Allie Resnick ’25 and Emma Resnick ’26 are skiers for the Dartmouth Alpine team and Team USA. Both sisters have had illustrious professional careers: Emma Resnick placed fourth in the Giant Slalom race at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games, while Allie Resnick has raced in the World Cup and was the 2022 North America Cup Slalom Overall Champion. Behind their medals and success is their support for each other and their unwavering positivity.
Earlier this season, Emma Resnick suffered her third straight season-ending injury, a torn ACL. These injuries have been traumatic for Emma Resnick and a massive roadblock to her skiing career. However, she has found multiple silver linings amidst her time off the slopes, such as dancing in the Sheba dance troupe.
“I get to be part of things that I wouldn’t otherwise have time for,” Emma Resnick said. “I think that’s a huge part of myself now that I’m so happy I’ve gotten to explore beyond the sport.”
Emma Resnick has also found various ways to support the ski team from the sidelines. Whether it be making posters for carnivals or cheering on her sister at the bottom of the hill, Emma Resnick has remained an integral part of the team. According to women’s head coach John Dwyer, Emma’s resilience has been inspiring to the rest of the team.
“Her motivation through all of her unfortunate injuries … keeps everybody on their toes,” Dwyer said. “They see how hard she’s working coming back from season-ending injuries year after year after year, and the other girls on the team don’t want to let her down by working any less [hard] than she is.”
Allie Resnick, despite being such a successful skier, spoke about remaining positive regardless of a race’s results. Emma Resnick spoke about how her sister’s attitude builds a strong and optimistic mindset that ripples throughout the team.
“You would never know the difference if Allie came down in first or in last,” Emma Resnick said. “She always has such a strong attitude, not only for me as her sister but for all of our teammates and the environment of ski racing as a whole.”
The sisters are well-respected by the rest of the team, both individually and as a unit. Dwyer spoke to their ability to lead.
“They’re both quiet leaders, I would say. When they speak, people listen to both of them and they add a tremendous … lightness to the team,” Dwyer said. “Everybody respects them.”
Along with keeping positive mindsets during challenging times, the sisters provide each other invaluable support. For Allie Resnick, knowing her younger sister is at the bottom of the hill motivates her to keep pushing.
“At the Dartmouth carnival [on Feb. 9 and 10], I was actually feeling really sick,” Allie Resnick said. “Knowing that Emma was at the finish meant everything to me. She is the first person I look for when I’m there.”
For Emma Resnick, her sister has helped her get through the recovery process, especially emotionally.
“Having Allie around through my recovery, especially as I’ve been through this a couple times now, is one of the truly consistent factors in my recovery,” Emma Resnick said. “I’m so lucky to have her as an outlet to really understand both sides of the school and skiing life.”
The two sisters’ close bond is obvious to anyone who knows them. Dwyer spoke to their close connection.
“The two of them together, they’re like twins, practically,” Dwyer said. “They read each other’s minds, and they have a lot of fun with one another, along with the team, too.”
When choosing colleges, both sisters had a lot to contemplate, including balancing skiing with academics. For aspiring professional skiers, the D-Plan allows them to pursue their athletic dreams while getting a stellar college education. This flexibility drew both sisters in, especially due to their intention to compete for Team USA in Europe this spring.
In addition to the flexibility of the D-Plan, the camaraderie of the ski team has given both sisters a support system that has helped them on the snow.
“I felt so much pressure initially,” Allie Resnick said, referring to skiing for the Big Green. “If I have a bad run, if I fall, that’s affecting my teammates. But I changed that mindset to, ‘No, this is a support system — we are helping each other.’ You want your teammates to go fast. You want your teammates to beat you, [to] be close to you. I think that a supportive environment made a big difference.”
Moving forward, the sisters will look to continue their academic and athletic pursuits. Whether it be competing for Team USA or finishing a tough academic term, the sisters’ love for one another is a key to their success.
“I don’t know what I did at Dartmouth before Emma came,” Allie Resnick said. “My two terms on campus without her, I must have been so lost. But I really feel so lucky to have her here.”
Emma Resnick is a member of The Dartmouth’s templating staff.
