The guiding vision of U.S. Ski & Snowboard is to be the “Best in the World” in international snow sports competition. In order to become the best of the best, it is imperative to have a strong foundation. U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the education and development of its athletes and talent pipeline, and through its Sports Education department, focuses on regional club-level needs.

Thanks to U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Sports Education department, clubs, coaches, parents, and most importantly, athletes, receive sports education necessary for enhancing the quality of athletic success. Through its Sports Education Program, the department aims to provide aspiring athletes across the country with the best possible experience. U.S. Ski & Snowboard Sports Education Director Gar Trayner explains, “Sports Education is a critical part of us ensuring that each and every athlete has the best possible opportunity to fulfill their potential, their goals, and their dreams.”

The program is based on a long-term athlete development model that ensures the expertise, information, and assets of the organization are disseminated to clubs throughout the country to enhance the development of all athletes. “We provide resources to all clubs to ensure delivery of world-class operations and programming,” says Ellen Adams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s club development manager. With a club-level focus, the department not only supports future skiing and snowboarding Olympians but also advances the educational and professional practices of coaches and club leadership.

The Sport Education Program’s main goal is to address athletes’ educational needs in athletics and improve upon them. One way the department achieves this is by prioritizing great athletes first and great competitors second. Although competitive skills are necessary for elite level athletes, fundamental skill is key. The program also emphasizes the importance of long-term thinking. The initiatives and values implemented into the program establish long-term impact for the athletes who desire to become professional. Its foundational principles establish the future success of athletes that grew up in this educational system. Finally, the program prioritizes the standardization of information and practice. With a replicable and unified program, the department hopes to deepen and widen the talent pool within the United States.

“We want to be able to provide support to our coaches and clubs to give them resources to provide positive experiences for young athletes that will promote a lifelong love of snow sports and athletic success,” says Anna Hosmer, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s sports education coordinator.

Multiple goals of the program also revolve around teaching the coaches and staff how to most effectively teach youth athletes. U.S. Ski & Snowboard provides consistent collaboration with the coaches and staff of both national, regional, and divisional teams to ensure all developing athletes are receiving consistent support. The Sport Education Program desires to strengthen that collaboration through communication, not only with U.S. Ski & Snowboard clubs, coaches, and sports staff, but with the high-performance staff, the national team coaches, regions, divisions, and partner organizations such as the United States Amateur Snowboard Association (USASA).

“What we often do is share practices and processes from our different clubs to help navigate through challenges,” says Trayner. “We also have club development consultants which can be sent to work with any specific club that has any challenges they need help getting through in terms of governance or best practices.”

Communication with all of these entities allows U.S. Ski & Snowboard to share the best possible practices, have consistent messaging, combine resources, and stay updated in the ski and snowboard world.

The Sport Education Program also has a hand in sport progression by motivating coaches and club leaders to take part in growing their knowledge base of the ever-evolving sports world. Ski and snowboard sports, as well as sports science, is constantly changing with new advances in technology and practices. It is imperative that the Sports Education Program is up-to-date with these changes and in turn inspire coaches to implement them into their teaching techniques. At every level of development, the Sports Education Program desires to teach coaches about how to properly communicate with athletes, understand and measure their teaching outcomes, and fully comprehend the content of their work.

“When we are putting the best principles in place, at the youngest ages and in the earliest moments of development, we can affect the most amount of athletes within our populous,” explains Trayner. These goals will lead to the most effective teaching of the nation’s future snowsport professionals.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is fortunate to not only have a structured and developed plan but to have previous athletes and coaches within the Sports Education Department staff.

“I have spent my life in the snowsports industry; as an athlete, coach, leader of for-profit and nonprofit organizations, volunteer and parent of an alpine athlete and it is an amazing world in which to learn and grow,” says Adams. “The opportunity to give back in a meaningful way that can truly make a difference for our clubs, coaches, athletes, and their families is a dream come true.”

Trayner has also been heavily involved in snowsport competition, being both an Olympian in the alpine discipline and an international-level coach for multiple National Governing Bodies. “My past experience is a large part of the contextual fit I have in all of this, both from my experience as a sports coach and as an athlete,” he says. “But also my experience with managing coaches has helped me understand what tools would be helpful for me to build professional development plans for coaches.”  

With a strong sports education staff, structured goals, and an organization-wide passion for improvement, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Sports Education Department will make monumental steps in the current and future development of athletes. Without the Sports Education Program, the organization would not be able to achieve its vision to be the best at all levels and would lack a strong foundation of skilled U.S. skiers and snowboarders. Through the program, athletes receive the best opportunities to improve and succeed in the future, ultimately driving U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s vision of being the “Best in the World.”

Approximately 100 of the top U.S. junior freeski and snowboard athletes took to the amazing spring conditions at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California and Timberline Lodge and Ski Area on Mt. Hood, Ore. from June 6-15 for Project Gold, where the country’s top coaches and world-class terrain offered the perfect atmosphere for progression and good times. U.S. Snowboard and Freeski Project Gold Camp bring together the top young skiers and riders in the country for a progressive talent development camp. Project Gold athletes are selected from the Revolution Tour, Hole Shot, Race to the Cup and USASA Nationals. The camp bridges the gap between regional competitors and Olympic level programs.

Spearheaded by former U.S. Snowboard and U.S. Freeski Sport Development Manager, Abbi Nyberg, Project Gold was started in 2006. Starting as just a halfpipe focussed camp, today Project Gold serves as a critical element to the freeski and snowboard development pipeline for slopestyle, halfpipe, and big air as well as the largest snowboardcross camp of the year for U.S. riders.

