The Davis U.S. Cross Country Ski Team welcomes two new staff members for the 2020-21 season, including Development Team coach Kate Barton, and to the World Cup Service Team, Chris Hecker.

Kate brings a wealth of knowledge to the team as both a former competitor and coach, most recently at Vermont’s Middlebury College. Since 2016, Kate has been the assistant nordic coach at Middlebury, and prior to her tenure there, she was the head coach at Burke Mountain Academy for many seasons. Kate replaces former Development Team coach Bernie Nelson, who stepped down following the 2019-20 season.

“I am competitively motivated, and feel lucky to be acquiring this group from Bernie, who obviously did an incredible job of building a strong and successful team,” Kate said. “I’m excited to bring my authenticity as a person, my love for the sport of skiing, and my principled approach to coaching to the Development team. I hope to continue to collaborate with the greater ski community and to inspire and support the athletes as they pursue their goals and dreams.”

Over the past few years, Kate has worked with many athletes in regard to development projects. She has led and volunteered the National U16 Elite Camp, the U18 Scandinavian Championships, and the FIS World Junior/U23 World Championships.

“Kate brings a special blend of knowledge, experience, passion for the sport, and nurturing support and care for the athletes she encounters,” Davis U.S. Cross Country Team Program Director Chris Grover said. 

Chris Hecker is the newest member of our World Cup Service Team, replacing Jean-Pascal Laurin, who stepped down following the 2019-20 season to dedicate more time to his quickly booming farming operation. Chris Hecker brings a wealth of experience on the World Cup circuit to the U.S. Team, most recently working with Rex Ski Wax. He also worked for U.S. Biathlon in recent years, providing service at the World Champs, World Cup, and IBU Cup level events.  

“We are very excited to bring another person that we know, trust, and respect into our service group and overall team family,” Chris Grover said.

CLUB OF THE YEAR
Stratton Mountain School

Always one of the top multi-sport programs in America, Stratton Mountain School earned top honors as the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club of the Year. The Vermont academy also picked up both Freeski and Snowboard Club of the Year recognition.

"We are proud to receive recognition as U.S. Ski & Snowboard's Overall Club of the year after a season of immense hard work and achievement for all five of our winter sports programs. Following this past season's athletic accomplishments, alongside another year of impressive college placements, our community is excited to continue the tradition of excellence that has guided Stratton Mountain School since 1972."
  - Chris Kaltsas, Headmaster

Established in 1972, Stratton Mountain School has a storied tradition. It has sent 46 student-athletes to the Olympics, capturing six medals. Over the years, it has placed 118 athletes onto national teams, including 17 this past season. It was also named Club of the Year in 2009.

Club of the Year recognizes a club with a commitment to program, youth, and overall athlete development, along with the development of facilities, commitment to the region and national structure, coach certification, and professional development, plus season accomplishments.

Stratton Mountain School provides a unique environment that offers each student the opportunity to pursue excellence in competitive winter sports and college preparatory academics while developing strong personal values. The program, which features alpine, cross country, freeskiing, freestyle and snowboard programs, is a gold level U.S. Ski & Snowboard Podium Club.

This past year the club saw success in all five sport programs from current and alumni athletes. Will Koch won cross country bronze at the Youth Olympic Games, 2019 alum Zeb Powell took gold in knuckle huck at X Games Aspen and 2018 graduate Caroline Claire won a slopestyle World Cup at Seiser Alm.

This past season alpine sent five student-athletes to U.S. Junior National Championships, freeski qualified 15 to USASA Nationals, 75% of freestyle athletes qualified for Junior Nationals with 50% making it to U.S. Championships, nordic continued its string of 25 years with at least one medal at Junior Nationals and snowboard recorded 57 podiums at USASA events.

In recent years Stratton Mountain School has focused on facilities. It has developed a high-performance center focused on sport science and sports medicine including a field house, gymnasium, strength and condition, rehabilitation and outdoor fields, as well as an air awareness center and yoga studio.

DEVELOPMENT CLUB OF THE YEAR
Franconia Ski Club

New Hampshire’s Franconia Ski Club was named Development Club of the Year for its longstanding commitment to fostering a love of winter sports and raising successful athletes in its community. Recently, the significant investment in facilities and training venues has provided new opportunities for programming and partnerships and set the club up for continued success. 

Over the past decade, the Franconia Ski Club has grown to become one of the most notable development programs in New England. Its membership has grown from 40 in 1998 to 192 this past year and a waiting list for 2020-21. The club impacted development across the region, as well as nationally, with the first phase of the Mittersill at Cannon Mountain Improvement Project, with a $4 million investment in trail and lift development. The next phase, including the Mittersill Performance Center, is underway. The venue was the site of the 2017 NCAA Championships and the 2019 U.S. Junior Championship Super-G.

The club has taken the NHARA U14 state title from 2016-2020, and the U12 title from 2015-2019. The club has a host of athletes ranking in the top five YOB in the east and top 15 in the nation. Franconia’s Dylan Welch is ranked number one in the country in slalom for YOB 2004.

