Pete Vordenberg: Americans can work together to work against climate change Political divisions do not have to stand in the way of solutions to climate change. (Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Snowboarders on the slopes at Brighton during night skiing hours on Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. By Pete Vordenberg | Special to The Tribune | March 1, 2021, 4:26 p.m. I raced in two Olympic games and coached in two more. I modeled my career as an Olympic athlete and Olympic coach on what I view as the American model of innovation and collaborative hard work. As an athlete I sought information, ideas and help from people around the world, runners from Kenya, kayakers in Boston and skiers in Sweden. As head coach of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team, I helped guide the U.S. to World Cup, World Championship and eventually Olympic medals – ending an over 30-year drought for the U.S. in that sport.