“Project Gold provides an opportunity for future U.S. Olympians to ski and ride for a week with the full national team staff at Mammoth," said U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Head Freeski and Snowboard Coach Mike Jankowski. “It’s a great opportunity for the coaches and athletes to start making connections that will last throughout their careers.”

At Timberline, the U.S. snowboardcross staff is keeping a close eye on the future.

“Project Gold is a great chance for myself and the other World Cup coaches to get to know and work with the next generation of rippers,” said U.S. Snowboardcross Head Coach Peter Foley.  “It’s cool to see the next generation’s enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge. In addition, it’s amazing to watch them improve from one day to the next. This comes at the time of year when we can really concentrate on technique without the pressure of racing and that’s very valuable for allowing the athletes to get into the right headspace to make big changes.”

Not only do U.S. junior athletes get to experience working with U.S. National Team coaches at official U.S. Ski & Snowboard training sites, but they also get to experience the benefits of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard High Performance staff, including experts in strength training, flexibility, nutrition, and recovery. Project Gold is truly a dream come true for young skiers and riders who wish to compete at the highest level of their sport.

Project Gold is a one-of-a-the kind experience that can offer a very positive trajectory for young athletes. By giving youth skiers and riders a chance to work with the best of the best at two of the best ski areas in the country, it conveys a message that reaching the top is very much attainable. This year, Hunter Carey (Winter Park, Colo.) was nominated to the U.S. Freeski Halfpipe Rookie Team and his success was no accident. Alongside a serious amount of hard work, Carey’s progression can be linked directly to Project Gold.

"Project Gold was instrumental for Hunter's skiing progression,” said Hunter’s father Tom Carey. “Hunter was tapped for Project Gold at age 13 after his first podium finish at USASA Nationals in 2016. The Unbound Terrain Parks at Mammoth Mountain, Hunter’s club and the U.S. Freeski Team coaches all work in harmony to help the athletes learn new tricks in a fun and supportive environment. Hunter's nomination to the U.S. Freeski Rookie Team this season can be traced back to the progress he made at Project Gold camps each spring and the synergies with other athletes and coaches forged in this camp environment."

Carey is not the only athlete to benefit from Project Gold. The opportunities it has created for up and coming junior athletes is undeniable.

2018 PyeongChang Olympic snowboard halfpipe bronze medalist Arielle Gold (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) felt she benefited not only from working with Olympic caliber coaches but also riding with her peers.

“I think the biggest opportunity that Project Gold created for me was a place to not only ride with some of the best developing snowboarders in the country but to also be coached by arguably the best coaches in the world,” said Gold. “At the time, many of the younger female snowboarders who I absolutely loved to ride with lived in different parts of the country, so I rarely saw them during the competitive season. Project Gold gave us all an opportunity to come together and ride as a group, catering to a level of progression (and fun) that was unparalleled when I was that age.”

Gold also touched on the quality of training venues available to her at such a young age.

“Many athletes at the developmental level in competitive snowboarding often have limited access to adequate training venues, if they have access to any whatsoever,” she said. "Every year that I attended, Project Gold created an incredible venue for all of us to ride together allowing us to learn tricks and progress in a way that likely would not have been possible otherwise. I can still remember how excited I got every year when I had the opportunity to ride in front of the U.S. Team coaches. It felt like it was my chance to prove myself as a potential candidate for the future, which pushed me to work harder than I ever have before.

U.S. Freeski Halfpipe Pro Team member Hunter Hess (Bend, Ore.) felt Project Gold was the catalyst to his blossoming freeski career. As a Rookie this season, Hess earned his first ever FIS World Cup podium in Secret Garden, China with a third-place finish. His performance throughout the 2018/19 season earned him a spot on the Pro Team this coming season.

“Gold opened up doors for me,” said Hess. “It was my first camp with the U.S. Team. I think seeing that you could be apart of an organization like U.S. Ski & Snowboard makes you want it more. In the long run, it was really the first opportunity I had to prove that I could compete at that level one day. My favorite part was being able to learn so much. It's at the perfect time of year to try the tricks you have been thinking of all season. I always learned the most I did all year at Gold. It helped me go into the next season strong and confident.”

For some athletes, Project Gold served as a significant motivator for aspiring young athletes throughout the season. In addition, Project Gold also served as a platform to build great relationships. This was the case for U.S. Freeski Slopestyle Pro Team member and 2018-19 FIS Freeski Slopestyle Crystal Globe Winner Mac Forehand (Winhall, Vt.) who now is skiing alongside the same guys he attended Project Gold Camp with. You could say that U.S. Freeski Pro Slopestyle Team Coach Dave Euler had an all-star Project Gold class while coaching at camp including U.S. Freeski Team members Forehand, Richard Thomas (Orono, Minn.), Hunter Henderson (Madbury, N.H.), Kiernan Fagan (Brownfield, Maine), Deven Fagan (Brownfield, Maine), Cody Laplante (Truckee, Calif.), and Connor Ladd (Lakewood, Colo.).

“Going to Gold was my goal for the end of the season when I was 13,” said Forehand. “All I wanted was to be invited to this camp that I’ve heard so much about. At first I only knew Hunter and sort of knew the Fagan brothers but never met Cody or Dicky (Richard Thomas) before. The whole week at camp we skied and had a ton of fun staying together. Now I get to call all these guys my friends and teammates. Every year Gold Camp would be the highlight of the spring. I would get so much out of the one week we were able to meet most of the goals I set for myself.”

According to U.S. Snowboardcross Pro Team rider Jake Vedder (Pickney, Mich.) a four-time Project Gold athlete, the snowboardcross experience has always been something to look forward to.

