BIOGRAPHY:
On skis at the age of three and a member of the Squaw Valley Ski Team from kindergarten on, Nick Daniels is an all around skier with a solid U.S. Development Team base that's propelling him up the U.S. Ski Team pipeline.

Daniels had a dandy 2011 season rolling with multiple top NorAm finishes including podiums in slalom, super G and super combined along with a good showing at the Junior World Championships when disaster struck. Back spasms after Junior Worlds didn't get better, so he opted for the MRI which revealed a disc and vertebrae "issue," ultimately ending his season.

His recovery plan included heavy physical therapy and a move to the Olympic Training Center outside of San Diego, CA for the month of July and into the Center of Excellence in Park City for all of October.

NICK SAYS:
"I didn't need surgery for my back, which was nice, but I did have to do tons of physical therapy. Basically I was working on getting my hips level again, loosening up my back muscles and building strength in my lower core. It wasn't the most fun stuff, but it worked."

"I was back on snow in May at Mammoth without any issues. Now I have to get my timing, balance and movement back as we move through the rest of the prep period."

FIRST TRACKS:
Daniels was heading up the T Bar at Squaw with his dad by the time he was 5. A few months later it was onto the intermediate runs where he saw a group of kids in the Mighty Mites program. He joined the next day and has been gaining speed ever since.

OFF THE SNOW:
It's all about surf. Daniels' move to the Chula Vista, CA OTC for the month of July was a strategic one…both for his training and for his passion. "Pretty much, the move was to work out and then surf, work out and then surf." Rest and repeat.