On Wednesday, July 15, Henri Rivers, CEO, President and Founder of Drumriver Consultants and President of the National Brotherhood of Skiers hosted a virtual panel “Discussing Racial Diversity in Snowsports,” which brought industry leaders and participants together for a frank conversation about the current landscape of racial diversity in our industry and to begin to talk through ways we can create a more inclusive community. 

“We reached out and looked for organizations that are already making a difference and with whom we can better partner with,” opened Tiger Shaw, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, in explaining the origins of the panel. “I say better partner because we were already, let’s say, lightly engaged, but only lightly. How can we leverage our influence and how can we get our athletes and 35,000 members more involved? … How can we get more proactive and leave behind the passive, the lightly engaged, which is driven by a not-much-we-can-do attitude. We can make a difference and we are committed to making a difference.”

Tiger opened, sharing that U.S. Ski & Snowboard is far from diverse, and that the social unrest sparked by the death of George Floyd awakened the organization to the need to reevaluate its practices and influence in order to help affect change. U.S. Ski & Snowboard hosted this panel with the goal of sparking real conversation around issues of race and inclusion within the snowsports industry, to educate its membership and to provide a platform for the panelists to be heard. 

Henri moderated, and focused on the key issues and challenges we face: how to attract more diverse populations to skiing and riding and how to welcome those who are already in the sport today. Snowsports Industries America Board Chair Wendy Carey shared her unique views, as did NSAA CEO Kelly Pawlak. Coach Forrest King-Shaw talked about raising his own ski racers and the adversity he has faced throughout his career, including being pinned to the ground by the California Highway Patrol near Mammoth, Calif. Former U.S. Ski Team member and now coach, Lauren Samuels talked about her experience as being female and black in a seeming opposite world. Schone Malliet and Constance Beverley discussed their extraordinary organizations that bridge the gap to bring underrepresented kids to skiing and riding.
 

So what’s next?

We realize at U.S. Ski & Snowboard that this will be a long process. Internally we are revising and refining our diversity, equity and inclusion strategies and programming. Externally we will continue to engage with the panelists who joined us for this discussion, as well as others, to create meaningful partnerships and leverage our position as a leader in the snowsports space. Working together as a whole industry is how real change will be affected. 

This is the first in a series of events U.S. Ski & Snowboard will host on the subjects of diversity, equity and inclusion as we continue to engage our industry partners and participants. Future events will be communicated when details are available.

For more information on the panelists and their organizations:

Henri Rivers (moderator)
CEO, President and Founder, Drumriver Consultants
President, National Brotherhood of Skiers


Henri Rivers is a native New Yorker and an avid skier and outdoor enthusiast for over 45 years. He is a professional ski instructor, certified master teacher and children’s specialist as well as a U.S. Ski & Snowboard alpine coach, jury advisor, referee and official. He coaches in the alpine race program at Windham Mountain in the Catskill region of New York.

Henri became involved with the National Brotherhood of Skiers in 1996 and has held many positions within the organization. He started as a club president and moved on to become the Mid-west regional competition director. In 2003 he became a coach for the national team of NBS and in 2008 was appointed the Olympic Scholarship Fund Administrator. During his tenure as OSF administrator he grew the national team to 15 athletes. In 2016 he was appointed the National Competition Director and in 2018 was voted in as the Executive Vice President of the National Brotherhood of Skiers. He served for two years and was elected National President of the NBS in March of 2020.

Constance Beverley
CEO, Share Winter Foundation


A former Wall Street lawyer turned winter sports activist, Constance Beverley joined the Share Winter Foundation as the CEO in 2017. Share Winter Foundation strives to improve the lives, health and fitness of youth through winter sports, and to create a more diverse and inclusive winter sports community. In addition to her work with the Share Winter Foundation, Constance has worked with other winter sports organizations including the Kelly Clark Foundation, SheJumps, STOKED, and Boarding for Breast Cancer.

Wendy Carey
CFO, Seirus Innovative Accessories, Inc.
Chair of the Board of Directors, Snowsport Industries America


Wendy Carey is the Executive Vice President and CFO of Seirus Innovative Accessories, Inc., a major manufacturer and distributor of cold weather apparel accessories. She serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Snowsports Industries America and sits on the Board of Directors for SOS Outreach. A native of California, Wendy is passionate about her family, being outdoors and being open. She is an avid soccer fan (and sat on the Board of Directors of the Peninsula Women’s’ Soccer League from 1990-2012), loves snow skiing among many other outdoor pursuits.

Forrest King-Shaw
Coach & Staff Trainer, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows
 Teams

Forrest King-Shaw has over 20 years experience as a coach and instructor for Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. He is a U8/U10 & Development Coach for the Squaw Valley Ski Team, a National Brotherhood of Skiers Scholarship Director and National Competition Director, a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Skillsquest Accredited Evaluator and a PSIA Examiner and Clinician. Forrest spends over 100 days in ski boots annually.