“When the U.S. Snowboard Team gave me a chance to come to Project Gold when I was 13, it was truly a turning point in my career. At a young age, I was able to ride with some of the best riders in the world and I really opened my eyes to what being on the national team looks like. Fast forward a few years and I have made the national team and I am encouraging today’s junior athletes to attend Project Gold because it really did help shape my career as a professional snowboardcross rider.”

Project Gold will not be the last you see of these young skiers and riders. Keep an eye out for competitors to climb the ranks through FIS Nor-Am, Rev Tour and USASA events. Further down the line like Gold, Hess, Vedder, and Forehand, it’s inevitable that many Project Gold athletes will be the leaders of these sports at the elite international level of competition.
 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the Olympic National Governing Body for ski and snowboard sports in the USA, has announced that Luke Bodensteiner, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Chief of Sport, will leave his post on 15 July 2019.

Bodensteiner has been part of U.S. Ski & Snowboard as both athlete and a highly valued member of staff since 1986 when he was first named to the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. At the end of his athletic career in 1996 Bodensteiner transferred to a staff role and was promoted to High Performance Director in 2007, then EVP of Athletics, and then Chief of Sport, a title he has held since 2017. Under his direction, U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes won countless Olympic, World Cup, and World Championship medals and he leaves a lasting legacy of sporting success that saw nearly 50% of Team USA athletes who competed in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang come from U.S. Ski & Snowboard.

“On behalf of our whole team, in particular, the hundreds of athletes who have worked with Luke over his decades with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, I want to thank Luke for his hard work, passion, vision, and determination to make our athletes the Best in the World. We wish Luke the very best for his future,” said President, and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard Tiger Shaw. “In light of this news our leadership team has been working on the structure of our athletic department, and I will assume much of Luke’s role as we continue our focus of building on the successes of the past with new opportunities. In particular, we will continue the work being done on improving athlete funding as that is a key step towards improving the experience and environment for all our athletes and teams.”

Chloe Kim (Torrence, Calif.), who dominated the competition this past season, winning her first halfpipe World Championships title in Park City, Utah, and Lindsey Vonn (Vail, Colo.) lead the list of four U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes nominated for the 2019 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sport Awards.

Vonn, who retired from competition following her downhill bronze medal performance at the 2019 World Championships, joins Kim in the “Favorite Female Athlete” category, along with soccer star Alex Morgan; tennis players Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams; and gymnast Simone Biles.

Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, Colo.) and Vonn are both nominated in the “Need For Speed” category along with NASCAR stars Joey Logano and Kyle Busch; swimmer Katie Ledecky; and Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton. Vonn won the “Need For Speed” category at the 2018 Kids' Choice Awards.

Kim and two-time Olympic gold medalist Jamie Anderson (South Lake Tahoe, Calif.) are both nominated in the “Favorite Action Sports Star” category along with skateboarders Nyja Huston and Brighton Zeuner; rock climber Alex Honnold; and surfer John John Florence.

Voting for the awards is open at www.kcs2019.com and on the Screens Up App, and fans can vote multiple times - so vote for your favorite U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete, and then vote again and again. And again. 

The awards will be presented on July 11 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. The ceremony will be aired Aug. 10 on Nickelodeon. Former NFL defensive lineman-turned-TV host Michael Strahan will return to host the event.

NEW YORK, NY – Spyder, a leading ski and performance brand, today announces the renewal and expansion of its sponsorship agreement with the U.S. Ski Team. Spyder has been the exclusive official apparel partner of the U.S. Ski Team since 1989. Spyder’s agreement will continue with rights to design and create the exclusive men’s and women’s uniform for the U.S. Alpine Team and under the new agreement will add the U.S. Freestyle Team and the U.S. Freeski Team. The agreement also extends to outerwear and baselayers with non-exclusive rights for headwear, shells, pants, insulators, fleece, training gear, gloves, and eyewear, which will also be provided to athletes as part of the official uniform.  

The exclusive Spyder branded uniforms will be worn during 35+ domestic events each year and more than 100 worldwide events as part of the annual World Cup circuit. Additionally, Spyder uniforms are already being utilized, starting with the World Championships which took place in February 2019, and will continue leading up to and during the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. 

The U.S. Ski Team is comprised of over 100 high-profile athletes including World Cup winner Steven Nyman, double-Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin, junior Olympic gold medal winner River Radamus; the U.S. Freeski Team’s X Games gold medalist Maggie Voisin; and the U.S. Freestyle Team’s World Championship winner Ashley Caldwell and World Championship silver medalist Jaelin Kauf. The team also boasts some of the world’s most famous Olympians who are among the most dominant and successful sports stars of all time competing in events worldwide.

“The U.S. Ski Team has been a critical partner for Spyder for more than three decades. As a leader in performance ski wear, extending our partnership was a natural progression in our shared history,” said Nick Adcock, Chief Executive Officer of Spyder, Global Brand Group U.S. “Performance and Innovation is the foundation of everything we do at Spyder and the U.S. Ski Team allow us to continually elevate our product through their insights and feedback. We look forward to the ongoing collaboration with our now expanded family at the U.S. Ski Team.”

“Everyone at U.S. Ski & Snowboard is delighted that we have renewed and grown our partnership with Spyder,” said Dan Barnett, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Chief Marketing Officer. "For over 30 years Spyder has been the perfect partner for our Alpine Team and now we are very pleased to be able to announce that Spyder is adding our Freestyle and Freeski Teams to their roster. Spyder is now the exclusive apparel partner for our Alpine, Freestyle and Freeski teams, a partnership that takes us through 2023 which means Spyder will be worn exclusively by more than 50 world-class athletes competing in Beijing during the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.” 

