Molly Hackett of Hanover, NH
April 19, 2024
Meet Molly Hackett, a recent graduate of the Ford Sayre Academy program! Molly began Alpine skiing at just 2 years old and joined the Ford Sayre Jr Program as a Devo skier. After many successful years in the Alpine Junior program, Molly continued to compete as a Ford Sayre Academy athlete through high school, garnering accolades along the way. Molly was an essential member of the FSA family, always gracefully balancing competition, school work, and friendships. During her time as an Alpine racer Molly was a member of both the NH Development Team and the NH State Team. She now attends the University of Notre Dame and competes for its Division I Rowing team. Molly is majoring in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Business Corporate Practice. Needless to say, Molly continues to find balance among athletics, school, and friendships. Read her interview below!
Best of luck to you, Molly, as you continue to find growth and happiness in the outdoors!
It’s probably not easy to encapsulate your Ford Sayre experience in a single story, but do you mind giving it a try – what was your most memorable experience while skiing with Ford Sayre?
I think one of my favorite Ford Sayre experiences was the trip that I did to Park City, Utah, my sophomore year. While the racing was a great experience, my favorite part of the trip was the freeskiing we had the opportunity to do. It was just the FIS girls and our coach, Molly MacLeod, which was such a fun group to be with. I think it was one of those experiences that really put my Ford Sayre experience into perspective. We got to step outside of the racing world and just ski. I think that this experience really encapsulates the attitude of Ford Sayre that at the end of the day, regardless of the racing result, skiing is meant to be fun.
What is a character trait you think Ford Sayre helped nourish?
I think Ford Sayre really helped me become a very independent person. I learned how to take care of my equipment, tune my skis, and do all of those sorts of things. But, I also learned how to balance school with the time commitment of ski racing at that high of a level. I think that this has served me incredibly well as I transitioned to Division 1 Athletics.
Which strengths do you believe help you as an athlete to excel?
I think that I am a very hardworking person (sometimes to a fault!). I think that this strength has always made me never fully satisfied with my performance. This pushes me to be better and better every day.
If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be?
I think the biggest advice I could give to my younger self would be to live in the moment and always be present. I think that the experiences I was able to have because of ski racing specifically were so special and truly shaped the person I am today.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I would say that my biggest accomplishment so far would be competing in rowing at the Division 1 level at Notre Dame. I am incredibly grateful to be at a school that both challenges me athletically and academically. I think that while competing at ACC Championships last spring this accomplishment really sunk it. I was surrounded by my family, teammates, and best friends after an incredible first year at Notre Dame.
What are your passions besides skiing?
I think a passion of mine besides skiing is rowing. I started rowing my junior year of high school and if you had told me then that I would have competed at the ACC Championships, I think I would have laughed in your face. Rowing really came out of nowhere for me. Now, it is at the center of my life and I could not be more grateful for the experiences and relationships it has brought me.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in college so far?!
I think one of the biggest things that I have learned in college so far is how to be more confident in myself. The community at Notre Dame has played a huge role in this. Being around such a strong group of women, day in and day out, has really helped me become a person who is unapologetically themself.
What life passions/hobbies do you hope you can always pursue and why?
I hope that I can always be outside whether it be hiking, skiing, rowing, or running. The outdoors were such a fundamental part of my childhood and I hope that they continue to be a place where I can grow as a person.
And finally, if you could invite any two people – from real life or fiction – to join you skiing who would they be and why?
I think it would be so fun to go skiing with some of my rowing teammates and best friends who have never been skiing before. I think it would be super special to get to show them that part of my life that they do not get to see at Notre Dame.
