CLE ELUM, Wash. – It's been four months since the Vancouver Olympic Games captured our attention. As public interest in winter sports understandably dries up, so does the money that athletes need to train and compete.
The scramble by winter athletes for support is constant, and it's toughest in the year following the Olympics.
Patrick Deneen, the 22-year-old moguls skier from Cle Elum is one of those athletes. After a little time off, he's now in his backyard training on a trampoline every day. The crowd of Olympics fans is replaced by his devoted dogs, his dad and his girlfriend, Ellie, who is also a moguls skier.
"I go through and work all the tricks that I need to work every day and then, after that I go and once a week I try to learn a new trick," said Patrick.
There's also a slackline, not exactly high-tech, strung between two trees.
"This is a balance exercise. Working on all those little muscles to get them to fire up to help stabilize your body," said Patrick.
But the real balancing act now is financial. Moguls skiing is not a sport you can do just anywhere. That means following the snow. Patrick, his father and coaches will soon head for the southern hemisphere.
"Winter goes away, so we're out here. We got to go to Australia this summer. That's a fun trip but it's expensive," said Patrick.
In the run-up to the games, Patrick was part of Comcast's million dollar "Local Heroes" ad campaign. Besides Comcast, Patrick got money from gear manufacturers Shred Optics, 180's, McDonald's, Horizon Wind Energy and the U.S. Olympic Committee.
"We're probably reaching about $75,000 last year," said Pat Deneen, Patrick's father. "That was very good for him,very good for a freestyle skier."
Pat is the one who watches the money and he has watched five of those six money sources melt away.
"We have 180's still around. They stay, and that's about where we are right now," said Pat.
Patrick's Vancouver experience didn't turn out so well. The reigning world champion crashed and finished the Games face down in the snow. His dad calls it a learning experience, but not something that would have scared away sponsors.
No, that's simply a post-Olympic trend.
"It's business decisions. That was the run-up to the Olympics and that's kind of the cycle," said Pat. "What I'm trying to do is figure out ways to flatten the cycle."
Expenses this year could top $100,000. Deneen is hoping he can persuade a handful of local sponsors to help even out the ups and downs.
"Patrick has a pretty good name now. Pretty good name recognition,
said Pat.
Cutting back on training would mean losing ground to the competition. The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia are already in sight, deal or no deal.
"We're not out here making money, so I better love it otherwise I should probably be doing something else," said Patrick.
Patrick does receive equipment from a variety of manufacturers, including Hart Skis, and his travel is paid for by U.S. Skiing.
The World Cup freestyle season starts in Finland in December.
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