Schone Malliet
CEO & President, Winter4Kids


A Bronx, NY Native, Schone has a BA in Economics from Holy Cross College and an MBA from Pepperdine University. He was a Marine Officer and Pilot, CEO of Technology Companies in the Bay Area, and founder of the National Winter Sports Education Foundation. He is a Level 200 Coach, TD, a member of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Eastern Region Children’s Committee and is the CEO and President of Winter4Kids, which is embarking on its sixth season.

Kelly Pawlak
President/CEO, National Ski Areas Association


Kelly Pawlak started her career in the ski industry at Mount Snow Resort, VT in 1985 and served as general manager from 2005 - 2017. She has 30 years of experience at Mount Snow and held a variety of duties, including vice president of marketing and sales and vice president of resort operations. Pawlak served on the Vermont Ski Area Association board where she was chair until 2017. She also served on the Vermont Chamber of Commerce board, the Dover Planning Commission and Dover Development Review board. In November of 2017 she accepted a position at the National Ski Areas Association as president/CEO.

Lauren Samuels
U.S. Ski Team (2009-2010); University of Utah Ski Team (2013-2017); FIS Level Club Coach, Team Gilboa Club (2019) and Rowmark Ski Academy (2020)


Lauren Samuels was born and raised in Minneapolis and learned to ski at age 2. She started racing with Team Gilboa out of Hyland Hills, MN, and developed as a ski racer until she was named to the U.S. Ski Team’s development team in 2009 after winning J2 Nationals Overall and Downhill titles. In 2011 and 2012 Lauren competed as an invitee to the U.S. Ski Team’s C Team racing on the NorAm and Europa Cup circuits. From 2013-2017 Lauren skied for the University of Utah’s NCAA Division 1 Ski Team and became a National Champion her senior year, during which she was Team Captain. She earned a B.S. in Athletic Training and completed her medical school prerequisites. After finishing undergrad, Lauren coached for 2 years at Team Gilboa and Rowmark. This September she will start a graduate program at the University of Oregon, studying Sports Product Management with the intentions of pursuing a career in the outdoor industry. Lauren is also a newly named member of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.

Tiger Shaw
President and CEO, U.S. Ski & Snowboard

Tiger Shaw, a two-time Olympian whose business career includes past positions at K2 and Volkl Skis, DealerWire, DealerTrack, and Global Rescue, joined U.S. Ski & Snowboard initially as COO in 2013, becoming CEO in March 2014. During his athletic career, he won nine U.S. Championship titles, regularly finished in the top 10 at World Cups and held top-15 world rankings in two disciplines. A 1985 graduate of Dartmouth College in economics and engineering, he was an NCAA slalom champion while racing for Dartmouth. Since joining U.S. Ski & Snowboard, he has served the USOC as Vice Chair of the National Governing Bodies Council (NGBC) and as a member of the NGBC Leadership Liaison Group, working with the US Center for Safe Sport. 
 

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin recently spoke as the (virtual) keynote in the He(art) of Vail Valley’s Youth event, organized by Mountain Youth, whose mission is "To continuously and collaboratively improve the lives of youth in the most powerful ways possible." Following the event, People featured the discussion with an article entitled, "Olympian Mikaela Shiffrin on Dealing with Performance Anxiety: 'I Never Expected' It Would Affect Me". 

Mikaela's involvement began when she and her mother Eileen reached out to Carol Johnson, formerly the Community Education Manager at Mountain Youth and now the Program and Events Director at SpeakUp ReachOut (side note: Carol is also the mother of U.S. Moguls Team athlete and Olympian Tess Johnson). Mikaela had a desire to get involved with the local community from a mental health awareness standpoint, especially given the situation with Covid-19 and unemployment rates skyrocketing.

During what's been a challenging time for everyone, Mikaela has been connecting with her fans via social media, sharing her own love the arts—music, dance, and more—as a form of therapy in these uncertain times.

As People wrote, 

The 25-year-old joined a Colorado crowd through video chat on Sunday to talk about art and how she has used it to support her own mental health during her career and after recently losing her grandmother and father.

"Art has had such a positive impact on my life — not just my life, but my career and my mind, my whole mindset," Shiffrin told the crowd at Nottingham Park for the He(art) of Vail Valley’s Youth event. "I've learned some things along the way through ski racing that have translated into every aspect of my life, and I think could help others in their own lives."

"My family has faced a lot of loss this year, and adding the situation with COVID on top of that, sometimes it's really hard not to feel completely helpless," she said. "I think a lot of people are feeling that way. What I've been realizing throughout this process of learning how to live in a world with a pandemic, especially after losing my nana in October and my dad in February, is that it's okay not to feel okay. It's okay not to be happy all the time. It's okay to feel helpless. Sometimes it's all okay."