Spyder offers technical ski, fitness, and lifestyle apparel and accessories for men, women, and children on and off the mountain. The U.S. Alpine, Freestyle and Freeski Team uniforms will include race suits, outerwear, hoodies, gloves, facemasks, and beanies. To learn more and stay up to date on Spyder and the U.S. Ski Team please follow @SpyderActive on social media.

About Spyder
Spyder is one of the world’s most recognizable and credible outdoor sportswear brands. Focused on enhancing the ski experience both on and off the mountain, Spyder prides itself on its advanced technical composition and style. Originally founded by David Jacobs, coach of the Canadian Ski Team and Bob Beattie, coach of the United States Ski Team, Spyder’s roots run deep in the ski community. Pioneering its first padded ski sweater in 1978, and sponsoring the U.S. Ski Team since 1989, Spyder offers technical ski, fitness, and lifestyle apparel and accessories for men, women, and children. The highly sought-after brand is available in department stores, sporting goods stores, and specialty retailers throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, and South Korea.

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2018, competing in seven teams; alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, nordic combined and ski jumping. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org

About Authentic Brands Group​
Authentic Brands Group (ABG) is a brand development, marketing, and entertainment company, which owns a portfolio of global entertainment and lifestyle brands. Headquartered in New York City, ABG manages, elevates, and builds the long-term value of more than 50 consumer brands and properties by partnering with best-in-class manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. Its brands have a global retail footprint in more than 100,000 points of sale across the luxury, specialty, department store, mid-tier, mass, and e-commerce channels and more than 4,950 branded freestanding stores and shop-in-shops around the world. ABG is committed to transforming brands by delivering compelling product, content, business, and immersive brand experiences. It creates and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms, and emerging media. ABG’s portfolio of iconic and world-renowned brands includes Marilyn Monroe®, Mini Marilyn®, Elvis Presley®, Muhammad Ali®, Shaquille O'Neal®, Sports Illustrated®, Dr. J®, Greg Norman®, Neil Lane®, Thalia®, Michael Jackson® (managed brand), Nautica®, Aéropostale®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Herve Leger®, Judith Leiber®, Frederick's of Hollywood®, Nine West®, Frye®, Jones New York®, Louise et Cie®, Sole Society®, Enzo Angiolini®, CC Corso Como®, Hickey Freeman®, Hart Schaffner Marx®, Adrienne Vittadini®, Taryn Rose®, Bandolino®, Misook®, 1.STATE®, CeCe®, Chaus®, Spyder®, Tretorn®, Tapout®, Prince®, Volcom®, Airwalk®, Vision Street Wear®, Above The Rim®, Hind®, Thomasville®, Drexel®, and Henredon®. For more information, please visit authenticbrandsgroup.com.

About Global Brands Group Holding Limited
Global Brands Group Holding Limited (SEHK Stock Code: 787) is one of the leading branded apparel, footwear and brand management companies. The Group designs develops, markets and sells products under a diverse array of owned and licensed brands and a wide range of product categories. Global Brands’ innovative design, capabilities, strong brand management focus and strategic vision enable it to create new opportunities, product categories and market expansion for brands on a global scale. In addition, the Group is the global leader in the brand management business through its joint venture, CAA-GBG Global Brand Management Group.

With a key focus on team culture, the men’s U.S. Alpine Ski Team recently spent three days in California for a team building and testing camp based out of the certified Center of Excellence Barton Center for Orthopedics and Wellness campus in South Lake Tahoe.

Spearheaded by alpine director Jesse Hunt, the three-day camp involved the entire men’s alpine team, as well as coaching staff, and sports science staff - including strength and conditioning coaches and physiotherapists - to unite through physical testing as well as a series of team-building exercises led by Dr. Andy Walshe and his team from Liminal Collective. Prior to Liminal Collective, Walshe was the director of high performance for Red Bull and formerly held the role at U.S. Ski & Snowboard as well. 

The topic of culture has been a key area of focus for U.S. Ski & Snowboard, that really started as the result of a discussion led by alpine athletes at the conclusion of the 2018 season at U.S. Alpine Championships with President and CEO Tiger Shaw and Chief of Sport Luke Bodensteiner in attendance. It became apparent to Shaw and Bodensteiner that the athletes saw a need for dialing in culture as a team, creating a stronger relationship between the athletes and support staff in the Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah, and improving communication between athletes and staff.

As an organization, U.S. Ski & Snowboard has made an effort to do a deep dive to understand what was done well and what could be improved. The process of creating a cultural shift can be incredibly challenging, especially when competition and training schedules can be all over the place, but the men’s alpine team made significant progress this spring when they brought the entire squad together in California for this three-day camp.

Though the time spent at certified Center of Excellence Barton Center’s campus was just one of the three days, B Team athlete Sam Morse (Sugarloaf, Maine) said “it was probably one of the most productive days of my career with U.S. Ski & Snowboard. The strength and conditioning, sports science and all of the docs and PTs came over from Park City, and we cranked everything out - all of the testing - physicals, bike test, force plate, concussion testing, etc.” The best part for Morse? It was done as one entire team.

“We were able to do all of that, as an entire team, in the Barton Health facility,” Morse reflected. “And it was sweet. They brought a bunch of our gear from the Center of Excellence in Park City - force plates and lactate bikes - there. I had never been to Barton Health, and I was super impressed. Travis (Ganong) had been telling us about it for a while.” From there, the athletes and staff shifted to another location where they did in-depth Navy Seals-esque work with Walshe and Liminal Collective.

