took out loans and began his
studies in 2011.
Even with demanding academic aspirations, he never relieved himself
of his passion for skiing and physical activity, spending hours in
the gym after classes, as well as biking and running in his new city.
As his second year of medical school comes to an end, the intensity
of his training program increases even more. He's committed to taking
the year off from college and postponing his graduation to pursue
this goal.
Although the Armenia Ski Federation has guaranteed full support for
Serebrakian, they are unable to financially assist him. With the high
cost of ski racing and the increased demand for world class equipment,
training, and coaching, he's seeking outside help.
The fact his sister made the 2010 Olympic Team and he took a pass
didn't set too well. In some ways, he's out to make amends. "Getting
that call to say I wasn't going to Vancouver was one of the worst
moments of my life," Serebrakian recalled. "I've learned from that.
I'm trying everything in my power to avoid a situation like that
again."
To learn more or to donate, visit www.armanserebrakian.com.
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/05/30/blazing-new-trails-for-armenias-olympic-skiing/