Debbie Armstrong

Born in Salem, Oregon, Armstrong grew up in Seattle and was a multi-sport athlete at Garfield High School; in addition to ski racing, she also played basketball, soccer, volleyball, and tennis. Armstrong has been inducted in the Seattle Public Schools Hall of Fame,{{Cite web|url=http://www.spsathletichalloffame.org/debbie-armstrong-bio.htm|title = Debbie Armstrong - SPS Athletic Hall of Fame}} State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame,{{Cite web|url = https://washingtonsportshof.org/by-category/snow-skiing/|title = Skiing|date = 5 March 2017|access-date = 19 March 2018|archive-date = 2 October 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181002064751/https://washingtonsportshof.org/by-category/snow-skiing/|url-status = dead}} and the National Ski Hall of Fame.{{Cite web|url=https://usskiandsnowboard.org/news/hall-fame-induction-set-steamboat-0|title = Hall of Fame Induction Set for Steamboat}}

Armstrong developed her racing skills in the 1970s at the Alpental ski area at Snoqualmie Pass, an hour east of Seattle on I-90. The run "Debbie's Gold" and the "Armstrong's Express" high-speed quad chairlift are named for her.[http://www.summitatsnoqualmie.com/Mountains/Trail-Maps Summit at Snoqualmie] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817124917/http://www.summitatsnoqualmie.com/mountains/trail-maps |date=2018-08-17 }} - trail maps - accessed 2010-03-11

She was the junior national champion in giant slalom in 1980 at Squaw Valley.{{Cite web|url=http://www.skihall.com/index.php?_a=document&doc_id=11&id=18|title=Robert L. (Barney) McLean}} After being named to the U.S. Ski Team in 1981 she placed 14th{{Cite web|url=https://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/athlete-biography.html?sector=AL&competitorid=1699&type=result|title = ARMSTRONG Debbie - Athlete Information}} in her first World Cup Giant slalom in Val d'isere, France starting from bib number 68.

Armstrong made the 1982 World Championship team{{Cite web|url=http://www.skihall.com/index.php?_a=document&doc_id=11&id=18|title=Robert L. (Barney) McLean}} in Austria, but broke a leg in a downhill training run and did not compete. She was runner-up in the giant slalom at the 1983 U.S. Nationals, and in January 1984, was third in a World Cup super-G{{Cite web|url=https://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/athlete-biography.html?sector=AL&competitorid=1699&type=result|title = ARMSTRONG Debbie - Athlete Information}} and fifth in a giant slalom,{{Cite web|url=https://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/athlete-biography.html?sector=AL&competitorid=1699&type=result|title = ARMSTRONG Debbie - Athlete Information}} shortly before the Olympics.

At the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Armstrong became the first American woman to win a gold medal in skiing since Barbara Cochran won the slalom a dozen years earlier at Sapporo.

At the 1985 World Championships in Bormio, Italy, Armstrong placed 4th in the giant slalom.{{Cite web|url=https://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/athlete-biography.html?sector=AL&competitorid=1699&type=result|title = ARMSTRONG Debbie - Athlete Information}} In 1987 at the World Championships, Armstrong placed sixth in the Super-G.{{Cite web|url=https://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/athlete-biography.html?sector=AL&competitorid=1699&type=result|title = ARMSTRONG Debbie - Athlete Information}} and became the U.S. National Giant slalom Champion.{{Cite web|url=http://www.skihall.com/index.php?_a=document&doc_id=11&id=18|title=Robert L. (Barney) McLean}}

Defending her gold medal, she finished thirteenth in the giant slalom at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.{{Cite web|url=https://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/athlete-biography.html?sector=AL&competitorid=1699&type=result|title = ARMSTRONG Debbie - Athlete Information}}

Dr. Hubert Armstrong, Armstrong's father, is a clinical psychologist at the University of Washington; he participated in the 1988 Winter Olympics, representing the US luge team as the sports psychologist. His 1986 Parenting the Elite Athlete (Armstrong, Hubert E., Jr., Ph.D. (February/March 1986) has gained traction as a classic sport parenting article in alpine ski racing.

