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Ryan Cochran-Siegle and his mom Barbara Ann Cochran; Ryan Cochran-Siegle in 2026.
Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty; Michel Cottin/Agence Zoom/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Skier Ryan Cochran-Siegle was born to parents Barbara Cochran and Drew Cochran
- Barbara is an Olympic skier who won gold at the 1972 Games in Sapporo, Japan
- Three of Ryan's siblings were members of the U.S. Alpine Ski Team
Ryan Cochran-Siegle is carrying on his family’s alpine skiing legacy.
Drew and Barbara Cochran welcomed two children — daughter Cate and son Ryan — before divorcing in 1993. Ryan has another sister, Melanie, per his Team USA bio.
The kids grew up around Barbara's family ski area in Vermont — the same slopes that Barbara trained on as a junior skier before earning her own gold medal in the women’s slalom at the 1972 Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan.
On the day of her Olympic win, little did Barbara know that nearly 50 years later her son would share some of the same experiences. Ryan took home a silver medal in the men’s super-G race at the 2022 Games in Beijing, becoming the only American Alpine skier to medal that year. Now, Ryan is embarking on his third Olympic Games in Milan Cortina.
Ryan doesn’t feel the pressure of upholding the Cochran legacy, despite hailing from a multi-generational skiing family. (Barbara’s three siblings were also members of the U.S. Alpine Ski Team, as were four of Ryan’s cousins, per his NBC Olympic profile.)
"My family has always just said they’re proud of me," he told NBC in February 2022. "I guess it might have been pressure-inducing for some people. For me, it’s been motivating."
Here’s everything to know about Ryan Cochran-Siegle’s parents, Drew Cochran and former Olympian Barbara Cochran.
Barbara grew up on her family’s ski area
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Barbara Cochran after winning Women's Slalom gold in 1972
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Skiing runs through the Cochran veins. Barbara and her three siblings grew up on a 150-acre hillside farm in Richmond, Vt., which is now home to the family's ski slope, Cochran’s Ski Area. What originally started as a few makeshift ski trails in the backyard — which were built by their father, Mickey Cochran — is now a breeding ground for junior skiers, per the website for the family’s syrup company, Slopeside Syrup.
In fact, it was on these slopes that Barbara and her siblings perfected their craft — eventually leading them to several World Cup titles and even an Olympic medal.
After 37 years of local community service, Cochran’s Ski Area was recognized as a non-profit organization in 1998, becoming the first 501 (c)(3) ski area in the country. The family-owned area also offers lessons and professional training through its ski school, which was previously helmed by Barbara herself.
Their mission is “to provide area youth and families with affordable skiing and snowboarding, lessons and race training, in the Cochran tradition,” per the website.
Barbara comes from a family of famous skiers
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Barbara Cochran (C) is carried on the shoulders of her brother Bob Cochran (L) and Rick Chafee after she won a first place in the women's slalom event in 1972
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Barbara took home gold in the women’s slalom event at the 1972 Winter Olympics — however, she wasn’t the only Cochran competing at those Games.
She was joined by her older sister Marilyn, an Alpine Ski World Cup champion, as well as their brother Bobby, a fellow alpine skier, according to Ryan's NBC Olympic profile. Lindy, the youngest of Barbara Ann's siblings, made her Olympic debut at the 1976 Winter Games in Austria.
Together, Barbara and her siblings have earned the nickname “Skiing Cochrans.”
As for his mom’s impressive skiing career, Ryan told NBC in February 2022, “My mother had success, and such a storied career. It shows that it’s possible for anyone."
Ryan has two sisters
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Ryan Cochran-Siegle and Barbara
Ryan Cochran-Siegle/Instagram
Barbara and Drew welcomed Ryan on March 27, 1992, in Burlington, Vt. They went on to divorce one year later in 1993, per NBC.
Ryan has two sisters, according to his Team USA bio: Cate and Melanie. Cate is now the mom of two children, according to the VTDigger.
Despite their family’s generational success, Ryan said there was never any pressure from his parents to carry on the Cochran skiing legacy.
“My mom always told my sister and me that true success isn’t about medals — it’s about finding love and passion in whatever you choose to pursue,” he said in a May 2025 Team USA profile.
Barbara raised her kids in Vermont
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Ryan Cochran-Siegle
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After Barbara and Drew's divorce, Barbara primarily raised the children as a single mom, according to Ski Racing Media. The family lived in the town of Starksboro, Vt., which is just down the road from the family's ski area in Richmond, where Barbara was an instructor for 40 years.
“I spent my whole childhood in Starksboro, Vermont. It's where I grew up. The people and places there helped shape me into who I am today," Ryan told NBC in January 2022. "It's where I learned humility, hard work, and dedication, along with how to be a good person and be respectful."
Barbara was by Ryan’s side after his 2021 World Cup injury
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Ryan Cochran-Siegle
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Ryan’s Olympic career was almost over before it even began. A year prior to the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, Ryan crashed while competing in the men’s downhill alpine race at the 2021 World Cup in Austria. Subsequently, he broke his neck and underwent surgery to fuse the C6 and C7 vertebrae, per the Los Angeles Times.
In his May 2025 Team USA profile, Ryan shared how his mom encouraged him to push through the setback — and eventually, land a spot on the 2022 U.S. Alpine Ski Team.
“She taught me that a positive mindset can carry you through the toughest moments, and that even when the pressure is high, never forget to have fun. That joy is where the magic begins — and that’s how I found my own Olympic path,” he said.
They are Ryan’s biggest supporters
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Ryan Cochran-Siegle is welcomed home to Richmond, VT, in 2022
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Barbara and Drew are Ryan’s biggest fans, both on and off the slope. The Olympian attributes his success to his mom, who taught him how to ski at 2 years old.
Although Barbara Ann wasn’t able to witness Ryan’s first Olympic podium finish in person, she raved on PEOPLE (The TV Show!) in February 2022 about how she was “so, so proud." "I was nervous. I was excited. I was trembling. I was crying. It was just like everything all packed in together," she recalled.
"I knew he could do it, I absolutely had confidence that he could do it," she said. "But yet at the same time, I just think that I wasn't sure that it would happen. And when it did, it was unbelievable."
Meanwhile, Drew sent his son an inspiring message just moments before the race. "I had sent him a text saying you're in my heart all the time and now is your time to fly down this hill," he told NBC 5 in February 2022.
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.
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