Shiffrin said one of the first times she realized the importance of prioritizing her mental health was when she experienced performance anxiety following the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Mikaela discussed the way in which she unwinds from the stress of being one of the most dominant athletes in the world, which includes playing piano or guitar, singing, and watching her favorite TV Show, Friends. 

"Music is a really powerful tool that can help us feel things more deeply," she said. "It can also help us to drive and control our own mindset and emotions, or it can take control of us."

Check out the full keynote speech below, from Mikaela's instagram. 
 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am honored to have had the opportunity to speak (virtually) at The He(art) of Vail Valley’s Youth event in partnership with @mountainyouth yesterday. Mountain Youth's mission is to "rally around the community, providing support, conversation, education, and collaboration to help all young people in the Eagle River Valley thrive. We do this through a variety of programs that engage youth while helping adults start tough conversations." A big THANK YOU for allowing me the opportunity to discuss the impact art, dance, music, and creativity have had on my career, life, and mental health. 🤗🤗#mentalhealthawareness

A post shared by Mikaela Shiffrin ⛷💨 (@mikaelashiffrin) on Jul 13, 2020 at 3:27pm PDT

Read the full article on People.com.

This week, U.S. Ski & Snowboard will launch the SkillsQuest Fitness Challenge—an eight-week challenge based on the SkillsQuest Fitness assessment.

As many U.S. Ski & Snowboard club athletes are familiar with, the SkillsQuest Fitness assessment is a “standardized way for the country to assess a broad range of physical properties that are important for skiing and snowboarding, and really all athletic development,” said Troy Taylor, High Performance Director for U.S. Ski & Snowboard. The SkillsQuest Fitness Challenge (a.k.a. #SQFchallenge on social media) was an idea born out of finding a way to engage with the community on a more regular basis, along with building the fundamental fitness. 

With on-snow training opportunities limited due to COVID-19, Alpine Development Director Chip Knight together with Troy and his high performance staff, had to get creative and resourceful in order to connect with the National Development Group (NDG)-level athletes. This group includes the best 16-20-year-old athletes in our nation. As a result, Chip and his staff created a series of monthly webinars as a vehicle through which they can engage this community. 

“We can’t schedule regional or national development camps in this [COVID-19] environment, so we’re looking for ways to reach these elite athletes across our nation—a number of whom will realistically make the U.S. Ski Team next year,” explained Chip. “So, it’s important to us that we continue to work with them and assist in their development. A lot of the content will anchor on conditioning—that’s an area where we feel like we can make the biggest gains through this summer—but we’re also going to weave in sports psychology content, content around nutritional advice, social media education through our communications team, and really just connect with the group.”

The group kicked off the series with their first webinar, in which coaches introduced themselves, the plan for the fall—including a discussion about a potential on-snow camp—was discussed, and, of course, conditioning was a focal point, added Chip. 

Troy and Chip said they hope that with the #SQFchallenge, which kicks off on Wednesday, July 14, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is able to engage not only NDG athletes but also our broader community and clubs, by linking them to our National Team athletes and showing how they train at the elite level. Land Rover Ambassador, Olympian and three-time FIS Ski World Cup winner Steven Nyman will kick off the social challenge, with a single leg squat movement. Hopefully, this competition will fuel athletes’ competitive drive when they are not able to otherwise train on snow. As Chip says, “Looking for ways to engage our community for the summer and get athletes to keep competing, off the snow, but really try to improve their physical conditioning base in core areas.”
 

Troy would like to turn a negative into a positive with the challenge. “Access to snow for the next little while is challenging for everyone—whether national teams or clubs—but we can take care of our fitness and conditioning, and the way that we approach and prepare for when we do get access to snow, whenever that may be,” he said. “So let’s control the controllables and be in the fittest spot possible for when we do get on snow. We’re trying to turn COVID and a lack of snow into an opportunity”

NDG athletes, clubs, and members of the community will be encouraged to join the eight-week social challenge by trying the movement and sharing their videos on Instagram with the hashtag #SQFchallenge. Each week, U.S. Ski & Snowboard's high performance staff will unveil a new challenge for the community. Attempt exercises at your own risk, and only try if you are physically capable to do so.

Stay tuned to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard social channels for more information in the coming weeks. 

PLEASE NOTE: The High Performance staff cautions that movements should be done in a progression, and the theoretical progression should go over four weeks (task progressions in bold):

Phase 1 (first four weeks)

Week 1 Initiation:

• 40m Out-and-back Shuttle Challenge:
  • Max reps (up to 25) with :10s rest between reps
  • Women’s Pace - each rep under 12.5s (level 7 beep test pace)
  • Men’s Pace - each rep under 11.4s (level 9 beep test pace)
• Single Leg Squat Challenge: 
  • “Perfect” Plate Overhead Squat - 5kg/10lb plate x 150 in a week
• Upper Body Challenges:
  • Pull Up Iso Hold Challenge – Max time at 90 degrees elbow flexion
  • “Perfect” Push Up Challenge – Max reps in :90 seconds; broom/dowel on back touching back of head, between shoulder blades, and sacrum
• Jump Rope Challenge:
  • As many contacts (single-unders) as you can in :60s with NO misses - if missed, start over - 10 min. maximum time limit