Introduced in 2019, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development Club of the Year Award is an award presented to a member club that has distinguished itself in providing outstanding youth development programs. Key criteria include exceptional or unique programming focused on developing athletes ages 13 and under; providing opportunities for youth to enter the sport, providing a positive, engaging experience for young snowsports athletes; commitment and encouragement of youth athletic development; implementation of best practices and innovation for long-term athlete development; use and support of U.S. Ski & Snowboard resources intended for development levels; conversion of athletes to higher levels of involvement, participation and competition; develops and encourages a lifelong passion and enthusiasm for participation in snowsports. 

The Franconia Ski Club is a silver certified U.S. Ski & Snowboard Podium Club, presently working on its gold certification.

“Our mission at the Franconia Ski Club is to impart the joys of skiing and the lifelong lessons of healthy competition. All of our programs take that mission to heart, using it as a guiding principle in the development of our athletes. We focus on providing our athletes with the highest level of alpine racing instruction available and fostering within them a love of and respect for the sport.  This approach, along with access to the world-class training and racing facilities at Mittersill at Cannon Mountain, has allowed us to develop some of the best athletes in not only the Eastern Region but also the U.S.”

- Eric Price, Program Director

SPORT CLUBS OF THE YEAR
Alpine Club of the Year - Burke Mountain Academy 

A longstanding and highly revered program, Burke Mountain Academy was named U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Club of the Year. The program excelled this year with success at every level from U12 up to FIS, and NorAm, including five athletes making National Development Group criteria, plus qualifying athletes for Alpe Cimbra (former Topolino) and OPA Cup. Burke has created a powerful guiding framework for its program that challenges the status quo in helping athletes manage training and racing loads. As a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development site, Burke’s impact has extended even more broadly as a strong program partner in the Eastern Region with a Speed Week and other regional training opportunities. Burke also brought on board two notable past stars to help with the athletic programs including Felix McGrath and Olympic champion Diann Roffe, a 1985 Burke graduate.

A hallmark at Burke has been its high-quality races. At the core to that has been the contribution of David Iverson for the last 13 years at Burke, and 13 before that at Green Mountain Valley School - executing upward of 40 races annually. Iverson, who will be leaving his role, was acknowledged by U.S. Ski & Snowboard for his lifelong contribution to the Eastern Region.

Burke is a gold-certified U.S. Ski & Snowboard Podium Club.

“We consider our school and all of the athletic programs a community and we really do believe that the shared sense of commitment to one another elevates the experience. Our primary charge at Burke is character development, and the athletic and academic programs are vehicles for that holistic education. The sense of community that exists among all the athletes and their families is what makes that education possible because it cultivates an environment with a high degree of trust in which the athletes are willing to take appropriate risks, learn through failure and ultimately strive to achieve their goals.”

- Willy Booker, Headmaster

Cross Country Club of the Year - Alaska Winter Stars

U.S. Ski & Snowboard named Alaska Winter Stars as its Cross Country Club of the Year. Alaska has always been a strong division for cross country skiing. But since the inception of Alaska Winter Stars in 1997 by Jan Buron, the state is impacting the top levels of the sport in new ways. Buron believed that athletes who want to compete at the top level must begin their training as children and participate in a year-round program with the same group of coaches. It takes years of dedication to master the skills and develop the strength of a champion. 

This past year, Alaska Winter Stars athlete Gus Schumacher won Junior Worlds gold, as well as leading the SuperTour and becoming a national champion. Sixteen club athletes qualified with Team Alaska for Junior Nationals with eight qualifying for the Arctic Winter Games. Over time, 17 Alaska Winter Stars athletes have taken Junior Nationals titles. Nordic combined skier Carter Brubaker qualified for the Youth Olympic Games. At the state level, 23 club athletes representing five different high schools made the Alaska High School State Championships where Alaska Winter Stars grabbed its 23rd skimeister title in 22 years. The club also won the award in 2010.

“One of our club's strengths is helping athletes develop into lifelong skiers. Our younger junior program focuses on having fun and many athletes transition to being competitive on the state, national, or even international level as high schoolers and beyond.”

- Jan Buron, Club Founder

Freeski Club of the Year - Stratton Mountain School 

The U.S. Ski & Snowboard overall Club of the Year, Stratton Mountain School (SMS), was also named as Freeski Club of the Year. SMS is one of America’s premier multi-sport clubs, with its freeski program growing to become one of the most successful in the country and a catalyst for the growth of the sport in the east. Its main goal is to provide wholesome experiences to their athletes to ensure long-term success in both athletics and life. This past year the program grew by nearly 50% in participants.

Its new state of the art Air Awareness Center features a skating area, mini ramps, foam pit, trampolines, and more, giving athletes full access to top tier training. The club also provides strength and conditioning courses, yoga, agility training, and secondary sports to athletes, as well as assisting student-athletes in navigating the balance between their athletic and academic future. 

SMS is an important regional center for freeski with its summer Action Sports Camp and an annual Young Guns Project on-snow. Stratton Mountain Resort also hosts multiple USASA events in all four disciplines and is a top venue for development level competition. It’s helped the club produce top-tier development athletes who have been strong in NorAms and the FIS/USASA Futures Tour, where Max Siudak won this past season in Copper Mountain. The club qualified 15 athletes to the USASA Nationals this past season. SMS is home to U.S. Freeski Pro Team athletes Mac Forehand and Caroline Claire.

Stratton Mountain School is a gold-certified U.S. Ski & Snowboard Podium Club.

