Tegan Thorley

I attribute my success to adaptability, continuous learning, and the support of incredible mentors, coaches, and my parents throughout my journey. Rather than focusing on following a perfect career path, I've learned to embrace unexpected opportunities and gain valuable skills from every experience. During college, for example, I took a seasonal job at a fishing lodge in Alaska after my ideal internships didn't work out. Although it seemed unrelated to my goals, the experience taught me resilience, teamwork, problem-solving, and the confidence to step into unfamiliar situations. I've found that every challenge presents an opportunity to grow, and it's this mindset of staying curious, adaptable, and open to learning that has shaped my career.

My advice to young women entering this industry is not to become overly focused on finding your "dream job." Instead, think about the kind of life you want to build and what you want your average day to look like. While passion is important, it shouldn't come at the expense of balance, fair compensation, or opportunities for growth. Keeping an open mind allows you to discover career paths you may never have considered and helps you build a career that supports both your professional ambitions and your personal well-being. Focus on creating a fulfilling life as a whole, rather than chasing a single ideal path - your happiest, most-sustainable path probably includes a career that gives you room to have a life beyond it!

One of the biggest challenges in my field is recruiting and retaining qualified coaches. Interest in youth skiing continues to grow, but there simply aren't enough coaches to meet the demand. Economic realities make coaching difficult, as part-time roles often require significant time commitments while offering limited financial compensation, and full-time coaching opportunities are rare. Additionally, rising costs, reduced public funding for sports programs, and the long-term impacts of climate change—such as shorter winters and less reliable snowfall—are creating new challenges for the sport. At the same time, these issues present an opportunity to rethink how we support coaches, improve accessibility, and ensure the long-term sustainability of winter sports.

Boundaries and accountability. Every relationship, whether personal or professional, will have its harder seasons and easier seasons. Accountability ensures that the hard seasons are worthwhile, and boundaries will let you rest easy. Having entered both the coaching industry and the legal industry with little experience and authority beyond what I was sometimes qualified for, this is a lesson that I've learned the hard way a few times! Know your values, and pay attention to when you are being called to deviate from them, either by your own interests or by outside demands. Know what your community needs, and be honest with yourself about how many of those needs you can show up for. Under-promise, over-deliver, and keep your "why" close at hand. Having a clear, consistent internal value set allows you to quickly and easily exercise sound judgment, regardless of any external pressures.