Week 2 Progression:

• 40m Out-and-back Shuttle Challenge:
  • Max reps (up to 25) with :10s rest between reps
  • Women’s Pace - each rep under 12.0s (level 8 beep test pace)
  • Men’s Pace - each rep under 11.0s (level 10 beep test pace)
• Single Leg Squat Challenge:
  • Counterbalanced Skater-Squat - 5kg/10lb x 60ea leg in a week

• Upper Body Challenges:
  • Pull Up Iso Hold Challenge – Max time at 90 degrees elbow flexion – beat last week’s time
  • “Perfect” Push Up Challenge – Max reps in :90 seconds; beat last week’s number
• Jump Rope Challenge:
  • As many contacts (single-unders) as you can in :70s with NO misses - if missed, start over - 10 min. maximum time limit

Week 3 Progression:

• 40m Out-and-back Shuttle Challenge:
  • Max reps (up to 25) with :10s rest between reps
  • Women’s Pace - each rep under 11.4s (level 9 beep test pace)
  • Men’s Pace - each rep under 10.6s (level 11 beep test pace)
• Single Leg Squat Challenge:
  • Plate Counterbalanced Single Leg Squat on Box - 5kg/10lbs x 60ea leg in a week 
• Upper Body Challenges:
  • Pull Up Iso Hold Challenge – Max time at 90 degrees elbow flexion – beat last week’s time
  • “Perfect” Push Up Challenge – Max reps in :90 seconds; beat last week’s number
• Jump Rope Challenge:
  • As many contacts (single-unders) as you can in :80s with NO misses - if missed, start over - 10 min. maximum time limit

Week 4 Progression:

• 40m Out-and-back Shuttle Challenge:
  • Max reps (up to 25) with :10s rest between reps
  • Women’s Pace - each rep under 11.0s (level 10 beep test pace)
  • Men’s Pace - each rep under 10.3s (level 12 beep test pace)
• Single Leg Squat Challenge:
  •  Broom OH Single Leg Squat on Box - x25ea leg in single serving

• Upper Body Challenges:
  • Pull Up Iso Hold Challenge – Max time at 90 degrees elbow flexion – beat last week’s time, target 150% of Week one
  • “Perfect” Push Up Challenge – Max reps in 90 seconds; beat last week’s number, target 150% of Week one
• Jump Rope Challenge:
  • As many contacts (single-unders) as you can in :90s with NO misses - if missed, start over - 10 min. maximum time limit

Phase 2 (final four weeks)

Week 1

• 1.5 Mile Run progression
  • 12:00 min or better (8:00 mile pace)
• Handstand Walk challenge progression 1
  • Wall Handstand Holds 3x/week for max time - STRAIGHT BODY
• Speed Challenge progression 1
  • Alt. Stair Toe-touches - Max Reps in :60s
• Leap Challenge progression 1
  • Standing Broad jump - stick the landing (2x sessions of 3x3 reps)

Week 2

• 1.5 Mile Run progression 2
  • 11:15 min or better (7:30 mile pace)
• Handstand Walk challenge progression 2
  • Wall Handstand Holds w/Push-off 2x/week for max time (+2x/week of level 1) - STRAIGHT BODY
• Speed Challenge progression 2
  • Alt. Stair Toe-touches - Max Reps in :75s
• Leap Challenge progression 2
  • Standing Triple jump for distance - stick the landing (2x sessions of 3x1 reps)

Week 3

• 1.5 Mile Run progression 3
  • 10:30 min or better (7:00 mile pace)
• Handstand Walk challenge progression 3
  • Free handstand to hold practice + Wall Handstand Start to Handstand Walk - minimal 5m x 4 reps - STRAIGHT BODY
• Speed Challenge progression 3
  • Alt. Stair Toe-touches - Max Reps in :90s
• Leap Challenge progression 3
  • 1 Step-in Broad Jump (leap) (2x sessions of 2x2 reps)

Week 4

• 1.5 Mile Run progression 4
  • 9:45 min or better (6:30 mile pace)
• Handstand Walk challenge progression 4
  • Free handstand walk x max distance (can repeat x5) - STRAIGHT BODY
• Speed Challenge progression 4
  • Alt. Stair Toe-touches - Max Reps in :105s
• Leap Challenge progression 4
  • 2 step-in to Leap x5, total max distance

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Please join U.S. Ski & Snowboard on Wednesday, July 15 at 11 a.m. MDT for a digital panel, “Discussing Racial Diversity in Snowsports,” moderated by Henri Rivers, CEO, President and Founder, Drumriver Consultants; President, National Brotherhood of Skiers. We are bringing industry leaders and participants together to have a frank and open conversation about the current landscape of racial diversity in our industry and begin to talk through ways we can create a more inclusive community. How did we get here? What can we do better now? What do we need to work towards long-term?

