Allison Baver was born on 11th August 1980 in Reading, Pennsylvania. She is an American short track speed skater. Baver trains with the US permanent winter sports Olympic team, in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the 2005-2006 season, she was ranked third overall in the World Rankings. Baver was a marketing and management major at Pennsylvania State University (2003) and an MBA at the New York Institute of Technology.
At the 2006 Winter Olympics, in Turin, Italy, Baver finished seventh in the Women’s 500 m competition, following a third place finish in Semifinal A and a collision with the Czech Republic’s Kateřina Novotná in Final B, which took her out of the race for fifth place. On February 25, 2007, Baver won her first U.S. National Championship.
On February 8, 2009, Baver collided with teammate Katherine Reutter on the third lap of the 1500m race in Sofia, Bulgaria and fractured her leg in multiple places. At the 2010 Winter Olympics, in Vancouver, Baver competed in three events. In the 3000 m relay, Baver’s U.S. team finished fourth but were awarded the bronze medal after one of the teams was disqualified for an infraction.
In October 2010, Baver was the Grand Marshal for the 2010 Pennsylvania State University Homecoming celebrations. Allison started skating “off the ice” using her Fisher-Price roller skates on the sidewalks, and later, competing in the first Inline Speed Skating World Cup in history, in Bogota, Columbia. After that, she started ice speed skating in high school and college. She moved to the United States Olympic Education Center to train for the 2002 Olympics when she was a Junior at Penn State University where she graduated in 2003. She earned her MBA in 2007 while living at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and competing in the Olympic Games and throughout the world.
When Allison traveled home to Pennsylvania, her brother, Brad Baver, often picked her up in Philadelphia where he was attending Temple University. In the summer of 2006, shortly after Allison competed in the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, Allison was back in Philadelphia when she noticed a local 65 year old business attendant roller skating backwards with a boom box. He was “jam” skating and waving to her. When she saw this, it brought back many memories and reminded her how universal skating is and that it can be done “off the ice” and how she had been blessed with parents, family, teachers/coaches and friends who believed in her path to the podium in life and in sports.
One letter was from a 9 year old girl in Chicago who mentioned how she wanted to start a foundation to help girls succeed just like Allison. Inspired by this letter, Allison started making phone calls during her ankle rehab that day, partnered with The Giving Back Fund and launched Off the Ice Foundation a few weeks later during the 2010 Olympic Games.
And so “Off the Ice Foundation” became a skating “Little League” and seeks to be the premier grassroots program for skating sports in communities throughout the world.
All content on this site is copyright of Women Finess and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
Allison Baver is speed skating 2010 Olympic Bronze Medalist 3000 m relay in conversation with Namita Nayyar President Women Fitness
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You must have started short track speed skating at a young age as you reached the pinnacle of success as you won bronze by US Team in 2010 Olympic Games Vancouver in 3000 meters relay category. What factors you consider were responsible that made you achieve that?
Ms. Allison Baver:
Passion, the eye of the tiger and support from my family and coaches.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
On February 8, 2009, You collided with teammate Katherine Reutter on the third lap of the 1500m race in Sofia, Bulgaria and fractured your leg at multiple places. How you were able to overcome such a physical injury/setback and what advice you can give to fellow sports person in a similar situation?
Ms. Allison Baver:
Faith played a big role in my Olympic success. I also used a lot of sports psychology, positive mantra’s and mind over matter techniques. All goals, training and literally “steps” towards the podium were extremely detailed. Every cell in my body believed that it was possible to recover from a spiral fracture and cartilage damage in enough time to skate on a blade 40 mph and be Olympic ready 7 months later!
Although others thought that it was impossible, I was able to be creative and think of how things were possible versus what was not possible and create a plan to get there. I had a great team around me and could not have done it without them!
Allison Baver on Women Fitness:
WomenFitness.net empowers me!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you shall like to share?
Ms. Allison Baver:
Single leg exercises are important for skating and something I do everyday. With dumb bells in your hand put one foot behind you on a bench for a single leg squat. Do that 50 times and 3 sets for a great leg exercise! If you have to break that down into reps of 25 that’s ok…but try and do 50 even if you have to use no weight. And do them a little past comfort zone. Not slow please!
Video
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Do you take some special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ms. Allison Baver:
I don’t believe in dieting, but instead just live a healthy lifestyle with clean food and daily exercise. I believe in taking a daily vitamin regime and like using the brand, Shaklee, for vitamins and other Eco-friendly products. I also take green supplement drinks for energy one a day.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Do you take some kind of skin treatment to keep it young and glowing and secondly what you do to your hair to make them look so stunning?
Ms. Allison Baver:
Diet actually plays a key role in hair and skin. Cantaloupe is something I add to my diet to help my skin and is something I also ate during my injury to help collagen. I like Murad’s acne line for skin and hair products. I use organic and environmentally friendly products as much as possible.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding professional speed skating girls who all are your fans, they shall like to know from you, what they should do for their climb to ladder of success in field of speed skating ?
Ms. Allison Baver:
Believe in yourself and run a lot. Running is very important for speed skating for reasons outside of cardio. I’ll let them figure out why!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
How did you feel before and after winning bronze by US Team in 2010 Olympic Games Vancouver in 3000 meters relay category?
Ms. Allison Baver:
Before the race I felt ready and after the race I felt like we won gold!
Video
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have done bold photo shoots. How you are so body confident and advice to your compatriots?
Ms. Allison Baver:
Thank you for thinking I’m body confident! As with everything, confidence is all about preparation. I go into every photo shoot trying to put my best foot forward, but oddly enough my best photos are not necessarily when I have been at my physical best. However, I always try and give myself some time to prepare for the shoot so that I can be confident. In moments when preparation hasn’t gone as planned, I thank God for my body and just go with it!
My advice to someone doing a photo shoot is to look into the camera and tell it whatever it is the photographer is trying to capture. If a photographer wants strong and powerful, then get in the zone of strong and powerful and tell the camera or direction you’re looking you are strong and powerful! If you can’t feel it, then it won’t show in the photo.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Who has been your greatest influencer and motivator in your success in the field of your career in competitive speed skating ?
Ms. Allison Baver:
Considering I talk to my Mom before and after nearly every training session, I’d have to say my Mom! She motivates me. My Dad and other coaches, athletic trainers and massage therapists have also influenced and motivated me greatly!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for its visitors?
Ms. Allison Baver:
WomenFitness.net empowers me!
To know more about Allison Baver: Check out at: http://offtheice.org
Women Fitness Team thanks Allison Baver for giving her valuable time for this interview and quenching the thirst of her fans to know more about her and made this interview happen.
Video
All content on this site is copyright of Women Finess and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.