“Our objective at SMS is to keep it fun, while maintaining our focus on goals. We have an awesome coaching staff that makes it fun for athletes and keeps them fully engaged.”

- Jesse Maliis, Freeski Director

Freestyle Club of the Year - Wasatch Freestyle

Utah-based Wasatch Freestyle was named U.S. Ski & Snowboard Freestyle Club of the Year. It also won the honor in 2006. Wasatch Freestyle, which operates at both Snowbird and Deer Valley, is known as one of the premier freestyle moguls programs in America, with high-level elite coaching staff, continuous engagement in events, and a congruent goal of developing the best athletes and leaders possible.

This past season, 16 Wasatch Freestyle athletes qualified for Junior Nationals, 12 for U.S. Championships, three for Junior World Championships, nine for the NorAm tour, and two for World Cup. On the NorAm tour, Wasatch collected a dozen podiums plus a season title for Madison Hogg with sister Kasey second. The club also played host to both the Bumpin’ the Bird regional competition, as well as the Deer Valley NorAm.

But the club’s focus goes well behind results and events. It takes pride in its staff and the work it does to teach life skills and core values. In nominating Wasatch Freestyle, the freestyle community spoke about the club as a role model to others, exemplifying best practices with its dedication, work ethic and passion for freestyle skiing.

“Wasatch Freestyle has provided a very positive experience for young people and their families who have come through our programming. Along with our partners, Deer Valley Resort and Snowbird, we have not only been able to provide area youth with a great competitive ski program but also an experience where young people learn great life skills - leadership, time management, goal setting and good citizenship. I am fortunate to have worked with so many great young people and their families over the years. Wasatch Freestyle is one of the great living legacies of our Olympic movement and a tribute to the ski industry here in Utah.”

- Jon O’Brien, Director 

Nordic Combined/Ski Jumping Club of the Year - Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club

For the fourth consecutive year, the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC), a gold-certified club, has been named U.S. Ski & Snowboard Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping Club of the Year. It’s the sixth time the club has won the honor.

As a multi-discipline club, SSWSC has a unique approach to youth development with different disciplines working together. It’s unity between club, community, staff, athletes, parents and volunteers, together with its major support partners of the City of Steamboat Springs and Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation, gives the program a strong platform from which to work. Over the last two years, the club has soared to its highest numbers with 150 athletes participating in the jumping and combined program.

The club placed five of the eight athletes on the Youth Olympic Games Team with seven on the Junior Worlds Team. Niklas Malacinski finished fifth at Youth Olympic Games and qualified for the national team. SSWSC qualified 15 athletes for USA Nordic national teams next season.

SSWSC is a gold-certified U.S. Ski & Snowboard Podium Club.

“We believe that high-end athletics is a byproduct of strong life skills like, commitment, grit, perseverance, dedication and striving with passion. While the SSWSC has had great success producing many national and Olympic team athletes, our focus is more centered on the life skills and the achievement process. We believe success is all about setting a foundation of life skills that will serve an individual in athletics and beyond. We are just proud of our members that go on to be successful in other endeavors as we are with our Olympians.”

- Todd Wilson, Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined Director

Snowboard Club of the Year - Stratton Mountain School 

The 2020 U.S. Ski & Snowboard overall Club of the Year also picked up honors as Snowboard Club of the Year. Under the leadership of Olympic champion Ross Powers, SMS Snowboard is recognized as one of the top programs in the nation, committed to providing each student-athlete with the opportunity to pursue excellence in competitive winter sports and college preparatory academics while developing strong personal values. 

Training groups are formed at SMS based on ability, motivation, and individual goals. Athletes go through a fitness evaluation to determine groups, with coaches working one-on-one with athletes to develop goals.

The program is committed to both youth and long-term elite athlete development in the region, holding multiple camps throughout the year. The winter Young Gun Project allows athletes to experience on-snow training at Stratton Resort and winter-term tutoring at SMS. The summer Action Sports Camp hosts athletes in Stratton’s new Air Awareness Center.

With a long-standing commitment to events, SMS hosts annual USASA competitions in all six disciplines. This past season it also helped to host a 2020 Futures Tour event at Mount Snow as well as the 2020 Vermont Open at Stratton Resort. 

In the 2019-20 season, SMS snowboarders scored 18 top-10 finishes in Futures Tour events, with five athletes earning Rev Tour starts. SMS riders also took 57 USASA podium finishes. SMS rider Zeb Powell took X-Games knuckle huck gold with SMS junior Acy Craig taking part in the Youth Olympic Games.

Stratton Mountain School is a gold-certified U.S. Ski & Snowboard Podium Club.

“After 10 years of leading the SMS Snowboard Team, I’ve come full circle from my days as a student-athlete at Stratton Mountain School to now helping the next generations by providing them with the knowledge and the opportunities to progress to their highest level.”

- Ross Powers, Snowboard Director 

Athletes are committed to their sports, but they are also engaged in their communities and with other causes that are dear to them. The Team Athletes Giving Back award was initiated in 2013 to recognize the dedication of athletes to causes that help others and to showcase their causes. The winning athlete’s charitable cause will receive a $5,000 grant in the name of the athlete. 

