Olympic Hopeful: Cooper Puckett
12/02/2025 01:20PM ● By Skylar Leeson
Photo courtesy of Cooper Puckett.
For Cooper Puckett, skiing has never been just a sport – it’s been a lifelong love. He first clicked into skis at age 1 and grew up chasing tree lines on Mount Werner and training under the lights at Howelsen Hill. By the time he was eight or nine, racing became the focus. “I was always in love with skiing,” he says. “My dad (Chris Puckett) and uncle (Casey Puckett) were both World Cup skiers and Olympians, so naturally I looked up to them and developed my own passion.”
That passion has fueled a steady rise through the ranks. Just two years ago, Cooper was racing NorAm Cups. Last season, he stepped up to the Europa Cup – one tier below the World Cup – and even earned starts in two World Cup GS races. “The last few years I’ve been fighting to get into the World Cup,” he says. “This year, I’m aiming to break in and be in the top 30 in the world.”
Like most ski racers, Cooper has faced his share of setbacks. "It’s a brutal sport,” he admits. “There’s so much that’s out of your control. Even if you do everything right, anything can happen. My technician always says, ‘95% disappointing days and 5% good can be a great season.’"
But despite the disappointment, quitting has never crossed his mind. “What keeps me going is knowing what I’m capable of achieving and trusting that I’ll get there if I keep doing my best,” Cooper says.
The Olympic Games are naturally part of that vision – and a family tradition. “Competing at the Olympics means competing at the highest level, fulfilling a dream and being part of history,” he says. “It’s something I’ve always wanted.” When pressure builds, Cooper turns inward. “I like to breathe through it, trust God and be present in my body.” His rituals are minimal – just the way he puts on his boots, though the rest he keeps secret. If he could give advice to his younger self, it would be simple: “I wish I knew I could ski my best by just enjoying myself.”
And while the world might measure him by results, Cooper’s perspective runs deeper. “I don’t care how I’m remembered as an athlete,” he says. “This journey is about personal and spiritual growth and seeing what I can achieve. It’s more important how I’m remembered as a friend, a son, a husband – and how God judges me.”
For Cooper Puckett, skiing has never been just a sport – it’s been a lifelong love. He first clicked into skis at age 1 and grew up chasing tree lines on Mount Werner and training under the lights at Howelsen Hill. By the time he was eight or nine, racing became the focus. “I was always in love with skiing,” he says. “My dad (Chris Puckett) and uncle (Casey Puckett) were both World Cup skiers and Olympians, so naturally I looked up to them and developed my own passion.”
That passion has fueled a steady rise through the ranks. Just two years ago, Cooper was racing NorAm Cups. Last season, he stepped up to the Europa Cup – one tier below the World Cup – and even earned starts in two World Cup GS races. “The last few years I’ve been fighting to get into the World Cup,” he says. “This year, I’m aiming to break in and be in the top 30 in the world.”
Like most ski racers, Cooper has faced his share of setbacks. "It’s a brutal sport,” he admits. “There’s so much that’s out of your control. Even if you do everything right, anything can happen. My technician always says, ‘95% disappointing days and 5% good can be a great season.’"
But despite the disappointment, quitting has never crossed his mind. “What keeps me going is knowing what I’m capable of achieving and trusting that I’ll get there if I keep doing my best,” Cooper says.
The Olympic Games are naturally part of that vision – and a family tradition. “Competing at the Olympics means competing at the highest level, fulfilling a dream and being part of history,” he says. “It’s something I’ve always wanted.” When pressure builds, Cooper turns inward. “I like to breathe through it, trust God and be present in my body.” His rituals are minimal – just the way he puts on his boots, though the rest he keeps secret. If he could give advice to his younger self, it would be simple: “I wish I knew I could ski my best by just enjoying myself.”
And while the world might measure him by results, Cooper’s perspective runs deeper. “I don’t care how I’m remembered as an athlete,” he says. “This journey is about personal and spiritual growth and seeing what I can achieve. It’s more important how I’m remembered as a friend, a son, a husband – and how God judges me.”