Young skier could become an Olympian one day, says Yukon coach

A Yukon boy who was supposed to compete in the Arctic Winter Games this month could become an Olympian one day, says his coach.

"He is so good at visualizing everything," Urs Schirmer said of his trainee, Thomas Vollmer.

Schirmer said he's known Vollmer since the boy's birth, 10 years ago.

Vollmer, who's from Mount Lorne,would have been the youngest alpine skier and fourth-youngest athlete overallto compete in thecompetition this year. At least one of hisopponents was 15 years old.

"It's really awesome because I get to hang out with all the older kids,"Vollmer said a couple of weeks ago, when the games were still going ahead. They were cancelled a week later.

Vollmersaid he started skiing when he was three years old. A year or two year, he met two teenagers and started skiing with them. They inspired him to go further into the sport.

"Skiing is just kind of a way to be free," Vollmer said. "It's my passion, and I really like it."

He was supposed to compete in the slalom, giant slalom, and parallel slalom juvenile male events. He figured he'd be lucky to win a medal.

The juvenile male group at the Arctic Winter Games is supposed to be for boys born in 2006 or 2007 but an exception was made for him because of his skill level,according to event spokesperson Echo Ross.

Vollmer's weekends have been dedicated to training, which he described as "kind of hard" and "really fun."

While training one day earlier this month, several passersby on the ski hill at Mount Sima cheered him on.

"It's kind of like a big family," Schirmer said.