Team Athletes Giving Back Award
Tess Johnson, Vail, Colo./U.S. Freestyle Ski Team
Girl PowHER, a program of Vail Valley Foundation

Tess Johnson is a five-year member of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, an Olympian and a rising star in her sport of moguls skiing. A native of Vail, she’s very engaged in her community working with young girls to convey her passion and experiences as an athlete to motivate and inspire them. She was honored by U.S. Ski & Snowboard with the Team Athletes Giving Back Award for her work with Girl PowHER. Girl PowHER, associated with the Vail Valley Foundation, is an organization very close to her. Its mission is to empower young women mentally, emotionally, and physically to ensure that each girl reaches her full potential. Johnson spends time working with young girls on their passion projects, telling them about her experiences as an Olympic athlete, or just hanging out with them as a friend.

“Every moment of working with GirlPowHER has been a joy because these girls have taught me just as much as I have to offer them,”  said Johnson. “Every girl has something great to offer the world. Sometimes it just takes another girl to help her realize that, and GirlPowHER is the epitome of that. I feel so lucky that I get to play a small role in helping these girls realize their potential.”

Steamboat Springs native Buddy Werner is a legend - one of only two Americans to ever win the fabled Hahnenkamm downhill in Kitzbühel, Austria. But beyond his prowess as a ski racer, Werner was known mostly as a favorite teammate who put sportsmanship above all. He died tragically in an avalanche at St. Moritz, Switzerland in 1964. Each year since 1966, an athlete has been honored for their own contributions to sportsmanship.

Part of being a team member is always being a team member! Hannah Halvorsen (Truckee, Calif./Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Team), who was nominated by her teammates, is a rising young star on the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team and a Junior World Championships medalist. On the eve of the season, Halvorsen was struck by a car while crossing the road. While she battled for her life in a hospital and later rehabbed at the Center of Excellence, she put her teammates first.

From the moment she regained consciousness, she made sure her teammates knew. As the season progressed, she maintained encouraging dialogue from afar - always a part of the team. She used her life-altering situation to invigorate her teammates and the entire cross country community, carrying her message of positive thinking and goal setting to junior skiers as a means of inspiring them to greater heights. Through it all, Halvorsen says she has learned patience and appreciating small gains. She knows that when she can race again she’ll appreciate it more than ever before.

“This award immediately confirmed my suspicions that I am surrounded by a very loving bunch,” said Halvorsen. “Throughout this difficult season of injury, I haven't gone a week without hearing from at least one of my teammates. Thank you to my teammates - not only for voting me for the Buddy Werner Award but for never forgetting about me. You guys are where I learned the value of sportsmanship.” 

 

 

 

 

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They say there is no gain without pain. Then I must be gaining a lot. -Willie Nelson PC: @t2foundation

A post shared by Hannah Halvorsen (@hannah.g.halvorsen) on Feb 9, 2020 at 4:16pm PST

 

 

 

 

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😊😀👯‍♀️

A post shared by Hannah Halvorsen (@hannah.g.halvorsen) on Jan 31, 2020 at 8:23pm PST

 

 

 

 

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My little leg took her first elliptical steps today. She’s growing up so fast!

A post shared by Hannah Halvorsen (@hannah.g.halvorsen) on Mar 11, 2020 at 4:29pm PDT

Central Cross Country Skiing's (CXC) Nordic Rocks Program has been announced as one of eight global finalists for the FIS SnowKidz Award.

The SnowKidz Awards showcase the world’s top kids' snow programs, recognizing best efforts to bring youth to the snow. Each national ski association gets a chance to submit one program from their country, and U.S. Ski & Snowboard chose Nordic Rocks as the submission for the USA. The Top 8 programs were announced on May 4 and include:

• Australia: Torah Bright Mini Shred
• Czech Republic: SnowKidz Tour & SnowKidz Park
• Finland: Snow Moves!
• Greece: Seek a Snowflake Tour
• Portugal: Ski4All
• Spain: Schools Promotions Programme
• Sweden: Everyone on Snow
• USA: Nordic Rocks

FIS will announce the winners of the SnowKidz Award 2020 on June 1.

Howard Peterson, an influential leader of the U.S. Ski Association and later the Soldier Hollow Legacy Foundation, passed away Monday (May 11) in Heber City, Utah. His four decades of service to skiing and snowboarding was marked with a keen focus on providing support to athletes at every turn.

He cared deeply for the teams and was extremely passionate about our sports. He was always quiet and thoughtful, but never without an opinion.
- Tiger Shaw, President & CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard

Peterson was a pivotal figure in pushing a legacy concept that resulted in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, and the resultant venues for athlete training. He was a key individual in the movements to bring freestyle and snowboarding into the Olympics. And he single-handedly pioneered cash prizes for athletes through his exertion of international influence.

“As an athlete on the U.S. Ski Team (in the early ‘90s), I remember Howard toting around his huge leather handbag full of papers,” recalled U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “He was always there for us if we had questions, concerns, or problems. He cared deeply for the teams and was extremely passionate about our sports. He was always quiet and thoughtful, but never without an opinion.”

A noted rock climber and cross country skier from Maine, Peterson was a founder of the National Ski Touring Association (now Cross Country Ski Areas Association) before moving to a role with the U.S. Ski Association (USSA) in 1978 that would change the face of the sport globally over the next decades. 

