Kearns • The deep bass vibrations and hypnotic rhymes of rap artist DaBaby pump through Corinne Stoddard’s headphones. That’s what the 18-year-old speedskater uses to get herself hyped for competitions. Then, when the excitement and nerves are about to bubble over, she seeks out USA coach Wilma Boomstra for a few soothing words of advice.
The pregame cocktail seems to be working for Stoddard, a high school senior from Washington. She was the only member of a young USA Speedskating team to qualify for an individual final Saturday in the first ISU Short Track World Cup event of the season, being held at the Utah Olympic Oval this weekend.