As the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) for skiing and snowboarding in the United States, we have a responsibility to do better in supporting greater access to the mountains. Our first step in this process was (and is to continue) to listen, learn and let voices be heard. Opening up to these difficult, yet necessary discussions gives us hope that over time we can affect real change. 

Featuring:

This will be the first in a series of events we plan to host on the subject of diversity and inclusion as we continue to engage our industry partners and participants.  Please join us virtually on Wednesday, July 15 at 11 a.m. MDT.  

Register now! 
Join by computer via web browser
Join by mobile device via web browser or the GoToWebinar app
Registration URL: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2258376400854554128 
Webinar ID: 672-206-243

Back in 2017, U.S. Ski & Snowboard introduced what was deemed “Project 26”⁠—the organization’s renewed focus and commitment to alpine development as a result of findings from a comprehensive, in-depth analysis conducted. 

Beginning in the spring of 2016, U.S. Ski & Snowboard undertook the analysis to better understand and learn both from its own alpine development system and those of other major nations in the sport. After a nearly two-year study, changes were implemented with a specific goal to garner results at the 2022 and 2026 Olympics. The Project 26 study represented an evolutionary change in how U.S. Ski & Snowboard, along with its regional and club network, will approach national team selection and development programming in the future.

One of the key changes implemented prior to the 2017-18 season was an effort to work more closely with regions and clubs to create a deeper pool of elite developing athletes from 12 to 20 years old. Fast forward to today. What have we learned? After partnering closely with clubs, and implementing a strategy in which head development coaches Sasha Rearick and Marjan Cernigoj worked closely with clubs to manage athletes with the club rather than directly under the U.S. Ski & Snowboard umbrella, Alpine Development Director Chip Knight has announced that the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team will evolve the Project 26 initiative by taking over direct athlete management of the named Development Team athletes. 

“We are treating it as a team and looking after our athletes that have been nominated as part of our national team,” Chip explains. “It’s really consistent with the Athlete Project, as I see it, and with our goals of moving athletes up through each of the three layers of our national team; NorAm team, Europa Cup team, and World Cup team. And we’re doing it while trying to maintain the same principles and outward-facing direction of Project 26, which is incorporating athletes on an invitation-basis to projects, having good, meaningful crossover exposure with parallel projects and opportunities to train-up—either with the NorAm team or with the Europa Cup team, and also incorporating coaches as part of coaches’ education, working with Sasha and Marjan at projects throughout the year.”

Refinement of Project 26 Move Forward 
This evolution comes as a result of a keen eye on the data. “Our biggest successes over the last two years have been athletes within our D-Team who we’ve closely managed and have been able to give meaningful training opportunities and especially crossover opportunities up with the Europa Cup team,” Chip added. 

Chip said that athletes like Keely Cashman and Alix Wilkinson on the women’s side, and Ben Ritchie and Isaiah Nelson on the men’s side—have all built strong working relationships with Marjan and Sasha, and have been able to get amazing opportunities up in the National Team with training and exposure through last season that contributed to their success and their ability to move up through the system. “All of these athletes have moved up into the B and C Teams now, with the exception of Alix, who had an injury this year but was on track to be racing in the World Cup in the spring.”

For Chip, these are the big success stories, and he admits the scenarios that have provided more challenges are those where we’ve had fractured management and have not really been able to impact their programming even though they’ve been on a track with their ranks and performances to be at the National Team level. “They’ve been sort of lost, and oftentimes coming back to us saying, ‘I didn’t feel like I was part of a team,’ or ‘I didn’t know who my coach was at the NorAm races,’ and stuff like that,” Chip shared.” So that’s the feedback we’re trying to overcome and solve around.” 

Additionally, adds Chip, there is a shift in nomenclature for these groups to “NorAm Teams” for two reasons: 1) To draw a distinction between them and the “D-Team” or “Development Team” of the past two years, and 2) To help explain why we have both C- and D-Team athletes being managed together at this level.

How Project 26 Worked for Jack Smith
U.S. Ski Team alumnus and Olympian Will Brandenburg, who is currently the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) Alpine Program Director, shared another athlete story and case study for the program evolution—that of his athlete Jack Smith, who is currently a named Development Team athlete. 

“Jack is a really good example of Project 26 working,” said Will, “he was one of the tail-end guys who was able to get into those first D-Team level projects and camps, and it was a big push by me and Randy Pelkey, who was here that one year with Jack, to make sure he was getting those opportunities. It gave Jack experiences that the club couldn’t offer, with that pace and the detail Sasha put into the programming, and he [Jack] was so hungry.” 