Former men’s head speed coach John McBride did a team building camp with the men’s speed team last summer, working with Walshe and doing breath control and exercises that would require the athletes to work as a unified group. The breath control work was less about actually holding your breath, and more about remaining calm when things get chaotic, which can apply to situations on or off the mountain.

“There were a bunch of presentations, personality tests and discussions around that, and then we did all kinds of team-building exercises including a lot of games that were solid ‘type 2’ fun,” noted Morse. “It was sweet, and I have to commend Jesse Hunt for pulling it all together. Most of the coaching staff was there, and they were doing everything we were doing, and for some of those guys, a lot of that pool work was the most strenuous stuff they’ve done in a while. And they were troopers. I thought it was a really productive camp.”

Men’s alpine athletic development coordinator Michael Bingaman echoed Morse regarding the importance of the breathing work, “...they were teaching us how to find calmness in a high-pressure situation - like, for instance, in the start gate at Kitzbuehel. In those moments, you need to understand your physiology and you need to understand how to calm down or get the right amount of amped up but not over-amped. They taught us skills and then we put them to use in the pool. We were working in groups and teams for all of the exercises - the groups were mixed, and during the 10 different activities, the groups changed. Everyone got a chance to work with everyone, and everyone also got the chance to lead.”

As part of this, the former Navy Seals shared their creed with the athletes and staff, who were able to use the creed as a sort of foundation for creating their own version for the men’s U.S. Alpine Ski Team. Bingaman stressed the weight it carried for the message to be delivered by the Navy Seals - who are the epitome of a high-performing team that has to work together because - for them - it’s life or death.

“In the model they have, they understand very clear roles and responsibilities, they all have each other’s backs,” said Bingaman. “They talked about debriefing, and how anyone can say anything, and it’s not a personal attack. No one comes into debriefing sessions with pride, but rather collectively they want to be the best that they can be, so it is essential that they work through an exercise like that. I think helping the athletes to see what that looks like and what it can look like was influential. It’s tough for our sport - because it’s an individual sport but it’s in a team environment - and the Seals did a good job of relating it to us and showing the athletes why it’s important for us to be a unified team.”

Whereas the speed and tech teams have done similar team building exercises in the past, the difference for this particular one was that all athletes across all teams - A, B and C Teams - and staff were together. The process was collaborative and discussion based and showed all of the athletes the importance of breaking down those barriers and working towards one unified goal.

“It was so nice to have everyone in one room for that exercise, as an entire men’s team,” commented Morse. “It definitely feels like a clean slate/new beginning - with Jesse Hunt at the helm, with A, B and C teams being fully funded, and with this push towards 2026, and the Team being like, ‘These are our guys and we’re going to invest in these guys.’ It just means so much to us, as athletes, to feel supported by the organization. It feels like a profession now in a way that it didn’t before. Everyone who was there is committed to moving forward as a united team, knowing that working together as a team will what make us great as a group.”

In order to create a positive culture, it’s necessary to discuss the more challenging topics and get everything out in the open, and the team did just that - taking time to identify what the “perfect” teammate looks like as well as what the worst qualities are in a teammate. From there, they set up situations that allowed the athletes and staff to role play and work through challenges.

“For instance,” recalled Bingaman, “they got Steven (Nyman), and a couple of younger athletes together it said, ‘Ok, guys - Steven just arrived to the team meeting late. How are you going to handle this?’ That’s what we have to do. We say these things, but then when it comes to a real world situation, the guys are going to have put it into practice. Some of the athletes even discussed real issues that occurred during the season and they sat down and worked through the situation in front of everyone, and it went super well. That was great.”

The power of a three-day camp focused on building a more positive team culture where the athletes could take ownership and lead, was vast. “Maybe the coolest piece was that - at the end of that day - we were in a massive circle and we all went around one by one and said what our takeaways were. It was really cool to see the older guys like Travis (Ganong) and Bryce (Bennett) really into it - and how they were so passionate about where the team was going and how they wanted everyone to be on the same page. I think it made us realize that, if we as a staff, can step back and let the athletes take ownership and lead, they’re going to do something amazing.”

With numerous men’s alpine athletes in a position to win at every level, this cultural shift may just be the final ingredient in getting them back to the top.

‘This was a tough decision for us, but we spoke at length with Eileen, her Mom and her coaches and it was clear immediately that we had a chance to help make an incredible young athlete’s dreams come true,” said Luke Bodensteiner, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Chief of Sport. “Eileen is extremely proud of her Chinese heritage and the chance for her to promote the sport she loves among young people, especially girls, in the home of her mom, in what will be a home Olympic Games for Eileen, is something we will continue to support her in. We’re very grateful to Eileen for thanking U.S. Ski & Snowboard for the role we played in helping her dream come true and we wish her the best of luck in all her endeavors.’

Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California’s Eastern Sierra has been an official training site for U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes for almost a decade, dating back to 2010. However, that is not where the history begins for what has been an undoubtedly fruitful partnership.

The U.S. Snowboard Team has been utilizing Mammoth’s amazing terrain and facilities since early 2001, when halfpipe coach Pete del Giudice took Ross Powers (Bennington, Vt.) and Kelly Clark (Mt. Snow, Vt.) to Mammoth to train prior to the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games. Clearly, there was something to this strategy as both Powers and Clark went on to win halfpipe Olympic gold medals.

This year, the tradition continued with three weeks of spring training camp at Mammoth from May 12-June 2, where U.S. freeskiers and snowboarders took to the slopes for what turned out to be more of a winter camp.

