Bode Miller Quits U.S. Ski Team

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) -- Olympic medalist and former World Cup champion Bode Miller is leaving the U.S. ski team.<br/><br/>Miller told men's coach Phil McNichol of his decision following a meeting at

Saturday, May 12th 2007, 3:57 pm

By: News On 6

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) -- Olympic medalist and former World Cup champion Bode Miller is leaving the U.S. ski team.

Miller told men's coach Phil McNichol of his decision following a meeting at the headquarters of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association this week, the federation said in a news release Saturday.

"Bode is a great athlete and we hope he will continue to have athletic success," U.S. Alpine director Jesse Hunt said in the release. "We had a serious discussion with Bode about his responsibilities as a team member, and he later advised us he was
choosing not to join the team."

The fiercely independent Miller has often been at odds with the association and there had been rumblings that he would leave the team for several years.

He has been a part of the U.S. team for 11 years, but will travel and train independently if he competes in the 2008 World Cup season, the association said.