She completed her World Cup career with 18 top ten finishes: 7 in downhill, three in Super-G, five in giant slalom, and three in combined.[http://www.ski-db.com/db/profiles/debbie_armstrong_usa_warmde.asp Ski-db.com] - results - Debbie Armstrong - accessed 2012-01-06

• 0 wins, 1 podium (SG), 18 top tens (7 DH, 3 SG, 5 GS, 3K)

After her retirement from competitive skiing following the 1988 World Cup season, Armstrong has led various humanitarian causes, including the Debbie Armstrong Say No to Alcohol and Drugs campaign; the SKIFORALL Foundation, which opens skiing events to the disabled; and Global ReLeaf Sarajevo, which seeks to reforest Sarajevo after the Bosnian war. Armstrong moved to Albuquerque, NM and attended University of New Mexico and earned an undergraduate degree (Bachelor of Science) in History.

Armstrong served as the Ski Ambassador at Taos Ski Valley for eight seasons. Simultaneously, she served a four-year term on the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) Alpine Demo Team{{Cite web|url=http://www.skihall.com/index.php?_a=document&doc_id=11&id=18|title=Robert L. (Barney) McLean}} which marked the first time a former US Ski Team athlete qualified for the Demo Team.

The PSIA Demo Team (now known as the PSIA-AASI Alpine Team) is made up of the top ski instructors in the nation. These professionals are "some of the best skiers and riders in the game and they are inspirational educators and lifelong learners. Every four years, thirty men and women are chosen to represent the association following a rigorous selection process. Team members are responsible for promoting, supporting, and assisting with the development of PSIA-AASI education materials, programs, and activities at all levels. They set the standard for U.S. snowsports instruction and embody the ski and snowboard experience."{{Cite web|url=http://www.thesnowpros.org/about/teams|title = Teams}}

In 2007, Armstrong moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado where she served one year as Technical Director for the Steamboat Ski Resort (Armstrong 2008, p. 36). In 2008, she became the Alpine Director at the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club,{{Cite web|url=https://www.steamboattoday.com/news/armstrong-moving-to-sswsc/|title = Armstrong moving to SSWSC| date=6 June 2008 }} a world-renowned ski club located in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, a position she held for six years. From 2014 to 2017, Armstrong served as U10 Head Coach position and Coach Trainer at the Sports Club.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sswsc.org/winter-programs/youth-development/u10-u10plus/|title = U10 & U10 Plus | Alpine Winter Programs | Steamboat Springs CO|access-date=2018-03-19|archive-date=2023-12-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211231353/http://www.sswsc.org/winter-programs/youth-development/u10-u10plus|url-status=dead}} The U10 cohort Deb coached at Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club dominated at the 2023 U16 Nationals,{{Cite web|url=https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/rocky-mountain-dynasty-sswsc-u16-alpine-team-earns-half-of-national-championship-podiums/|title=Rocky Mountain dynasty: SSWSC U16 Alpine team earns half of National Championship podiums}} and OPA Cup 2023,{{cite web|url=https://skiracing.com/american-teens-bring-home-nine-opa-cup-medals/|title=American teens bring home nine Opa Cup medals}} and the 2024 U18 Nationals{{Cite web|url=https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/sswsc-skiers-podium-in-each-u18-alpine-discipline-at-nationals-roth-becomes-slalom-champ/|title=SSWSC skiers podium in each U18 Alpine discipline at Nationals}}

Armstrong has served on the board of Washington State Ski and Snowboard Museum (WSSSM){{Cite web| url=https://www.wsssm.org/about|title=WSSSM About Us}} since 2022.