“Mammoth camp delivered again with tons of fun and progression,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Head Freeski and Snowboard Coach Mike Jankowski. “Although the weather wasn’t always perfect, the team made the most of riding the full mountain. In addition to the airbags and training zone on chair five, the public parks and top to bottom laps were incredible.”

For the freeskiers, the athletes did not have many sunny jumping days to dial in the big tricks, but this could very well have been a blessing in disguise. As Jankowski mentioned when referring to coaching strategy, “If athletes are developing trust with their coaches, fundamentals or foundation skills in order to bring new tricks to snow eventually, that’s success!” Although the freeskiers may not have pushed the envelope by getting repetitions with some of their more progressive tricks, they did lay out a game plan for the remainder of off-season training camps at Mt. Hood, Ore., July 4-19 and Saas-Fee, Switzerland, October 3-25.

“The whole crew has a bunch of new stuff they want to try when the conditions are right,” said U.S. Freeski Slopestyle Pro Team Coach Skogen Sprang.

Despite mother nature challenging U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and coaches, the U.S. Freeski Team was still able to milk every bit of productivity out of their time on snow.

“Mammoth Unbound did a great job with the park,” said Sprang. “Main Park was still so good due to the huge winter, so we sessioned rails and fast laps over there most of the time. Also, a few quality powder runs were had off the top which was pretty wild for May. In addition, we welcomed new members to the Pro Team including Mac Forehand (Winhall, Vt.) and Kiernan Fagan (Brownfield, Maine) as well as Rookie Team members Devin Fagan (Brownfield, Maine) and Richard Thomas (Orono, Minn.), who is back on snow after a weird, drawn-out injury.”

Highlights from camp for the freeskiers include 2018-19 FIS Slopestyle Crystal Globe winner Forehand securing his grasp on the switch right double cork 1260 as well as the women’s rookie freeskiers dialing many new combinations on the rails. Overall, the camp resulted in great mileage and team building, setting themselves up for success leading into the remainder of the team’s off-season.

U.S. Freeski Pro Team member and two-time Olympic medalist Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) was very happy with the resources available to athletes at Mammoth spring camp. 

"Over the years, U.S. Ski & Snowboard has continued to step up their game," said Goepper. "Support for the athletes, amazing training camps like Mammoth, and quality coaching staff are just a few of ways the organization is improving. I think U.S. Ski & Snowboard really has a finger on the pulse of what the athletes want and need to succeed."

For the snowboarders, the camp took on a very similar tone.

“Year after year Mammoth has delivered amazing spring camps with beautiful sunny weather and a progressive park which equates to a collection of new tricks for our team,” said U.S. Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air Pro Team Coach Mike Ramirez. “This year mother nature decided to extend the heavy winter Mammoth has had and combine that with some spring storms throughout our stay. We got hit with snow, rain, wind and even some lightning, but despite this, the crew made the most of the clear weather windows and got some tricks dialed in.”

As Mammoth Spring Camp was the first time out for many of the rookies, U.S. Snowboard National Development Coach for Slopestyle and Big Air Nichole Mason focussed on team building.

“It is the first camp of the summer with our new Rookie Team athletes,” said Mason. “Making sure they are integrated and comfortable is a big deal for their performance and first interactions with the existing team members and pro team athletes.”

U.S. Snowboard Rookie Team slopestyle athlete Nora Healey (Plymouth, N.H.) got back on snow for the first time since her ACL tear.

“After a year away from the team rehabbing my knee it was awesome to get back on snow and ride with the team,” said Healey. “It was a nostalgic feeling. I was so happy to be experiencing being back on snow with all the coaches and knowing that I could finally jump again. Being away for over a year from the sport, I was more than mentally ready to get airborne, but it was a little intimidating hitting that first jump. I was thinking in my mind, ‘will my knee be OK with the impact?’ or ‘will it hurt?’ My favorite part about camp was just seeing all of my team members again and getting to shred without any restrictions!”

In addition, new U.S. Snowboard Rookie Slopestyle Team member Addie Gardner (Riegelsville, Penn.), who claimed the 2018-19 Nor-Am overall title and earned a FIS World Cup spot for the upcoming season, immediately added value to the team dynamic.

“She truly shines with her rail tricks and it was really cool watching the other girls feed off of that and push each other to become better in their weak areas,” said Mason.

For the pros, Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.) and Judd Henkes (La Jolla, Calif.), who were number one and two respectively in the 2018-19 FIS World Cup slopestyle standings, could not be ignored throughout camp.

“Everyone on the team learned some new rail tricks and Judd Henkes (La Jolla, Calif.) and Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.) showed off their jump dominance by each putting on a display on different days getting the spin cycle using all four directions,” said Ramirez. In addition, Sean FitzSimons (Hood River, Ore.), who was no slouch at Saas-Fee Camp last year, continued to make the most of every moment at training camp.”

“Graduating from the rookie team, Sean FitzSimons showed why he earned his spot onto the pro team,” said Ramirez. “He worked hard through some progressions and stomped a new trick as soon as the sun popped.”

For the halfpipe riders, camp offered significant progression including Pro Team members Chase Josey (Hailey, Idaho) learning a switch alley-oop double backside rodeo, Ryan Wachendorfer (Edwards, Colo.) learning a switch double backflip, Toby Miller (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) adding an arsenal of new grabs to his front double cork 1440 and Chase Blackwell (Longmont, Colo.) dialing in his frontside 1260. Lastly, veteran Taylor Gold (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) was able to find the rotation on a Michalchuck 1080 into the airbag. If Gold can bring this trick to snow, it would be the first rider to ever land it in the halfpipe.