In his early days with USSA, Peterson worked out of the organization’s Brattleboro, Vt. office, developing programs like the Great American Ski Chase and Bill Koch Youth Ski League. He raised the level of member programs through clever marketing and corporate partnership. In 1984 he was tapped to head the organization, helping USSA out of a deep financial hole and to a period of prosperity.

In 1988, Peterson engineered a deal to bring together the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Ski Association into one entity, moving the organization from its base at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs to Park City.

As secretary general of USSA in the late 1980s, Peterson pushed the U.S. Olympic Committee to select a candidate city based on its willingness to develop legacy facilities for athletes. His efforts resulted in Salt Lake City winning over Anchorage in 1989 by two votes and venues that continue to serve athletes and the public today.

In his longtime engagement with the International Ski Federation (FIS), he advocated for integration of adaptive skiing, freestyle skiing and snowboarding into the Olympic and Paralympic programs. He also pioneered cash prizes for athletes in 1990. Peterson was also a vanguard of ethics in sport, boldly tackling the issue with both the U.S. Olympic Committee and FIS. He served for many years as the head of the FIS Advertising Matters Committee where he took on the seemingly uninteresting task of writing rules with an eye on how commercial marking parameters could be used to help fund athletes.

Peterson retired from the USSA in 1994. Five years later, he led an initiative to form the Soldier Hollow Legacy Foundation. The venue proved to be one of the most engaging of all the 2002 sites. Its legacy resulted in training facilities for athletes used yet today, as well as a regional outdoor recreation center that continues to thrive. He retired from that role in 2014.

Soldier Hollow became his pride and joy, helping raise $1-million to build the Day Lodge, starting the Soldier Hollow Charter School in 2002 and bringing events like the Sheepdog Classic to the region, generating millions in economic impact to Wasatch County.

“He was a loyal soldier for the USSA and FIS, making a difference for both organizations,” said former U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Bill Marolt.  “He was always a positive proponent.”

“We will miss Howard as a friend, a colleague and a leader,” said Luke Bodensteiner, now chief of sport development for the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation and general manager of Soldier Hollow Nordic Center. “He was steadfast in his vision that the Olympics in Utah would leave a legacy for winter sport for generations to come. And we continue to enjoy the impact of his tireless efforts today, particularly at Soldier Hollow, which became so near and dear to him, and into which he invested so much of himself.”

U.S. Ski & Snowboard awarded Peterson its highest honor, the Julius Blegen Award, in 2004. He also received the Bud & Mary Little Award for service to FIS and USOC in 1999. Just two years ago he was recognized by Utah Ski Archives with its S.J. Quinney Award for contribution to sport in the state. Cross Country Ski Areas Association gave him its Founders Award in 2018.

Peterson, who was 69, died after a long illness. His wife, Susan, passed in 2016. The two met ice climbing on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington in 1976. They were married in 1989, enjoying a life of travel and adventure - visiting 80 countries together. Peterson was also a noted climber, pioneering many first ascents. Family and friends will plan an appropriate tribute when conditions are appropriate in the future.

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Kindness Wins, a collaborative engine for kindness, announced today the addition of two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time overall World Cup champion alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin to its lineup of Champions. With the addition of Shiffrin, Kindness Wins will greatly expand its platform of influence, furthering its mission to spread kindness to the masses.

Launched in early 2020 by Founding Champion Madison Keys, Kindness Wins is a nonprofit that acts as an umbrella organization for kindness initiatives, working with professional athletes as champions to demonstrate that even in the most competitive environment, deeds and actions of generosity and compassion are possible and the outcomes are highly impactful.

With special emphasis on kindness to self, kindness to youth, and kindness to others in times of struggle, the organization is proving its importance and its impact now more than ever. Most recently, the organization launched Kindness In Crisis: an online auction led by Keys, Shiffrin, and other athletes that gave professional athletes the opportunity to auction off signed memorabilia and raise funds for COVID-19 relief.

 

 

 

 

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🙏 THANK YOU to all of you who have donated or bid in the #KindnessInCrisis auction! Together, we (@madisonkeys, @jessiediggins and @kateplusfate) have raised over $50,000 for COVID-19 relief needs in our respective communities. 100% of the proceeds from my items will be donated to the Colorado Covid Relief Fund and @foodbankrockies. I still have a couple of items up for grabs (my training bib and a full access @ikonpass) until this evening, and you are still able to make a donation on the website until this Friday. Check out the link in my bio to bid and/or donate. 💛 @kindnesswinsfoundation

A post shared by Mikaela Shiffrin ⛷💨 (@mikaelashiffrin) on Apr 14, 2020 at 10:47am PDT

“Following our work together on the Kindness In Crisis auction, I am thrilled that Mikaela is joining the organization as a Champion,” said Madison Keys. “Kindness Wins focuses not just on those who talk about kindness, but those who take action and put kindness into practice, and Mikaela is the embodiment of this mission. I have truly enjoyed getting to know her better in recent weeks and cannot wait to see the great things she has in store for this organization, and for society, in her role as Champion.”

Kindness Wins has started a kindness movement, using its website, kindnesswins.org, and social channels (@KindnessWinsFoundation) as a hub of kindness activity where such deeds and gestures, big or small, are shared and celebrated, inspiring society to actively be more thoughtful, considerate and compassionate.

