Paul Schommer Biathlon Fund

My name is Paul Schommer, and I grew up in the city of Appleton in northeast Wisconsin. Growing up, I played soccer, wrestled, and ran cross country. It wasn't until my sophomore year of high school I was introduced to the sport of cross country skiing -- I was hooked. So in the fall of 2010, I left Appleton with two pairs of skis, one ski jacket, and a dream of competing at the collegiate level at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN.

When I arrived at St. Scholastica, I was just a suburban kid looking to improve as a skier. My head coach at CSS, Chad Salmela, was a retired professional biathlete and quickly noticed I had the work ethic and talent to become an elite level biathlete. Last summer, I attended the talent ID camp with the United States Biathlon team at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, NY. At the camp, the US Biathlon coaches identified my talent as an athlete and invited me to future camps. A short four and a half years later, I have graduated from The College of St. Scholastica with a bachelor's degree in chemistry, All American accolades as an NCAA skier, and a dream of representing my country as an Olympic biathlete.

Upon graduating from CSS, I was faced with the question, “Now what?” After a lot of prayer, thinking, and evaluating my options, I feel a calling to pursue a full time career in the sport of biathlon  As wonderful as this calling is, I won’t be able to fulfill it alone. I am in need of financial support to cover the costs of equipment, travel, and other expenses associated with full-time training. With your support, I aim to represent our country at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Please take some time to pray and discern what you feel is appropriate to give, and I thank you for your generous support.