Mammoth Spring Camp is just the beginning for U.S. Freeski and Snowboard athletes this off-season. Athletes are looking down the barrel of an aggressive training schedule that includes time in the gym, utilizing the state of the art airbag jump at Utah’s Olympic Park, and more on snow camps to prepare for the 2019-20 competition season.

“We look forward to another week ahead at Mammoth for Project Gold where we have potential future U.S. Olympians coming out for a week with the full national team staff,” said Jankowski.  “It’s a great opportunity for the coaches and athletes to start making connections that will last for quite some time.

“Next up, we head to another of our key Official Training Partner venues, Timberline on Mt. Hood, Ore. to train at Windells and High Cascade Camps. This is always a classic highlight of the U.S. Teams’ summer plans. The overall vibe is easy going, while at the same time allowing for forgiving conditions, airbags, skateboarding and other training opportunities that give everyone the chance to add to their bag of tricks.”

STORIES FROM MAMMOTH CAMP
Coaching Strategy Unveiled: Mammoth Spring Camp
U.S. Ski & Snowboard Rookies Get Acclimated At Mammoth

MAMMOTH CAMP PHOTO & VIDEO
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At 18 years old, Tess Johnson (Vail, Colo.) is the youngest American freestyle athlete to medal at a World Championships after upsetting Kazakhstan's Yulia Galysheva to clinch the bronze medal at the 2019 Dual Moguls World Championships at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah. Nominated to the U.S. Ski Team when she was only 14, Johnson has never let age be the number that defines her, she leaves that to her results.

 

 

 

 

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Bronze at World Champs babyyy!🥉🔥 So incredible sharing the podium with @jaekauf & @wilsfreestyle

A post shared by Tess (@_tessjohnson) on Feb 10, 2019 at 8:55pm PST

In her four years on the team, she’s skied three full FIS Freestyle World Cup tours; earned three World Cup podiums, including one win; skied for Team USA at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, and earned a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships. “It doesn’t matter how old you are because really what matters is what you can do on your skis,” she says.

Her parents taught her to ski at two years old. By age eight, she loved jumping and trying new tricks, and wanted to compete in slopestyle. Ironically, Tess Johnson, the athlete to set the precedent for nominating young athletes to the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, was too young to join Ski and Snowboard Club Vail’s slopestyle program and ended up in “Bumps and Jumps” instead. She began competing that same year and under the wings of coaches Riley Campbell and John Dowling, proved a real talent on the mogul field.

Several veteran moguls athletes retired from the U.S. Ski Team in 2015, including Hannah Kearney, Eliza Outtrim and Heather McPhie, providing an opportunity for new talent to join. “I remember getting the call from Matt [Gnoza, Head Moguls Coach for U.S. Ski & Snowboard] and just being so shocked,” she said. “I had done well that year and my timing was just really good because of those retirements. There was a spot open and I was next in line. Matt really believes in developing young athletes and giving them opportunities on the World Cup and national stage, which I think is amazing. I’m really grateful that he believed in me from the start without even really knowing me at that point.”

The moguls World Cup tour is condensed into four short months and spans over three continents. Learning the courses and adjusting to cultural differences is key. The more experience a skier has on the tour, the greater their athletic potential becomes. This was her third full tour and was her best season yet, finishing fifth overall.

“My breakthrough as an athlete followed competing in the Olympics. Competing in the Olympics gave me a lot of confidence and helped me realize I am capable of winning. So I did just that in the next World Cup [following the Olympics] in Japan, I earned my first win and podium. I carried that momentum into the 18-19 prep period and by the time Ruka [Finland, the first 18-19 World Cup] came around, I was ready to strike.”

 

 

 

 

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Still on cloud nine...✨ Thank you to these badass ladies for being the best teammates I could ask for. So stoked to represent the USA alongside you guys!

A post shared by Tess (@_tessjohnson) on Mar 5, 2018 at 5:30pm PST

The 18-19 season was one for the books for Johnson, starting out on the podium in Ruka, earning another podium in Lake Placid, N.Y., and medaling at her first World Championship appearance. She is driven by her passion for moguls skiing and her competitive nature, an attitude that serves her well on the road. “In the heart of winter, when we’re competing and traveling, that’s my favorite time of the year. It’s very intense but it’s also fun.”

Although being one of the youngest members of her team, she has grown into one of its leaders. She serves as the athlete liaison for moguls to the organization, a role she earned by a team vote. As athlete liaison, she meets periodically with members of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s leadership team to discuss the athlete experience, ideas, and improvements. “I kind of wasn't expecting to get it because of my age,” she said. “But I think that just validates that age doesn’t automatically preclude you from having a voice.”

This past winter she partnered with a program based in Vail, Colo., called Girl PowHER, an organization that empowers young girls ages 10-12 physically, mentally and socially through group activities and sports. During the small break between competition and prep season, she worked with some of the girls directly, sharing her experiences being an elite athlete while balancing graduating high school. Johnson hopes in sharing her story that she empowers more young girls to pursue their dream, no matter what obstacles they believe stand in their way.

 

 

 

 

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So happy to announce my new partnership with Girl PowHER, a program of @youthpower365 . Their mission of empowering young women mentally, physically, and emotionally is something that is very close to my heart, and I can’t wait to see where this goes. #GirlPowHER 💜

A post shared by Tess (@_tessjohnson) on Feb 28, 2019 at 5:21pm PST

“The program aligns with our teams values that we’ve created this past season, especially the women’s team. We are role models for each other, lifting each other up and pushing each other to be the best versions of ourselves. They've helped me recognize the importance of teamwork and camaraderie while building my character. I think I can take what I’ve learned from my teammates and take it to these girls. Every girl has something great to offer the world, sometimes it just takes another girl to help her realize that.”