“I’m so excited to dive into Kindness Wins with Madison,” said Mikaela Shiffrin. “I am an introvert by nature, and it has taken a lot of work just to develop any level of comfort sharing myself and my life with the world, especially on social media. I actually feel like my sport and the media have been a tool that have helped me become more comfortable with myself, but I also have seen and felt how the media and the internet can have an incredibly negative impact on peoples’ confidence and self-worth. As social media platforms grow, cyberbullying continues to escalate— people often say incredibly hurtful things while hiding behind their screen—but I do believe that the online world has the potential to be a place of positivity and support rather than a hub for cyber-bullying and we have the ability to make that transformation happen starting with this message of spreading Kindness.”

In February of 2020, Shiffrin’s world came to a screeching halt, as she suffered the loss of her father Jeff. “One of the mottos my dad lived by was ‘Be nice, think first, and have fun’—and I will take that with me throughout my entire life. My parents both instilled in me that I should treat other people who I want to be treated and, even more importantly, to hold others accountable for the way they treat those around them. For this reason and more, the Kindness Wins’ message has resonated with me. I love that this organization is structured as a collaborative engine for kindness and will provide a platform for me and other athletes to pursue our own Kindness projects within its framework. Being kind will never go out of style, and I really believe that we can have a powerful impact on society in spreading this message.”

In addition to its own platform, Kindness Wins also supports the individual kindness-related endeavors of its Champions. Working together to rally behind kindness, Kindness Wins Champions will collaboratively support their fellow champions in the specific areas each Champion supports.

“I’m looking forward to exploring and announcing my own passion projects that I will pursue with Kindness Wins,” said Shiffrin. “Meanwhile, my first official act as one of the ‘Founding Champions’ will be participating in Kindness Wins Day on May 22—a day where we will recognize and celebrate acts of kindness that we find inspiring, and I encourage everyone to participate along with us.”

Kindness Wins Day, taking place on May 22 is a movement to help change the world: one day, one post and one individual at a time. Participants are challenged to tag and recognize deeds and actions of generosity and compassion, big or small, on social media, using the hashtag #KindnessWinsDay and tagging @KindnessWinsFoundation for a chance to be featured. More information can be found at kindnesswins.org.

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About Kindness Wins
Kindness Wins is a 501©3 nonprofit that acts as a collaborative engine for kindness, with special emphasis on kindness to self, kindness to youth, and kindness to others in times of struggle. We know that through identifying and supporting champions, spreading their efforts, and supporting and elevating the efforts of organizations and individuals who meet the nonprofit’s kindness criteria, Kindness Wins amplifies the powerful impact that kindness has on society. For more, visit ​https://www.kindnesswins.org/​ and follow Kindness Wins on Facebook (​facebook.com/KindnessWinsFoundation​) Twitter ​(@KindnessWinsFdn​) and Instagram (​@KindnessWinsFoundation​).

About Madison Keys
25-year-old Madison Keys is a Grand Slam finalist (2017 US Open), two-time Grand Slam semifinalist (2018 Roland Garros and 2015 Australian Open), and holds five WTA titles. She achieved a career-high ranking of No. 7 in the world in October 2016 and has been consistently ranked inside the top 25 by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) since early 2015.

About Mikaela Shiffrin
Double-Olympic champion, five-time World Champion, and winningest slalom skier of all-time Mikaela Shiffrin has elevated women’s ski racing globally​—​both on and off the mountain. At a mere 25-years-old, Mikaela has 66 World Cup victories across six disciplines to her name and is the only athlete to win in all six disciplines. In Sochi in 2014, Mikaela won Olympic gold, becoming the youngest slalom champion in history. In 2016, she broke the record for the largest win margin in slalom for women (3.07 seconds). During the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Shiffrin reached the top of the podium in the giant slalom at the Olympics, with gold in giant slalom and silver in the alpine combined. As well as being the youngest skier, male or female, to win 50 World Cup race before the age of 24, she is also the first athlete to win four successive World Championship titles in a single discipline and holds the record for wins in one season with 17 victories (shattering the previous 30-year record of 14).

Release courtesy of Kindness Wins.

The Beck International Trophy is the highest athlete honor from U.S. Ski & Snowboard, recognizing the top athletes in international competition for the year. It’s also the organization’s oldest, dating back to 1931. The 68 recipients over nearly a century represent a remarkable cross section of the greatest U.S. Olympic ski and snowboard champions of all time. For only the second time in history, two athletes tied for the penultimate honor - Mikaela Shiffrin, whose World Cup tally is now at 66, and cross country junior world champion Gus Schumacher.
 

Beck International Trophy

Alpine Athlete of the Year
Mikaela Shiffrin
(Edwards, Colo./Ski & Snowboard Club Vail)

It’s an incredible honor to share the award with three-time World Junior Champion cross country skier Gus Schumacher.
   - Mikaela Shiffrin

The 2019-20 story of Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, Colo./Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) was told less in her six World Cup wins and 13 podiums, and more in how she fought through professional and personal challenges that tested her at every turn. Shiffrin was honored with the Beck International Trophy as overall athlete of the year, along with the comparable award in alpine. 

