A leap of fate

It all started over a cup of coffee more than 20 years ago.

Way back in 2005, Kelly brought her 5-year-olddaughter Nicole to the ski hill to watch her older brother Joshua training on the ski jump. Leaving Nicole to play in the snow, Kelly ventured a few steps away to grab a cup of coffee. The next thing Kelly saw was Nicole perched at the top of the gate, waving excitedly at her while strapped to a pair of borrowed skis — right before fearlessly taking her first jump — and inadvertently launching into a lifelong journey to the Olympics.

“If I didn’t need some caffeine, this might never have happened,” jokes Kelly Johansson, VP Operations at United. Since that fateful day, both Joshua and Nicole have had prolific careers as professional ski jumpers, with Joshua retiring in 2018. Nicole has since relocated to Slovenia to join the Canadian Ski Jumping Team, where they train for competitions, including the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan. Kelly, ever the supportive mom, is an active member of the International Ski Federation, as an international ski jumping judge, technical delegate and leader of a Women’s Ski Jumping working group.

To say they’re all on the same team is an understatement.

But that’s not the only team they’re on. Nicole, Joshua, and Kelly are all part of the United team, too. Between their education and competitions, both Nicole and Joshua have worked alongside their mom at United, and they still love to stop by the communities to catch up with the many residents they’ve gotten to know over the years.  

While visiting Calgary on a short break between training cycles, Nicole has been touring United’s communities to share her journey to the 2026 Olympics with residents. During her presentation, residents were fascinated by her skis and awestruck by the footage from past competitions. Many were avid skiers themselves and were eager to swap stories and learn more about Nicole’s sport.  Valley Ridge resident Brian, a fellow ski jumper back in the 1950’s, connected with Nicole over their shared love of the sport. “I was pushed off the 70 metre jump at Mount Norquay, and so began my ski jumping hobby,” says Brian, “I was primarily a downhill racer, but I did join the University of Alberta ski jump team, and we used to jump over Grout Road in Edmonton as cars passed below.” Brian adds, “I still really enjoy watching the competitions, and I really enjoyed chatting with Nicole, I am excited to watch her compete this season.”

Nicole’s visit sparked more than just fascinating conversations about the sport — it also brought back fond memories of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics and the city’s iconic ski jump towers. “There was a ski jump simulator at one of the demonstration centres,” recalls Angela Elia, Marketing and Communications Coordinator at United. “As kids, we’d visit during school field trips and hang on for dear life when we dared to jump on the skis. It’s so cool to meet someone who’s actually brave enough to do that every day!”

As far as connecting, it may seem like a jump to compare Olympic ski jumping to everyday life at United, but Nicole has some sage advice for older adults: “Often, when I’m training, it’s easy to focus on everything that went wrong,” she explains. “But changing your mindset and celebrating what went well leads to better results — not just in my jumps, but in training overall. Applying the same philosophy in everything I do helps me be better equipped for life. Everyone has bad days, and nothing is ever perfect, but it’s wonderful to be part of something and try new things — whether it’s a new training protocol or something in my personal life.”

Even if you’re not the gravity-defying type, Nicole’s wisdom still applies to so many of life’s endeavours.  From discovering a hidden talent in creative workshops, striking a note in the community choir, or attempting a personal best in a fitness class, finding your new passion sometimes takes a leap of fate, but for anyone looking to try something new, learning to find the positives and shrugging off the mistakes can lead to great things.

Just ask your friendly neighbourhood ski jumper.

Follow Nicole’s journey to the 2026Olympics with Team United — and in the meantime, join us in our communities and be inspired to jump into something extraordinary!