Premier would like to welcome Alexa-Jane Hoidahl to our team! Read this Q&A to learn more about our new intern.
Let’s start with a fun fact about yourself.
I will be graduating college at the age of 20.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Norway, Bali, or Greece.
Do you prefer movies or Netflix?
I like both—it depends what mood I am in. I love movies, but there are days when I love a good Netflix binge.
What is the best show you’ve watched on Netflix?
How to Get Away with Murder
Chocolate or vanilla?
Most definitely chocolate!
What is the most played song on your iPod?
“Ship to Wreck” by Florence and the Machine
You are being sent to a deserted island you can bring one person and one item, who and what would you bring, and why?
I would bring a speedboat to get on and off the island. The boat would come with wakeboards, bonfire supplies, Nick Goepper, Jimmy Fallon, and Melissa McCarthy. I would then bring Taylor Swift. We would spend the day attempting to try to wakeboard and do cool freestyle ski stuff like Nick. We’d also listen to Taylor tell fun stories about her cats and awkward experiences. We would then have the ultimate lip sync battle. It would be fun to be stranded on an island with all of these people–which I found a loophole to bring–because they are all very different, interesting, and down-to-earth people. I think it would be so cool to talk with all of them about their journeys to where they are now.
Favorite sport to play? How about to watch?
My favorite sport to do would probably be figure skating, but I love and will try anything competitive regardless. My favorite sports to watch are skiing, snowboarding, and Winter X Game events as well as hockey and figure skating!
What is your experience with sports?
I have been in sports since I was very young—my parents put me in everything to try it all out. Slowly I cut down to my core sports; I captained both figure skating and tennis in high school. I started competing in figure skating in groups at age 11 and individually at age 12. As soon as I did my first individual program and got to perform for people I was hooked. From then on it was all about performing and competing. At that time I found my love for the artistic side of this sport. I competed almost every other week at figure skating competitions with between 4 and 6 routines and usually placed within the top three skaters if not first. I still continue to skate now and get regular practice in even though I don’t have as much time for it as I used to. I am also fortunate enough to be able to share my passion, knowledge, and experiences with the children I teach. I am an ISI certified Bronze and Silver Judge and am working on getting my gold certification. I’m also working on getting more involved on the USFS side of figure skating. Sports have taught me so much about who I am, life, and has provided me with many connections. When I started participating in sports way back I never thought I would become as connected to them as I did—let alone be where I am today.
What has drawn you to the sport psychology world?
Being an athlete most of my life I always thought the mental side was just as important as the physical side. When I was in 10th grade I came across a show called Necessary Roughness. The plot was based around a psychologist and her life as a newly divorced mom. She gets thrown a curveball by somehow becoming a psychologist for the star athlete and problem child of her area’s NFL team. As soon as I saw the first episode I knew that was what I wanted to do for a career. Another thing that really drew me towards this field is how the view of seeking mental help is changing. It is becoming more of a common thing and more accepted not only in the general populations but also among athletes. I think this is great step in the right direction considering all the issues athletes face both in and out of the arena.
What is your educational background and future aspirations?
I graduated from Park High School in 2013 and started my first year of college my senior year of high school through the PSEO program. I then graduated from Century College with my Associate of Arts degree in 2014. That following fall I transferred to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and will be graduating this spring with a major in Psychology and a minor in Leadership. I plan to take a gap year before returning to school to take all my GREs and apply to grad school, gain some work experience, and travel. My ultimate career goal is to become a sport psychologist for professional athletes and teams.