It was a season of highs, including a late January weekend in Bansko, Bulgaria where she won two speed events and amassed 250 World Cup points in front of her parents, to the deepest of lows with the death of her father a week later. While the entire World Cup family grieved with her, she fought back courageously to return to the tour a month later, only to have the season end prematurely a day before her return. It is the fourth time Shiffrin has won the Beck International Trophy, and the fifth time she has won Alpine Athlete of the Year.

“Wow. I am SO humbled,” said Shiffrin. “It’s an incredible honor to share the award with three-time World Junior Champion cross country skier Gus Schumacher. It’s super impressive to see a junior athlete receive this prestigious award, and I’m looking forward to following Gus’ success throughout his career with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team. I’d also want to thank my team and teammates, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, and the ski community as a whole for your outpouring of love and support through what has been an unimaginable time in my life. Your words and thoughts lifted me up when I needed it most.”
 

Beck International Trophy

Cross Country Athlete of the Year
Gus Schumacher
(Anchorage/Alaska Winter Stars)

Wow, I didn’t know how big it was until I realized Mikaela was the other recipient.
   - Gus Schumacher

At just 19, Alaskan Gus Schumacher (Anchorage/Alaska Winter Stars) is rewriting the cross country skiing history book in America! He becomes the first junior skier to win the Beck International Trophy since cross country skier Bill Koch won in 1975. At the Junior World Championships, Schumacher took the first individual gold by an American junior in the 10k classic. To top it off, he anchored the USA men to their second straight relay gold and third straight medal performance in the team event. A product of the Alaska Winter Stars program, Schumacher has been a catalyst on a junior team that has been winning Junior Worlds medals over a three-year span.

“Wow, I didn’t know how big it was until I realized Mikaela was the other recipient. After that call, I realized it was a super big deal. It was cool because she’s just a regular person - she was so nice and seemed genuinely interested in my skiing. I’m honored to be sharing the Beck Award with her.”
 

Sport Athletes of the Year

Freeskiing Athlete of the Year 
Maggie Voisin
(Whitefish, Mont./Whitefish Mountain Resort Freestyle Team)

Strength and determination overcame uncertainty for two-time Olympian Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont./U.S. Slopestyle Pro Team), who came back from knee surgery to score five consecutive podiums. She was recognized with the Freeskiing Athlete of the Year Award.

Her hard work led to exponential progression through the X Games tour, winning slopestyle bronze in Aspen, then hitting big air silver and slopestyle gold in Norway. Her X Games medals came on the wings of landing a perfect double cork 1260 safety to close out a season that also saw her on the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix and Dew Tour podiums. Voisin’s positivity and encouragement has positioned her as a team leader.

“I can’t thank the U.S. Ski & Snowboard community enough for this award. I don’t know what my life would look like without skiing and it’s truly hard to express the kind of love and excitement it gives me every day. To keep it simple, I absolutely love what I do and am so grateful for the support and love to all the people who helped me along the way.” 
 

Freestyle Athlete of the Year
Jaelin Kauf
(Alta, Wyo./teamboat Springs Winter Sports Club) 

Veteran moguls skier Jaelin Kauf (Alta, Wyo./U.S. Freestyle Moguls Team) scored four World Cup podiums including a win to close out the season ranked third in the world. She was honored with the Freestyle Athlete of the Year Award. Kauf is consistently one of the fastest women on the moguls World Cup circuit and this season brought two new tricks to competition - a cork 7 and a back mute. Her athletic progression is a tribute to her strong work ethic and her desire to be the best at what she does - all contributing to her confidence on the course. Known as a team leader, she attributes much of her success to the strength of her teammates in always pushing each other. Kauf also won the award in 2018.

"There is so much that goes into what we do,” said Kauf. “I have an amazing support group of family, friends, sponsors and this entire organization that make it possible for me to do what I love and have fun with it! I love skiing and competing, and my passion for the sport is what continues to drive me."
 

Nordic Combined Athlete of the Year 
Tara Geraghty-Moats
(West Fairlee, Vt./New York Ski Education Foundation) 

A second straight season title came to Tara Geraghty-Moats (West Fairlee, Vt./New York Ski Education Foundation) this season, on the wings of five Continental Cup wins and two podiums. She was recognized as U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Nordic Combined Athlete of the Year. Along the way she impacted the youth of the world, serving as a sport ambassador for the International Olympic Committee at the Youth Olympic Games and was named Nordic Combined Athlete of the Year by the International Ski Federation. Women make their FIS World Cup debut next winter, as well as being a part of the World Championships next February in Oberstdorf, Germany. Geraghty-Moats has established herself as a notable international figure in the push for Olympic inclusion. It was the second straight year she has earned the athlete of the year recognition.

"To see my hard work translate into a graceful step forward for gender equality at the Youth Olympic Games, that was special and will give me motivation for years to come. I am honored to receive this award and thank my coach, Tomas Matura, my family and my supporters around the globe, especially those at U.S. Ski & Snowboard and USA Nordic.”
 

Ski Jumping Athlete of the Year
Andrew Urlaub
(Eau Claire, Wis./Flying Eagles Ski Club)

Wisconsin teen Andrew Urlaub had a breakout season at every level of international competition. Urlaub, an 18-year old out of the Flying Eagles Ski Club in Eau Claire, Wis., scored five top-30 finishes on the FIS Cup, including a fourth in Zakopane, Poland - just a point off the podium. He also notched it up a level with five top-30s on the higher level Continental Cup. And he came away with a top-20 finish at the Junior World Championships in Oberwiesenthal, Germany.