In 2024, Armstrong was given the PSIA-AASI Distinguished Service Award.{{Cite web|url=https://thesnowpros.org/2024/10/32-degrees-member-profile-deb-armstrong/ |title=32 Degrees Member Profile}}

Currently, Armstong produces specialized training videos for coaches and athletes on her YouTube channel{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/@DebArmstrongSkiStrong|title=Deb Armstrong Ski Strong}} and runs SkiStrong clinics for adults at Taos Ski Valley{{Cite web|url=https://taosskivalley.com/event/taos-womens-ski-week/|title=TAOS Womens Ski Week}} and Steamboat Springs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.steamboat.com/plan-your-trip/snowboarding-ski-lessons/ski-strong-3-day-ski-camp |title=SkiStrong 3 Day Ski Camp with Deb Armstrong}}

• Armstrong Jr., Ph.D., Hubert E.(February/March, 1986). "Parenting the Elite Athlete", Puget Soundings, p6.
• Armstrong, Deb (September, 1987). "The importance of being an all-around athlete [Athlete Point of View]", American Ski Coach, v11, n1, p38.
• Armstrong, Deb (Fall, 2001). "IMSIA mountain rendezvous 2001: a success of olympic proportions", the professional skier, p44.
• Armstrong, Deb (Winter, 2003). "Turning to tipping and back again: a process of rediscovery", the professional skier, p8.
• Armstrong, Deb (Spring, 2004). "To vary your turn radius, improve your range of lateral motion", the professional skier, p28.
• Armstrong, Deb (Winter, 2005). "Avoid the rainbow rut with new turn tactis", the professional skier, p34.
• Armstrong, Deb (Spring, 2005). "Training for life", the professional skier, p16.
• Armstrong, Deb (Fall, 2005). "My winter with Otto Lang", the professional skier, p28.
• Armstrong, Deb (Winter, 2006). "US Ski Team shares its alpine tactics", the professional skier, p30.
• Armstrong, Deb (Fall, 2006). "Where are you going? A look at directional movement", the professional skier, p26.
• Armstrong, Deb (Spring, 2008). "It's hip to think hips, even if you're a fan of the ankles", the professional skier, p32.

{{reflist|2}}

• {{sports links}}
• {{ski-db}}
• [http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/toc/8891/index.htm Sports Illustrated cover 20-Feb-1984] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829210642/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/toc/8891/index.htm |date=2008-08-29 }}
• {{webarchive |url=https://archive.today/20130102054755/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1121790/index.htm |date=January 2, 2013 |title=Sports Illustrated article 20-Feb-1984: "Have fun! Have fun! Have fun!" by William Oscar Johnson}}
• {{webarchive |url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20020223173751/http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/armstrde.shtml |date=February 23, 2002 |title=Debbie Armstrong bio at Hickok Sports.com}}
• [http://www.thesnowpros.org/about/teams About PSIA-AASI Teams]
• [https://www.skiinghistory.org/news/debbie-armstrong International Skiing History website - bio of Debbie Armstrong]
• [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGn7idUXVyGb8XZ_ADQ5cdg Debra Armstrong Training Videos for technical and tactical ski skill development] - A primary emphasis is ideas for ski coaches.

• {{YouTube|huM0oYjXNnI|1984 Winter Olympics - Women's giant slalom – Debbie Armstrong's 1st run starts at 2:40 - ABC Sports}}
• {{YouTube|SpFRGVA8Ll0|1984 Winter Olympics - Women's giant slalom – Debbie Armstrong's 2nd (winning) run starts at 4:32 - ABC Sports}}
• {{YouTube|bgq_cn8EAQQ|1984 Winter Olympics - Women's giant slalom – Final runs and interviews with Debbie Armstrong and Christin Cooper after US Women took 1st, 2nd and 4th - ABC Sports}}
• {{YouTube|kkRe4uttpec|1984 Winter Olympics - Women's giant slalom – Awards Ceremony- Debbie Armstrong wins Gold and Christin Cooper wins Silver - ABC Sports}}
• {{YouTube|LzInh9k7Ams|White House Reception for 1984 Olympic Athletes - posted with permission from the Reagan Presidential Library}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions Giant Slalom Women}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Armstrong, Debbie}}

Category:American female alpine skiers

Category:Alpine skiers at the 1984 Winter Olympics

Category:Alpine skiers at the 1988 Winter Olympics

Category:Sportspeople from Salem, Oregon

Category:Skiers from Seattle

Category:1963 births

Category:Living people

Category:Medalists at the 1984 Winter Olympics

Category:Garfield High School (Seattle) alumni

Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in alpine skiing

Category:20th-century American sportswomen