Because Will knew this was a great opportunity, he and the SVSEF program approached it with Jack by saying: “Hey, you’re the last person in—you need to be the first one in the lift line every morning, the first to every dryland session, the last one to leave the hill…you have to show them that you work, and how much you want it. That’s the only way you’re going to keep getting picked up for the next camp, and your goal is to prove yourself so you keep getting picked up for the next camp.’ Jack did just that, proving himself throughout that summer and going into that next winter strong, making criteria for the Development Team for the 2019-20 season. Will added, enthusiastically,  “Without that program, how would we find pace? He still could have done it, it just would have looked a lot different. It really worked.” 

However, when Jack moved to the Development Team, it provided new challenges for Will and SVSEF. Will thought to himself, “‘Ok, now that he’s at this level, how do you push him to the next one?’ And that’s where that fine-tuned detail of management needs to happen,” he said. “It’s like you’ve kind of surpassed what the club can offer unless we go and hire you a private coach.’ There was a Western Region PG group he was kind of a part of last year, with Fletcher McDonald, and when he was struggling on the road, he’d call me.” 

During that time, Jack didn’t have a “home”. Hence, the need for the U.S. Alpine Ski Team to step back, reassess, and ultimately evolve the Project 26 initiative, taking over direct athlete management of the named Development Team athletes. 

For this reason, Will feels that the direction that the U.S. Alpine Ski Team is moving is “perfect” for the named athletes. “It needed to happen again,” he said, “and I guess the question now is, how do we craft opportunities for others like Jack had as he got into the system?” Chip says that the Team will continue to organize parallel National Development Group (NDG) projects, led by our regional coaches, under the guidance of Marjan and Sasha. These projects will allow our best-emerging athletes to have good support and crossover exposure opportunities. 

Will is “fired up” with everything he’s hearing with how U.S. Ski & Snowboard is handling the National Team—the named Development Team and up. “It just seems like it’s so much better than when I left, and how I’ve seen it in previous years since I’ve been gone,” he said. 

When Project 26 was rolled out in 2017 is when Will left the Western Region job and came back to Sun Valley as the program director. As such, he knew all of the ins and outs of how that system was going to work, and he knew Sasha, so Will felt it was seamless for Jack and him to create a plan to work with that system. “For me, it worked...” he added. “...And I was probably the loudest person in Chip’s [Knight] ear about how Project 26 was the dumbest idea ever, which is funny because it ended up working really well for us,” he laughed. 

What about the future of the sport? 
From Alpine Director Jesse Hunt’s perspective, the continued investment in development is key to achieving his “winning at every level” mantra. “This investment in development will afford us the opportunity to provide a ‘win at every level’ approach to programming,” said Jesse. “We will have a managed program at the World Cup, Europa Cup, and NorAm levels to ensure we can compete at these levels and the World Junior Championships.”

What’s next for the Development Team? The men’s crew just wrapped a successful camp at Official Training Site Timberline Lodge & Ski Area, while the women will be at the Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah for a strength and conditioning camp before heading to Mt Hood themselves. 

The 2020-21 Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team nominations were announced in May. A staff announcement will be forthcoming, while an official Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team announcement will be made in the fall.

2020-21 Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team NorAm Team Nominations
(Hometown; Club; Birthdate)

NORAM TEAM
Men
Jacob Dilling (Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, 10/19/1999)
Kellen Kinsella (Edwards, Colo.; Dartmouth College and Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 8/7/2001)
Isaiah Nelson (Wayzata, MN.; Buck Hill Ski Racing Club; 4/3/2001)
Trent Pennington (Shalimar, Fla.; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail; 5/8/2002)*
Jack Smith (Sun Valley, Idaho; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 4/24/2001)
Bradshaw Underhill (Newbury, N.H.; Killington Mountain School; 3/10/2000)*

Women
Lauren Macuga (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 7/4/2002)
Ainsley Proffit (St. Louis, MO; Sugar Bowl Ski Team & Academy; 3/21/2001)
Allie Resnick (Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 9/1/2001)*
Emma Resnick (Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 7/23/2003)
Nicola Rountree-Williams (Edwards, Colo.; Loveland Ski Area; 7/7/2002)
Zoe Zimmermann (Gilford, N.H.; Burke Mountain Academy; 5/16/2002)

*Newly named to the U.S. Ski Team

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The ski racing community mourns the loss of one of its members, Eric Keck, a U.S. Ski Team downhiller in the 80s and 90s who died suddenly on Wednesday, July 9 at the age of 52. 

Eric went to Burke Mountain Academy and Green Mountain Valley School (GMVS) in Vermont, prior to making it to the U.S. Ski Team. His career on the FIS Ski World Cup was short, but it was sweet—at 245 pounds, Eric opted to leave the Team in 1991 to attend college and instead play football. Eric was the "biggest" downhiller in the history of the World Cup. 

