Emily Cook Lauer is a three-time Olympic aerial skier and World Cup and national champion. In 2019, she was quietly crowned US Ski and Snowboard’s first female head coach, an organization for which she remains an advocate and board member. Today, she’s a champion for youth sports through an array of nonprofits and is raising her son on the same hills where she once trained.

Park City Magazine: How did you first get involved with aerial skiing?
Emily Cook Lauer: Growing up, I was a very active kid with a ton of energy. My dad raised me on his own after my mother passed away, and he is the one who gave me the opportunity to try different sports to find a healthy outlet for all that energy. I loved both skiing and gymnastics, so freestyle skiing was the perfect combination of my two passions. At 12 years old I discovered aerial skiing and decided I wanted to go to the Olympics as part of the US Ski Team.

What brought you to Park City?
ECL: I first traveled to Utah from the East Coast for ski competitions as a teenager. I remember flying into Salt Lake City with my dad and team. I was mesmerized by the mountains; I couldn’t believe that something so majestic existed. I fell in love on my first powder day. When I qualified for the US Ski Team at 17, I packed up and moved across the country, first to the dorms at the University of Utah and then to Park City. 

What is a favorite memory of competing in the Olympics?
ECL: Walking into my first Opening Ceremonies at the Olympic Games in Torino, Italy, in 2006 was one of the most memorable and incredible experiences of my athletic career.

How do you feel about becoming the first woman to lead a team as a head coach at US Ski and Snowboard, and being an inspiration to young girls skiing?
ECL: It was such an honor to get the chance to work with our athletes as a coach from 2016 to 2019. I took over as interim head coach of the US Aerial Team after the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018, knowing that I wanted to lead our team and set them up for success before moving on to spend some more time with my family after 20 years on the road. At that time, I was one of very few women coaching the US Team and the only woman in a head coach role.
Growing up, I had a woman coach, Joanie Dolan, and though I didn’t realize at the time that it was uncommon, I know it made a big difference for me in my development as both an athlete on and off the hill. While a few years ago I was one of very few women coaches, today, I am proud to say that US Ski and Snowboard has seen more incredible women lead their teams, with a large percentage of the executive team now women. 

Do you feel enough is being done to support young girls in skiing these days? 
ECL: According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, by age 14 girls are dropping out of sports at two times the rate of boys. Local programming like Get Out and Play and Activ8 through the Youth Sports Alliance are helping youth access and stay involved in sports like skiing. 
US Ski and Snowboard has also just launched Heroic. The initiative is designed to celebrate the power of women while also investing in their future success. In its 2022–23 debut season, the first focus was coaching. While the participation of women in skiing and snowboarding continues to grow, only 25 percent of skiing and snowboarding coaches are women, with even less representation at the elite level. 

Can you tell us more about your work with the Speedy Foundation?
ECL: It was founded in memory of my teammate and friend, Jeret “Speedy” Peterson. I met Speedy when we were very young, and quickly came to love his spirit and deep care for those around him. I was so lucky to have had him as a teammate and friend for over a decade. In 2010, he became an Olympic silver medalist. In 2011, he lost his battle to depression. When Speedy passed away, his mother called me and together, with friends and family, we created the Speedy Foundation, whose mission is to prevent suicide, support mental health education, and promote conversations to end stigma. Speedy spent his time on this earth supporting his friends and family, and I am confident that the foundation created in his name has saved many lives. 

What have you been up to since retiring from the sport and coaching?
ECL: Life after being an athlete and a coach has been great! I am now a mom, and absolutely love raising Charlie with my husband, Rob, and taking our dog, Winston, for as many hikes as possible here in Park City. I am thankful to have the flexibility to continue to be involved in sport as an athlete representative with the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee; a board member with US Ski and Snowboard; a judge and commentator; and I continue to work with athletes and teachers at Classroom Champions, which empowers children to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally through the mentorship and mindset of world-class athletes. 

I have also had the privilege of hosting events for Eminent Series Group, our family business, which presents large speaker series events across the country with some of the most noteworthy and accomplished individuals. Recently, I’ve moderated conversations on stage with inspiring speakers such as Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate at age 17 and a global advocate for girls’ education.

What are you looking forward to this winter season in Park City?
ECL: I am so excited to take Charlie skiing this season!