Otenbaker’s multi-sport talents leading to successful athletic career
GRAND BLANC, Mich. (BVM) — Michael Otenbaker is one of many multi-sport high school athletes across the country. Although the combination of sports he competes in may be unique, he is having an impressive prep athletic career that will lead him to future success.
Otenbaker’s primary sport is ski racing. The Grand Blanc, Mich. native has become a star for his high school team after remarkably beginning skiing already at age 2. Driven by his father, Otenbaker and the rest of his family have always made skiing a winter activity.
“Ski racing has been a really great family tradition for a lot of our extended family as well,” Otenbaker said. “We first started doing it around age 2. My brother was a very accomplished high school racer and I knew I really wanted to race watching it on TV growing up and seeing all those ski meets.”
Beginning his competitive skiing career in third grade with Thunderbolt Racing in Holly, Mich., Otenbaker now competes across the state. Racing with his team at Grand Blanc High School, Otenbaker became a varsity starter and earned a letter in his first race during his freshman year. Since then, he’s been absolutely hooked on the sport.
“From there on out, I really knew this was the sport that I wanted to participate in more than any,” Otenbaker said. “Ski racing is probably the most special sport that I have.”
The 17-year-old is also part of Accelerated Alpine Racing in Brighton, Mich. Through this club program, Otenbaker gets to compete not just in Michigan, but surrounding states as well, skiing against some of the top competition in the area.
Early on in his high school career, Otenbaker admits he had a few mental struggles within the sport. While it takes a special talent to excel at ski racing, Otenbaker also notes that the mental side is of utmost importance.
“Ski racing is absolutely one of the sports that you need mental preparedness,” he said. “You’re at the hill all day and sometimes, you really need to understand that your body is tired and you need a rest. It’s also about who’s able to throw it all on the line and who’s ready to really go for it.”
But through the years, Otenbaker has begun training more and more, and continues to excel on the slopes. Now, with his senior season just beginning, Otenbaker is proud to have become a true leader for his squad as team captain.
“The team is not really the same people I’ve started with,” Otenbaker explained. “It’s definitely a much different team but that doesn’t mean the chances are out. It’s very nice to be a leader on the team and I have a lot of chemistry with them.”
By the end of the year, Otenbaker hopes to achieve a longtime dream of becoming a state champion. He believes this season is his best chance, and feels he may even be able to draw some college attention to his ski talent.
When he isn’t on the slopes, Otenbaker has found himself in the water at Grand Blanc as a member of the school’s water polo team. As a kid, the senior was always a big swimmer. But after tearing his labrum in seventh grade, Otenbaker’s coach suggested trying out water polo, and his career has taken off since.
Otenbaker credits the sport for helping him build numerous relationships with coaches and teammates. He and his teammates have also helped the Bobcats to their first state appearance in the sport in 32 years.
In addition to skiing and water polo, Otenbaker is also a cyclist and sailor. Playing multiple sports while being able to take lessons from each and apply them to others is something the 17-year-old has always enjoyed.
“Those four sports are really my core,” Otenbaker said. “Each sport has its fun quirks to it. You can choose to take life a little easier or you can take it a little harder. If you apply yourself, you can get some really cool experiences in life, even at a young age.”
Of his four sports, Otenbaker’s greatest desire is to continue with ski racing during college.
“Ski racing is my favorite sport and I’d really love to continue it,” he said. “If I could do one thing in college, it would absolutely be ski racing.”
However, sailing may also be an option for Otenbaker beyond high school. His family has long been involved with the sport, ever since his dad began sailing when he was around 10 years old.
Since, his dad has passed what he learned down to his sons, and the Grand Blanc senior has taken a love to it, even teaching sailing to the next generation as well.
“Sailing has been a really big part of my family,” Otenbaker said. “My parents met sailing and that was one thing that tied into the family. I’m one of the head sailing instructors at Orchard Lake Country Club and we are preparing that next generation of sailors which has been really fun. I’ve met a lot of amazing people through it, and that’s what I’m excited to keep on doing.”
If Otenbaker sails in college, it may come somewhere he has always wanted to attend: The United States Naval Academy.
“I first looked into the United States Naval Academy during my fifth-grade year,” Otenbaker said. “I was invited down there in 2015 and from then on out, I realized this is a pretty cool opportunity. Working for something bigger than yourself and the leadership aspect of it really appealed to me.”
If he does indeed attend Navy, Otenbaker will get started with boot camp this June. While he will look to join the sailing team, the 17-year-old is very focused on the academic and career side of college as well.
“The United States Naval Academy has one of the top engineering programs in the country,” Otenbaker said. “That’s probably what I want to take part in. But it’s just being a part of something bigger than yourself and all the qualities that you gain with working at such a high level.
“Joining the varsity offshore sailing team would be a true treat. But, there’s a lot of activities such as mountaineering or triathlons that I can also take part of.”
Whether it’s sailing at Navy, ski racing or becoming an engineer, Otenbaker will continue to shine no matter where he goes or what he does, just as he has over the last several years in Grand Blanc.