Eric skied alongside downhill legends AJ Kitt and Tommy Moe, among many other legends. Former teammates speak fondly of the legacy Eric left as a fearless adventurer with a big heart. As AJ said, "Nothing intimidated Eric. Everything was possible in his mind. He was an adventurer at heart and loved helping people more than anything." AJ reminisced on Facebook, posting an image of he and Eric as his profile photo, with the caption, "Me and my man Eric Keck reunited in 2015."

Eric, AJ, Todd Schneider, and Steve Porino made it to the U.S. Ski Team after one year on a private team, remembers AJ. "It was a pretty special time," he added. 
 

In a New York Times feature written by Jack Kavanagh in 1995 entitled "COLLEGE FOOTBALL; Man of Mountains Scales a New One," Jack says of the World Cup skier turned Division 1 football player, 

At 245 pounds, Keck was not only the heaviest member of the United States team in the late 1980's and early 90's but also the heaviest in the history of World Cup racing. Indeed, Keck was a skier in a football lineman's body, swift and agile but not fast enough to keep up with the skiing world's elite.

How does a former world-class skier from Montpelier, Vt., wind up playing football at a junior college in California? "A coach on the national ski team, Bill Egan, had been an assistant football coach at Saddleback and knew I was interested in going to college," said Keck, who had to sit out a year after transferring to Columbia in 1993. "And when I decided to go to college, Bill helped get me into Saddleback."

Following his World Cup career, Eric went on to attend college at Saddleback Junior College in Mission Viejo, Calif. before transferring to Columbia University in New York City, N.Y. to play defensive tackle as co-captain for the Lions.

In a SKI Magazine feature written in 2004 and updated in 2016, entitled "Pain and Glory: Bill Hudson and Eric Keck," Jackson Hogen recounts Eric's wild ride down the famed Hahnenkamm in Kitzbühel, Austria in all of its glory, 

It's Day One of training, and in this low-snow year, the fearsome Hahnenkamm is a sinister strip of vertical white ice on an otherwise snowless mountain. So does Eric Keck, making his first World Cup start, take it easy on his first trip down the world's most dangerous course? Nope. Downhillers are a different breed. The massive Vermonter lets go a throaty war whoop, charges out of the gate and launches huge air off the Mausfalle. But his line is off-way off-and he lands with sickening violence outside the safety fence. A frantic teammate rushes to his aid, fearing the worst. But mighty Keck, dangling blood-soaked gauze from each nostril, rises to his feet, brandishing a twisted ski, and lets go another rebel yell. Miracle? In 50 years of racing, no one has ever cleared that fence. But less than an hour later, another American achieves the same feat, landing well beyond Keck's crater. Bill Hudson is less lucky: punctured lung, lacerated kidney, multiple fractures, three months of double vision. He spends the week in Kitzbühel's hospital, where the choppers deliver fresh roommates daily, courtesy of the Hahnenkamm. Hudson returns for another year on the circuit, but now admits, "I'm not sure I ever fully recovered from that one.

Though his size made him a formidable competitor both on the mountain as well as the football field, Eric's teammates speak of his kind, protective nature. Former U.S. Ski Team teammate Heidi Voelker says of Eric, "Keck's humor, laugh, and smile was like no other. When you were around Keck, you felt protected."

And former teammate and downhiller Steve Porino, ever the wordsmith, reflected on Eric's dynamic personality and positive—and, at times, negative (but ultimately still in a positive way)—influence on Steve,

At a time when the U.S. Team was going unnoticed, he was noticed. Everyone, whether they knew his name, knew who he was. He was the largest thing they’d ever seen skis. Not a gentle giant, but rather a fun loving, live out loud Titan. That guy we were all so proud to call our teammate, and he was such a great teammate. "One-of-a-kind" has never been more true than with Kecker. There was nothing he would not try, a total renaissance man. Built hot rods, captained Columbia to its first winning football season having hardly played the game. He built hot rods, he became a minister, police officer, school principle, and on and on. He was simply fearless in all aspects of life, and he loved to coerce people to be the same. Man he got me to do things I’d never have done...and I hope the road crew outside Lausanne will one day forgive me. This is a void felt everywhere.

According to Ski Racing Media, Eric would go on to become a school principal for the Southwick School in Northfield, New Hampshire. He is survived by his wife, Beth, his three daughters, Phoebe, Zion, and Zachari, and his son Thunder, and his two grandchildren.

U.S. Ski Team alumna, winningest female alpine ski racer of all time and Land Rover ambassador Lindsey Vonn and her fiance, star defenseman New Jersey Devils, PK Subban, recently joined former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho along with The Bachelorette stars Rachel Lynn Lindsay Abasolo and Bryan Abasolo on Emmanuel's "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man" series on Instagram. 

On what was supposed to be their wedding day, Lindsey and PK talked candidly about what it's like to be in an interracial relationship with Emmanuel, Rachel, and Bryan in the fifth installment of "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. The Interracial Episode."

