Trayner Joins U.S. Ski & Snowboard as New Sport Education Director
PARK CITY, Utah – U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the Olympic National Governing Body of ski and snowboard sports in the United States, has announced Gar Trayner has joined the organization as Sport Education Director.
“We could not be happier to welcome Gar to U.S. Ski & Snowboard and into a role that is critically important for our organization,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Chief of Sport, Luke Bodensteiner. “Gar has extensive experience across a number of our sports, not only in the USA where he joins us from Killington Mountain School but also around the world.”
Trayner has been working with U.S. Ski & Snowboard for the last three years, assisting with the delivery of level 100, 200 and 300 Alpine Coaching Courses, and he has been acting as Chair of the Alpine Coaches Education Working Group, developing new content and structure for the education system. With this experience, Trayner will hit the ground running in his new role starting September 13.
“On top of all that knowledge and experience, Gar is a 2002 Salt Lake City Olympian and will be a visionary leader for a program that we plan to substantially expand as we collaborate more and more with our clubs to develop our next generation of champions,” Bodensteiner added.
"It was with a heavy heart that I depart from Killington Mountain School (KMS), a truly exceptional community and school with incredible people who all embraced me like family,” noted Trayner. “I believe that the opportunities and experiences I had at KMS have set me up perfectly for the role of Director of Sport Education at U.S. Ski & Snowboard. I am very excited for this new role and challenge, and I am eager to get started, meet the team and build on the great work that has been going on in the department for the years preceding my arrival."
A member of the British National Alpine Ski Team for seven years, Trayner had a long and successful ski-racing career. Following his athletic career, he ran his own global sports specific travel business for many years, while coaching the Scottish National Ski Team. He was also Head Coach of the British Children’s National Ski Team for three years and served as the British Ski Cross Head Coach for British Ski and Snowboard for four years. Additionally, he has served on many athletic and sports governing bodies’ board of directors, and selection panels, as well as playing an instrumental role in the development of new federations.
At Killington Mountain School (KMS), Trayner held the position of Athletic Director, where among many of his responsibilities he also served as Chief of Course for the women’s FIS Ski World Cup at Killington Resort. While at KMS, he led the innovation and transformation into 21st-century athletics, acted as an Executive Team member, helping to create a strategic future for the KMS academy, as well as oversaw athletic fundraising initiatives and venue development projects.
To his new role at U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Trayner brings a wealth of experience and understanding of athletes’ and coaches’ needs and requirements, and sports management in the national and international corporate sports world. He is passionate about developing young athletes and creating environments that promote athletic and lifestyle development to facilitate excellence. Gar and his wife Megan (Hughes) Trayner (U.S. Ski & Snowboard alumna) live in Vermont with their two daughters, Aurora and Tessa, and son Cairn. They will be relocating to Park City, Utah, home of U.S. Ski & Snowboard.