 

 

 

 

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To all the badass chicks who lift each other up, Happy International Women’s Day! 💜

A post shared by Tess (@_tessjohnson) on Mar 8, 2019 at 1:41pm PST

Tess may not have had the typical teenage experience, she became an Olympian before a high school graduate, but in following her passion she also found her platform as a role model. “I think that getting on the team at such a young age helped me gain this confidence that I have right now to use my voice.”

Follow Tess Johnson’s journey via Instagram @_tessjohnson

During the competition season the seven teams that comprise U.S. Ski & Snowboard each criss-cross the globe competing for podiums. There is little opportunity for cross-team interaction, even though these athletes all represent the same organization. However, the spring prep period provides opportunity for teams to exchange ideas when training camps overlap. Recently the moguls team and the men’s alpine development camp both trained at U.S. Ski & Snowboard official training site at Squaw Valley, Calif. and were able to capitalize on skiing collaborations.

Moguls skiing is a freestyle discipline, and grew out of a desire to challenge the alpine system of doing things when the sport first took off in the 1960s and 70s. Although moguls and alpine skiers may not see eye to eye when it comes to their preferred way of getting down the course - carving around gates versus turning around bumps; flying in a tuck versus getting inverted - there is a lot that both disciplines can learn from each other.

The practice of cross training, or utilizing different forms of exercise, is known for creating and maintaining a high level of fitness. The same principle can be applied in skiing: the more proficient a skier is in varying conditions, the stronger they are overall. In having moguls athletes train on alpine courses and alpine athletes train on moguls courses, skiers are able to challenge their specific skill set. This builds stronger, more well-rounded skiers, which makes a difference during competition when courses and snow conditions vary.

The moguls team utilized the alpine team’s slalom roller terrain features as well as their gate and brushes skills courses. “The courses work on all the skills needed to become a proficient, all-around skier: balance, rotary movements, edging and pressure,” explained U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Head Moguls Coach, Matt Gnoza. “I know my athletes can ski the bumps well, but taking them out of their comfort zone and placing them in an alpine skill course was a welcome challenge for them.”

Head Men’s Development Coach Sasha Rearick is known by athletes for his unconventional approach to teaching fundamentals of the sport. In fact, last year while in Squaw Valley, Rearick said his alpine development team athletes did some work with the moguls team, taking a couple of runs through the moguls. This year, it was a more structured collaboration with Gnoza and the moguls athletes.

“The moguls skiers would come over for a few runs and would run through our stubbies/brush courses, and we’d go over and ski the mogul track,” Rearick said. “One day we took the entire group over and Tess Johnson and Casey Andringa gave us a general scope of what they were working on, and gave us some advice on how to ski in the mogul track. I was concerned that we’d mess the track up, but they assured us it would be OK. From there, I had selected a couple of guys each day to go and join the moguls team for a couple of hours.”

To the untrained eye, alpine and moguls skiing looks radically different. Moguls athletes ski a line down a mogul field, with a top and bottom air; alpine athletes compete in six different disciplines - parallel slalom, slalom, giant slalom, super-G, downhill and alpine combined - with courses set where gates are close together and more technical (slalom and giant slalom) to courses where gates are farther apart known as “speed disciplines” (super-G and downhill). In alpine, the fastest one down wins. However, when breaking down basic parts of the technique needed to be proficient in either discipline, similarities appear.

Beyond that, Rearick noted that it’s important for his alpine athletes to be able to express themselves in a variety of ways when they’re skiing - from slalom to downhill, off-piste skiing,and moguls as well. “I want to make sure that everyone has the skills to express themselves in their own way. The common thread between all of these types of skiing is a good athletic stance and balance, so our first goal is to broaden that base. Secondly, the ability to keep the skis on the snow in moguls skiing is really challenging, and it’s a skill set needed in alpine ski racing - especially slalom skiing.”

Alpine athletes did this moguls skiing leading up to the slalom block, working on keeping the skis on the snow and flexion/extension as the key area of focus to maintain that pressure to control the skis and keep them on the snow. “Rounding out the fundamentals for alpine ski racing,” Rearick added, “are the pole plant and, finally, upper body discipline. These skills are accentuated in moguls skiing and make for a much more precise moguls skier.”

“Training with the alpine team provided an opportunity to compare notes with their coaching staff,” said Gnoza. “Both disciplines’ courses provide ample opportunity to work on ankle flexion in different ways, which is important in both alpine and moguls skiing. It was fun to compare notes and drills on having a quiet upper body, which moguls skiers are very good at, and the alpine team was working on.”

Rearick echoed Gnoza’s sentiments, “It was cool to talk with the coaches about what they’re working on and how they’re working on it; their precision in their sport is remarkable. The simplicity of the sport is much more focused - but because of that, they have to be really specific with their feedback. That level of detail - two inches this or that way - was fascinating to be around as a coach and to see that level of detail being applied in high-level athletics was just incredible.”

Alpine athletes - like Isaiah Nelson (Wayzata, Minn.) who transitioned from the moguls back to slalom training - improved their upper body position and precision of pole plants. That was a huge positive for Rearick with the crossover training.

“It was such a pleasure to work alongside the men’s alpine development camp,” said Gnoza. “Having the athletes and coaches working together toward a common vision of becoming best in the world was very exciting to be part of. I think everyone left that camp feeling that while working alone we can get things accomplished, but working together we can accomplish so much more.”