One of the best stories of the Canada Winter Games almost didn’t happen. Thornhill’s Zac Hoffman, who broke his collarbone about six weeks before the opening ceremonies of the prestigious competition, had to furiously get through rehabilitation to make it back in time to compete at the Games.
Doctors hadn’t given Hoffman much hope that he could be ready in time.
“When I broke my collarbone, the hospital basically told me that I wouldn’t be able to go,” said Hoffman, one of only two male mogul skiers from Ontario at the event. “But with lots of physiotherapy, I was able to make it back in time.”
It was a tough stretch for Hoffman, who wanted to get back on the hills as soon as possible.
“Throughout the six weeks I was hurt, all I could basically do was go to physio and ride the bike,” he said.
“All of my friends were going skiing and my teammates were traveling to B.C. and Utah. It was super frustrating.”
Once the 18-year-old skier was cleared to race, he didn’t have a lot of time to prepare.
“I got in two days of skiing before I went out to Halifax [for the Games], but those days were more about skiing carefully rather than [attempting] jumps or moguls,” Hoffman said.
“Fortunately, my competition wasn’t until well after the opening ceremonies, so it gave me some time to go over the course and get my legs back under me.”
After finishing sixth in the singles event, Hoffman really got going in the duals, where two competitors race down the mogul hill and take a pair of jumps. Their total score is dependent on a combination of time, air and turns, with the winner moving on.
“I won four rounds to get to the finals,” Hoffman said. “In the semis, I faced one skier from Quebec (Hugo Blanchette) who I think will be the next guy to make the Canadian National Team.”
It forced Hoffman to take his game to the next level.
“I knew I had to push really hard if I wanted to beat him,” Hoffman said. “I don’t think I’ve ever skied that fast before.”
Hoffman held on and made a clean back flip to advance to the finals, where he lost to Quebec’s Simon Lemieux. Still it was good enough for a silver medal. “I’m totally happy with second,” Hoffman said. “I couldn’t really comprehend the fact that I was in the finals, I was just so excited.”
Hoffman began mogul skiing at 10 years old, following his older brother, Josh, into the sport. “He was the reason I got into it,” Hoffman said. “I just sort of followed him around when I was younger.”
The middle child, who also gets encouragement from younger brother Noah, found it beneficial when Josh was also on the provincial moguls team. “He helped to push me,” Hoffman said. “I’d work harder and try to get up to his level and then in later years, I could push him, too.
“We’re not too competitive with each other,” Hoffman added. “We don’t have that brother hatred that some people might think of. I could always come and talk to him.”
He also has his parents, Risa and Lloyd, around to help support him on his journey. “Without all that my parents do for me, there’s no way I’d be able to do any of this,” Hoffman said. “They get me to where I need to be, support me financially and do everything for me.”
When Hoffman isn’t out on the course training, he’s either shooting or editing video, usually of the very sport he competes in. “Everything I’ve earned over the past few years has gone towards cameras and equipment,” Hoffman said.
His folks helped out there, too. “My parents got me a MacBook Pro as a birthday and Chanukah present,” Hoffman said. “The second I got that, my video editing was much improved.”
Film school is something Hoffman would like to pursue one day, but first, he’s going to try and go as far in moguls as he can.
“The ultimate goal, of course, is the national team,” Hoffman said. “I’m just going to keep pushing myself to improve, and hope for the best.”
