Athlete profiles

Aspen Daily News Staff Report

Alia Munger
Basalt High School

Age: 18

Class: Senior

Sports:  Volleyball, soccer and basketball.

Sporting achievements:
  Four years varsity soccer and volleyball, three years varsity basketball.

Athletic aspirations? Finish my last school season well, and continue to play club sports.

If you could go to dinner with one athlete — living or dead — who would it be and why?  Lance Armstrong because he is inspirational.

Favorite sports movies? “Remember the Titans” and “A League of Their Own.”

Prefer spandex or sweat pants? Both.

Favorite workout/warm up music? Techno mostly.

Superstitions? None, really.

Who or what inspires you?
My coaches and teammates.

Dream sports car? BMW M5 Hurricane G-Power.

Vegetarian or carnivore?
Meat!


Nick Doeffinger
Basalt

Age: 27

Sports: At this point in time, I mostly snow ski as a full-time member of the Challenge Aspen Competition Team, but I also enjoy kayaking, hand cycling, water skiing, scuba diving, and playing wheelchair rugby.
 
Day job/profession:
This winter my job became training full time to achieve my goals of becoming the best ski racer I can with the Challenge Aspen Competition team, which is very rewarding.

Athletic achievements:  I have skied since I was a little kid. My accident happened on the slopes back East six years ago. To this day, I’m still not sure how it happened. I just woke up paralyzed.  I came out West the very next season to learn how to ski again using adaptive equipment.

Athletic aspirations? My aspirations are to go as far as I possibly can with ski racing, wether it be making the U.S. Disabled Team, making the U.S. Paralympics Team and podiuming in either or both!

Favorite pre-game/pre-competition meal? I have to say I don’t have a favorite pre-competition meal, just anything loaded with carbs and a li’l protein.

If you could go to dinner with one athlete — living or dead — who would it be and why? I would def have to say Michael Jordan.  Knowing that he was cut from his team in school when young, and staying with it and never giving up to become one of the very best, if not the best, basketball player ever. That instilled in me to never give up in anything in life, which is now tattooed on my wrist "NGU."

Favorite workout music?
Usually something heavy and upbeat. I listen to laid-back, chill/relaxed music most any other time.

Ankle or tube socks?  How about barefoot?

Superstitions? I wouldn’t say I’m very superstitious, though I have a couple smalls ones. Before a race I try to put myself back in a past event that I hold dear and just repeat it over and over in my head. By the time it’s my turn to race, I’m as calm as I can be with a clear head and ready to race!
 
Vegetarian or carnivore?
  Both.  I don’t think there is anyway I could eat just one or the other. You need a good balance of both.