PK said he loves every moment of the conversations they have with their network on the topic. "What this promotes is growth and strength in our relationship, and I'm not against that," he added. "Adversity is a great thing. When people show true colors—this world is full of a lot of people—not everybody is going to be accepting of everything." 

Lindsey says she hopes this will be shared, and the conversation will continue. Check out the full episode below. 

 

 

 

 

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Interracial couples, @LindseyVonn & @Subbanator join @therachlindsay & @TheBryanAbasolo to have an Uncomfortable Conversation. This episode was for y’all. Watch & SHARE! Let’s change the world, together ❤️

A post shared by Emmanuel Acho (@emmanuelacho) on Jul 8, 2020 at 4:55pm PDT

Back in April, Olympic champion and Land Rover ambassador Ted Ligety caught up with U.S. Ski Team alumnus Jonny Moseley, Olympic and World Cup champion in mogul skiing. SKI Magazine recently featured the conversation on its website. 

In the hour-long conversation, the two skiing legends discuss everything from the International Ski Federation (FIS) to technique they have in common and ski tips for each other and the audience, and beyond. The video is well worth the watch. As SKI noted in the article:

This interview is an incredible conversation between two ski legends packed with valuable details from their careers as professional skiers. Beginning at minute 8:30, Jonny explains the inspiration and development of his signature move, the "Dinner Roll." Moseley goes to explain how and why he had to go head to head with FIS to persuade them to allow inverted tricks in mogul skiing.

If ski measurements and regulations are your thing, the controversies surrounding FIS regulations in alpine racing is explained by Ted beginning at 16:30. Ligety discusses the issue of ski radius in the GS discipline and discusses the lack of communication between the FIS organization and athletes at minute 19:00. 

Check out the full article on SkiMag.com.

Four-time Olympian and U.S. Alpine Ski Team alumnus and 2010 skicross Olympian Casey Puckett recently concluded a collective nine years of coaching Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club (AVSC) athletes, returning to the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team as head technical coach for the women's Europa Cup team. Austin Colbert, from the Aspen Times, recently caught up with Casey to talk about his return to U.S. Ski & Snowboard. 

Casey coached two-time Olympian Alice McKennis her first two years of FIS at AVSC, and at their recent on-snow camp at Official Training Site Copper Mountain, Colo., Alice had a nickname for Casey⁠—"Five Time". As the Aspen Times stated, "This required an explanation for the younger U.S. national team skiers, as they weren’t all too familiar with Puckett’s past, which includes an impressive World Cup career and five Olympic appearances." 

As head women's coach Paul Kristofic said following the Copper camp, “A big target for this camp was the introduction of Casey Puckett as the Europa Cup coach, as he was leading the entire group since [World Cup Tech Team Head Coach] Magnus [Andersson] wasn’t there, so it was a chance for him to work with those athletes for the first time, work with Katie [Twible] for the first time, and get to know everybody." 

“It says something about AVSC when the U.S. team is actively recruiting coaches from the club. It just shows you the level of coaches we have here,” Puckett said. “We have such a good group of kids here and they are a lot of fun to work with. They work hard and they are fast. It’s going to be hard to leave those guys. I’m going to miss them. But I think it will be good to move to this next level and see what’s out there.”

Puckett’s main job with U.S. Ski and Snowboard this season will be to help develop young skiers such as AJ Hurt, Katie Hensien and Alix Wilkinson. McKennis, a two-time Olympian from New Castle, is primarily a World Cup speed skier and won’t directly work with Puckett.

The Europa Cup team is a newer creation made by U.S. alpine director Jesse Hunt, who took over the role in 2018. Hunt was actually one of Puckett’s coaches back when he was an athlete, and it was Hunt who reached out to Puckett to bring him on as a national team coach. While the Europa Cup and North American Cup are deemed to be the same level on paper, in reality the Europa Cup is a step up from Nor-Ams and success there will make it easier for U.S. athletes to make the jump to the World Cup.

“If you are not going to that series and paying attention to that level, then it’s a little bit more difficult to make the step to the World Cup. His motto is to win at every level, so he hired me to come help do that,” Puckett said of Hunt. “You don’t often get a call from the U.S. team to coach. If I would have passed it by, it may not have been there again, so I went for it.”

Up next for Casey and the Europa Cup team will be an on-snow camp at Official Training Site Timberline Lodge & Ski Area in Oregon. 

Check out the full article on AspenTimes.com.

We are sad to share the news that we lost a beloved member of our masters community. Bill McCollom (New England Masters, M10) passed away on June 28th unexpectedly from a heart condition. Among many things he did, Bill supported the masters as Eastern Division chair for almost three decades. If you didn't know Bill personally, he likely wrote something you read in Ski Racing Magazine or personally inspired someone you know. Bill understood and shared all the great things about ski racing as a lifelong passion. Thank you Bill for leaving us so many great words to remember you by.

We will pass along more information when it becomes available. Our deepest condolences to his family. 

For more Masters News and Information go to: usskiandsnowboard.org/masters