“To win this award shows me that my dreams as a kid are coming true,” said Urlaub. “I owe it to my parents, teammates, and supporters who constantly push me to be my best. Thanks to everyone who followed my season through the ups and downs, and cheered from home.”
 

Snowboard Athlete of the Year
Dusty Henricksen
(Mammoth Lakes, Calif./Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team) 

Wow, what a breakout season 17-year-old Dusty Henricksen (Mammoth Lakes, Calif./U.S. Snowboard Rookie Team) had! Henricksen made history at the U.S. Open, landing the first-ever backside quad cork 1800 in slopestyle competition. He also took Youth Olympic Games gold in slopestyle and earned his first World Cup win at the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix at his home of Mammoth Mountain. What stood out all season was his maturity, optimism and positivity as he solidified himself as a top contender in the world of competitive snowboarding.

“This season was huge for me and I realized how much I love snowboarding. There’s nothing that can beat the adrenaline rush when you learn a new trick or land your full run. I am incredibly thankful for everyone that contributes to this development process, which is so important to my success and the pursuit of my dreams.”

Ever wonder if athletes on the FIS Ski World Cup circuit hang out or stay connected in the offseason? Wonder no more. Olympian Travis Ganong recently lifted the curtain for a Fireside Chat: North American Edition, hosting an Instagram Live that featured he and his Alpine Canada girlfriend Marie "Mitch" Michele-Gagnon (yes, their last names really ARE that close) and competitor/teammate Manny Osborne-Paradis spoke about everything from returning from injury to Manny's famous helmet collection, and beyond. 

For nearly an hour, Travis, Mitch, and Manny allowed fans to see what life is like for them on the World Cup tour in this inaugural cross-national Fireside Chat installation, sharing stories from their careers and giving everyone a sneak-peak into life on the White Circus—which is essentially one big international family.

So sit back, relax, grab a Pacifico...and enjoy! 

 

 

 

 

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ICYMI: Olympian @travisganong and his workout buddy/girlfriend @mmgagnon (who skis for @alpinecanada) recently jumped on an IG Live with @manny_ski to talk about everything from returning from injury to when they think they might be able to return to snow and kick off training for the 2020-21 season, and more (like Manny's famous helmet collection!). Check it out, and let us know if you want to see more of these cross-national chats in the future! 🇺🇸♥️🇨🇦

A post shared by U.S. Ski Team (@usskiteam) on May 11, 2020 at 12:07pm PDT

Editor's Note: U.S. Ski & Snowboard is honoring its Annual Award Winners through June 1, beginning with the Julius Blegen Award for lifetime service to the organization. Upcoming award announcements will include Athletes of the Year, Clubs of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Athlete Service Awards recognizing those who have taken snow sports to new heights.

Dexter Paine was the consummate leader of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, serving as its chairman from 2006 to 2019. Paine was elected by his peers as the 74th recipient of the Julius Blegen Award, the highest organizational recognition, dating back to 1946.

“To be one of those people who is recognized for the passion that they have for the sport, well, I just really appreciate it.”
– Dexter Paine

Paine’s volunteer leadership benefitted the entire organization, from grassroots clubs to Olympic champions. As a vice president of the International Ski Federation, he continues to support the USA as a respected global player. Despite running a global agribusiness, he made U.S. Ski & Snowboard his priority, attending every Olympics and nearly all World Championships over a 17-year span - accounting for 53 Olympic medals.

The award recognizes established history of distinguished service and a lasting contribution to U.S. Ski & Snowboard and its membership. It is named in honor of Julius Blegen, a key leader of the National Ski Association in the 1930s.

Like many U.S. Ski & Snowboard volunteers, Paine’s passion came from his parents. Growing up in New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington Valley, he began going to the ski area at two and took lessons from the Hannes Schneider Ski School. “My dad was a TD (technical delegate), my mom made lunches and was a gatekeeper,” he recalled. Growing up in the 1960s and ‘70s, he had local heroes like Terry and Tyler Palmer, and Abbi Fisher.

While he attended dozens of Olympic, World Championship and World Cup events, Paine’s greatest thrill was handing out annual awards at the spring U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress.

“The great thing about the awards ceremony is that it’s about the volunteers and the athletes,” he said. “It’s about the people who make our organization successful. I don’t think we step back and appreciate those people as much as we should.”

Paine recounted his youth when there would be 50 parents on the ski hill to make it happen - be it -10 and blowing, or 34 and pouring rain. “You still had these same volunteers - the same ones who met every month to raise money and do all the things to help the club be successful.” 

As chairman, Paine had the honor of giving out the Blegen Award 13 times - a diverse group who all share the same passion. “These Blegen winners share a love for seeing our athletes being successful -  whether that’s a town race or a World Cup. It’s seeing those athletes coming up through our program - who have that chance because of our volunteers,” he said.

“To be one of those people who is recognized for the passion that they have for the sport, well, I just really appreciate it.”

Paine continues to serve in his leadership role on the FIS Council, as well as on the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors and its foundation. He is also on the board for US Biathlon.