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Steamboat Springs — It's hard to tell what the next four years will bring for Steamboat Springs' Tommy Schwall, but they certainly won't lead to Vancouver in 2010.

After devoting the majority of his youth to freestyle ski jumping, the two-time Olympian has decided to call it quits. Instead of making a run at the 2010 Winter Games in British Columbia, Schwall has decided to leave the sport.

"I had to do what was best for myself," Schwall said. "I don't have any regrets. I loved the lifestyle I lived, and I will miss it."

His retirement comes at a time of transition for the U.S. Ski Team. The ski jumping program lacks a head coach and will rely on club coaches at the National Sports Federation in Park City, Utah, to guide veteran skiers Clint Jones, Alan Alborn and a small group of dedicated development skiers who must pay for their training into next season.

U.S. Ski Team spokesman Luke Bodensteiner said the move to use the coaches at the National Sports Federation makes sense, particularly after the International Skiing Feder--ation officially recognized women's ski jumping this spring. The top women already are a part of that club and have established relationships with those coaches, and the men's team has been based in Utah for several years.

Schwall, who would not have been funded next season, was part of the 2002 Olympic team that competed in Park City and the 2006 team that traveled to Pragelato, Italy. He also won two Supertour championships in 2004 and 2005, has several top Continental Cup finishes --ncluding a win in Westby, Wis., and a fourth-place finish in Sapporo, Japan. He placed third at the U.S. National Championships five times in the past three seasons.

But the 22-year-old said the atmosphere of uncertainty and lack of funding surrounding the American men's ski jumping program after the 2006 Olympic Games forced him to evaluate his goals.

After weighing his options, he decided to pursue his education at the University of Colorado rather than trying to hang on for another four years, hoping for another opportunity at the Olympic games.

"Tommy is going to be missed," Bodensteiner said. "He was a great leader for our younger guys. He set a great example for them to follow."

In the end, Schwall thought that the only reason to keep ski jumping was to attempt to make the 2010 Olympic team. To do that, Schwall, the No. 3 man on the U.S. Team, behind Jones and Alborn, would have to dip into his wallet to pay for coaching, entry fees and travel.

"My main reason for competing would be to win an Olympic medal," Schwall said. "But I'm not sure that winning a medal would have been possible. I think, on my best day, I might have been able to get into the top 10, or maybe a top five. It would have taken a lot more than I have to get on the podium."

Still, the decision to leave was difficult. Schwall said he'll miss his teammates and his time on the hill.

"I have no idea what I'm going to study, " Schwall said. "But it's time to experience the real world, or at least the college version of the real world."