They may be young, but these talented athletes are already recognized as among the best in their sport.

Kendall Coyne

Ice Hockey Star

Favorite Position: Center
Home: Palos Heights, Illinois
Teams: Chicago Mission, Team Illinois
Age: 14

Kendall Coyne plays hockey on two teams—a girls’ team and a boys’ team. How are they different? “It’s a bit tougher being a girl on a boys’ team, since you have to work a little harder just to earn your spot,” Kendall says. And the game itself is different, too. “It’s a lot faster, and more physical because you are allowed to hit [other players],” she adds. “But girls’ hockey takes a lot more skill.”

Kendall hopes to take her stellar skills all the way to the Olympics. Last summer she was chosen to attend one of USA Hockey’s prestigious camps, where she was the top scorer. But whether she’s at camp or at home, there’s never a day when Kendall doesn’t want to be on the ice. “I always want to go to practice because I love it so much,” she says.

If hockey is what your future holds, listen to Kendall: “You can do it—just keep working hard,” she says. “Start out by just learning how to skate. Once you learn how to skate, the rest will come.”

Linsey Wright

Star Ski Racer

Favorite Event: Super G
Home: Brattleboro, Vermont
Team: Mt. Snow Academy
Age: 14

Downhill ski racing is all about speed…and so is Linsey Wright. She’s loved skiing fast since she first started racing at just seven years old. Today, she lives at Mt. Snow Academy during the winter, where training is built into her daily schedule of ninth grade classes. “I like that there’s always something new to learn,” says Linsey, “and that it gets harder and harder as you progress. It keeps me going to have a bigger challenge to face every day.”

In March, Linsey will travel to Italy with only two other girls from the United States for an international race. It will be the first time she’s crossed an ocean to go skiing.

So how does Linsey handle the pressure? “I am really competitive and I always try to do my best in everything,” she says. “I definitely keep in mind that my long-term goal is to make a career out of skiing and go to the Olympics someday. When I get negative about it or if something goes wrong, I tell myself I definitely want to stick with it. I want to see what happens next.”