Through the majority of the year, Ben and Madi Worst live and compete in the mountains of Montana. During the summer months, however, these two NCAA athletes, who represent the University of Montana Grizzlies, call Erieau home.
Madi, a track star, and Ben, a kicker for Montana’s football team, both spend their summers in Erieau, working at the Erieau Yacht Club, and visiting their family, who is originally from the area.
“I love Erieau more than anything,” said Madi, the daughter of Kari Worst (Phair), and granddaughter of Don Phair, who are both from Blenheim.
“Because Division I track is one of the longest seasons in NCAA sports, I don’t get any vacations during the year, so I end up thinking about coming here (Erieau) all year long.”
LEADWAVE Technologies from Chatham Voice on Vimeo.
Ben and Madi’s father, Tug, met his future wife Kari of Blenheim in Erieau, as Tug’s family originally bought a cottage in Erieau in the 1920s. Now the family, who permanently resides in Twin Falls, Idaho, spends its summers in Erieau, resting before the long competition season of NCAA Division I athletics begins again.
For the Worsts, competing at the same school, for the Montana Grizzlies, is something they both cherish.
“It’s a great experience; we both get to play and compete at the Division I level together,” said Ben of the opportunity to simultaneously represent the University of Montana Grizzlies with his sister. “Not many siblings can say that. We are very blessed to get to do that”
“I love having my brother competing with me at a Division I university,” said Madi Worst, a health and human performance major. “It’s exciting to see him in the paper every week in the fall and having professors asking about him in my classes. It’s a big school so we don’t cross each others’ paths much, but it’s a nice reminder that we’ve both made it this far when we do get to see each other in the varsity athletic facilities every once and a while.”
From their family and friends in Chatham-Kent, to their parents in Idaho, and Montana teammates, the Worsts are surrounded by support. When it comes to choosing a number one fan, however, the siblings both look up to each other for their successes.
“My sister is one of the best athletes I have ever met,” said Ben about his sister, who was a member of the Big Sky Conference championship 4x400m team that broke both the Big Sky record and the University of Montana record last spring. “Her work ethic is unlike any other. She is the most caring and inspiring person I know.”
“Ben’s best characteristic as a college athlete and student is his ability to stay relaxed when anyone else would become overwhelmed with stress,” said Madi of her brother Ben, who holds one of the most stressful positions in sports, as the Grizzlies kicker, regularly playing in front of more than 20,000 fans at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
“During his games, you can see that he doesn’t let things get to him and it’s really worked well for him as a student as well. Staying relaxed is something I really struggle with so it’s definitely a trait that I envy.”
Whether it’s a workout in the summer, or an NCAA competition they’re preparing for, Ben and Madi both support, and push each other to be the best athletes, both on and off the field and track.
“We both hate losing, so we would always lift and run together,” says Ben. “She never let me skip a rep and now I see why. It has helped me tremendously to be able to be the best I can be. “
“Other than doing our best to see each others’ performances, I think the time when we really push each other is during our off-time,” added Madi. “Over summer and Christmas break, we do our best to hold each other accountable for workouts and time in the gym. We make sure that if we’re doing a workout, we’re not doing it alone.”
Now, with another summer in Erieau approaching, the Worst’s will be bringing their talent to the beach, and the community of Erieau. And they’ll be pushing each other, so that when they return to Montana for another season of NCAA competition, the Worsts will be bringing their best.
