Jack Young

Quick Facts

• Specialty: Men's Cross-Country Skiing (Sprint)
• Young's parents introduced him to skiing through the Bill Koch Youth League in Newport, Vermont
• Former high school quarterback at North Country Union High School who transitioned to focus on cross-country skiing
• Graduated from Colby College in 2025, becoming the first athlete from the program to earn a spot on the U.S. Ski Team
• Five-time Vermont state cross-country ski champion

Biographical Information

Jack Young has emerged as one of America's top sprint prospects through an unconventional path that included trading football cleats and baseball gloves for cross-country skis. The Jay, Vermont, native grew up participating in the Bill Koch Youth League; however, Young didn't commit to competitive skiing until high school, when he was better known around Vermont's Northeast Kingdom as his school's starting quarterback. After choosing to focus on skiing, Young claimed five Vermont state championships before attending Colby College, where he would make history as the program's first athlete to join the U.S. Ski Team.

Young’s career breakthrough came in December 2023 when he won a U.S. SuperTour qualifier in sprinting, catching the attention of national team coaches and earning an invitation to compete at the world cup level. Young made his world cup debut in Canmore, Alberta in February 2024. Throughout the 2024-25 season, Young consistently qualified for world cup sprint heats and secured multiple top 30 finishes. His career reached new heights in Davos, Switzerland, where he delivered a fourth-place finish in the freestyle skate sprint, his first world cup sprint final. 

Young represented the United States at the 2025 world championships in Trondheim, Norway, gaining valuable experience racing against Olympic medalists and world champions. Following his graduation from Colby College in May 2025, he joined the Craftsbury Green Racing Project, where he has trained for most of his life. Young earned the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team's Most Improved Male Award and was named to the B-Team for the 2025-2026 season before securing his spot on the U.S. Olympic team for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Beyond skiing, Young maintains diverse interests that reflect his Vermont upbringing. He spent five summers working at Cajun's snack bar flipping burgers and counts Red Sox legend David Ortiz and NFL quarterback Tom Brady among his sports heroes for their clutch performances and consistency under pressure. However, his ultimate hero is his older sister, Callie Young, also a competitive Nordic skier, who served as his primary training partner and role model during their childhood. Young often credits her work ethic and competitive spirit with inspiring him to pursue excellence in skiing.

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2025 – 18th (Sprint Freestyle - Men)
• Years of participation: Sprint Freestyle - Men 2025
• Top finish: 18th – 2025 (Sprint Freestyle - Men)