Not letting anything slide

Dylan Thomas' résumé could get him into pretty much any college. A cumulative 4.22 GPA (4.4 as a senior) at St. Thomas Academy is a good start. Being named Cadet Colonel, the Catholic military school's highest ranking held by only one student, adds leadership qualities and a bevy of responsibilities. Volunteering at Children's Hospital displays public service. Two individual and three team Alpine skiing state titles fit nicely in the extracurricular section.

"Pretty, pretty crazy," Cadets Alpine ski coach Tom Carlson said.

Thomas' balancing act opened a lot of avenues. Ultimately, the adrenaline junkie chose Williams College, a small liberal arts school in northwest Massachusetts. There, he will ski Division I for the Ephs this winter.

"I didn't want to put it away at this point in my life," said Thomas, who admitted his schedule could get hectic at times.

Like his father, Thomas aspires to be an orthopedic surgeon. He's gaining some experience volunteering in the Children's Hospital surgery department, where he plays with the kids and helps make their stay more comfortable. At Williams, he'll be able to take the appropriate undergraduate classes while continuing his passion.

It's all about balance for Thomas, and this is all he knows.

"It's definitely a release," Thomas said of skiing. "Just being out on the hill for a few hours each night was always a release for me."

Thomas started racing at age 8 for the Buck Hill Ski Racing Club, as part of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association. He qualified for the state tournament as a Cadets eighth-grader, and finished ninth overall. After missing his freshman year because of a broken leg suffered on the course, Thomas helped lead his school to three consecutive team titles. Individually, he took second as a sophomore before taking the first-place crown in each of his final two seasons.

But moreso than most sports, college skiing opportunities thin out very quickly. There are only 30 or so NCAA schools with Alpine programs, ranging from Division I to Division III. In addition, Thomas' coach said the skier's Midwestern status doesn't do him any favors.

"They don't like Midwest kids," Carlson said. "The fact is, it's much harder for a Midwest kid to really go anywhere."

Thomas agreed. He also hopes to change that. Deep down, Thomas still has aspirations to make the U.S. National Team.

"I know there's an attitude that in the Midwest here, we're kind of looked down upon from kids from Colorado," Thomas said. "They don't think we're as good as them just because we don't have the same mountains. I've taken that as an opportunity to prove myself."

At Williams, as the team's only Midwestern recruit, Thomas wants his success to open doors for other Minnesota skiers.

"I see it as an opportunity to put us on the map a little bit," Thomas said.