David Greer is closing the book on his cross-country ski career at the age of 23.

The Whitehorse native described the reasons for his decision in a blog post last week titled "A New Beginning.”

"After getting word that I did not make the national team, and will no longer be getting a development carding (funding), I've decided to ‘retire' from the life of full-time cross-country ski racing,” Greer wrote on his personal website.

"‘Retiring', ‘quitting' … call it what you want, I'm done.”

Last month's announcement of the national team roster was the breaking point for Greer, who recently completed the finest ski season of his six-year career.

While currently in the "best shape” of his life, skiing another season without funding "may have been a step backward,” Greer explained in an interview with the Star yesterday.

Greer, who has been on skis since he could walk, began his career in 2007, after winning a race at the Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse. Following graduation from F.H. Collins Secondary School, he went on to spend the next five years at the Pierre Harvey National Development Centre in Quebec.

In that time, Greer represented the territory and the country at many competitions around the world, including the 2009 World Championships in France, and the 2012 World U-23 Championships in Turkey.

Greer, the elder brother of talented female skier Janelle Greer, returned home this season to form the Yukon Elite Squad with four other homegrown athletes, and capped his year with a silver medal at the Haywood Ski Nationals in the open men's sprint.

"That was pretty special,” he said. "I still remember my first time at nationals as a junior boy in New Brunswick ... I was wowed by the open men skiers.”

For the last four years, Greer has received a development card from Sport Canada, providing him with $10,800 in funding annually. Greer also received funding from private sponsors including Skookum Asphalt, Millenium Homes and Mic Mac Toyota.

While skiers are known to peak in their late-20s, Greer said there simply aren't many options for athletes his age to keep skiing.

"It's either all in or nothing,” Greer said. "And I've given it everything I could have.”

Greer said he accomplished many of his goals within the sport, and is leaving for reasons outside of his control.

"It is difficult for me to accept that after four years of Cross Country Canada's support and my consistent improvement, (they) no longer have faith in my potential. Without their funding, it is not realistic for me to continue.”

Cross-Country Yukon ski coach Alain Masson said "every athlete comes to a point where they have to assess what is best for them.

"I think it is a good decision for David to stop and figure out where he wants to go,” said Masson, a former Olympian.

"He has to start thinking about his education and a career beyond skiing.”

Greer stressed he was not bitter about being unable to crack the national team roster, but did question the selection process, which sees coaches lobby for athletes training with their academies.

"I will not miss the politics and drama of athlete selection from Cross Country Canada,” he said. "I sometimes wonder if the people running the show are in it for the wrong reasons. The system seems broken and no one wants to fix it.”

Greer believes the national academy training program elicits burnout in young athletes, before noting his belief that their should be more funding to help grassroots ski clubs develop a "next level” program to help young skiers just out of high school.

He also noted that not all skiers think like he does.

"I hope my story and experiences may help younger skiers see the bigger picture, so they can make a more educated decision about what they want to do with their career in sport,” he said.

He recommended that young skiers explore the NCAA circuit over the Canadian university route, in order to gain scholarships along the way.

Canadian skiers on the NorAm circuit are putting all their eggs in one basket, which works, but only if those skiers make it to the top, Greer said.

Reflecting on his career, Greer said his first seasons in the sport were the most enjoyable due to the new and fresh experiences he faced daily. He also noted current national team skier Graham Nishikawa was a big influence.

The young skier said he is looking forward to his new beginning, which for now includes applying to universities for an education in architecture.

"Wherever I go from here, it will be a big change,” Greer said. "Skiing has been my whole life; it's all I ever thought about. It's all I know … I am however, looking forward to getting on with the rest of my life.”