Record-setting alpine ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin (Avon, Colo.) headlined a host of athletes and coaches honored by U.S. Ski & Snowboard for the 2019 season. Shiffrin was named the winner of the Beck International Award as the top athlete across all sports. U.S. Ski & Snowboard snowboardcross coach Jeff Archibald (Salt Lake City) was named Coach of the Year while freeski coach Ryan Wyble (Park City, Utah) was recognized as the Development Coach of the Year.

Shiffrin had yet another historic season with 17 World Cup wins in 26 starts, bringing her career victory total to 60. She won season titles in the overall FIS World Cup as well as slalom, giant slalom, and super-G - the first skier ever to accomplish that feat.

“While we had some tremendous athletic success across our sports, Mikaela’s accomplishments this past season were truly unprecedented,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief of Sport Luke Bodensteiner.

“This past season still feels like a dream to me,” said Shiffrin. “Winning one World Cup is no small feat – but sustaining that level of excellence 17 times wouldn’t have been possible without the tirelessly hardworking and supportive group of people I am honored to call my team.”

One of Shiffrin’s fondest memories of the season was the huge outpouring of support with 35,000 fans on home snow at Killington where she picked up a slalom win.

“A special thank you goes out to all of the club coaches and volunteers out there who pour themselves into their work for the love of the sport, in order to make dreams come true,” she added. “I was one of those kids in the past and I wouldn’t be here without all that kind of support.”

Archibald, a former international competitor himself, has built one of the strongest snowboardcross teams in the world leading his athletes to 112 World Cup podiums including 40 wins, plus four Olympic medals. This past season his athletes rode to five World Cup podiums and won double gold at the World Championships with Mick Dierdorff taking men’s gold and then teaming with Lindsey Jacobellis to win the first mixed gender team event.

“I knew I was stepping down from my coaching position after the season so to do so well at World Championships on home snow and getting nominated as coach of the year is extra special,” said Archibald.  

Wyble, the head freeski coach at Park City Ski & Snowboard, has developed athletes at all levels in his eight years coaching. This past season he had six athletes named to Junior World Championship teams. Most notably, he has distinguished himself by extending his leadership on the regional and national level.

"There are many coaches working at this level who all do an incredible job so it’s an honor to be recognized amongst that group," said Wyble. "I have a unique job, where I get to work with a lot of great athletes at different levels, and it's always rewarding to watch these kids progress as athletes and as people in general.”

“Recognition of coaches for their accomplishments is a vital part of our education and certification process,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Director of Sport Education Gar Trayner. “Our overall and sport coaches of the year have set an outstanding example for others as role models.”

U.S. Ski & Snowboard recognized the top athlete, international coach, and development coach in each of its sport programs. The awards will be presented Thursday, May 16 during the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress in Park City, Utah.
 

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Adaptive - Thomas Walsh
Paralympian Thomas Walsh had a strong season on the Para Alpine World Cup with four podiums including a win, along with two Para Alpine World Championship bronze medals. He is a strong five-discipline skier who also lead Team USA to bronze in the first-ever World Cup team event. Walsh capped his strong season with national titles in slalom and giant slalom.

Alpine - Mikaela Shiffrin (see above)

Cross Country - Junior Worlds Men’s Relay Team
In a storybook ending to a very successful Junior World Championships, the men’s 4x10k relay team took gold - the first ever gold won by the USA at the FIS Junior World Cross Country Ski Championships. Three of the four athletes had set the stage a year earlier winning silver. The team included: Gus Schumacher (Anchorage/Alaska Winter Stars), Ben Ogden (Landgrove, Vt./Stratton Mountain School), Johnny Hagenbuch (Ketchum, Idaho/Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation) and Luke Jager (Anchorage/Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center)

Freeski - Aaron Blunck
Two-time Olympian Aaron Blunck had a standout season, claiming a repeat gold in halfpipe at the World Championships and winning the opening Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain and finishing second a week later at the Dew Tour.

Freestyle - Bradley Wilson
Olympian Bradley Wilson is known for his sportsmanship, work ethic and orientation to goals. This past season he led the men’s moguls team winning his second consecutive World Championships silver medal in dual moguls.

Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined - Tara Geraghty-Moats
Nordic combined skier Tara Geraghty-Moats (W. Fairlee, Vt.) played a vital role in the rapidly-growing women’s nordic combined international field, winning 10 Continental Cups and taking the season title in a year where the international field more than doubled. Geraghty-Moats also took the U.S. title and landed a berth as a special ski jumper on the U.S World Championship Team. As an athlete advocate, she served an important pioneering role with women’s nordic combined which will join the World Championships in 2021.

Snowboard - Mick Dierdorff
Veteran Mick Dierdorff (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) rode to a pair of stunning gold medals in the 2019 World Championships at Solitude Mountain Resort. Dierdorff opened the championships with the men’s gold then came back to pair up with teammate Lindsey Jacobellis to win the first ever mixed gender team event title.

SPORT INTERNATIONAL COACHES OF YEAR

Alpine, Paul Kristofic, Head Women’s Alpine Coach
Working at the international level for over two decades, Paul Kristofic has gained the respect of peers around the world. This past season he provided leadership to support Mikaela Shiffrin in her record-setting season with 17 World Cup wins and four crystal globes, as well as the women’s team’s four World Championship medals between Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn.

Cross Country - Jan Buron, Alaska Winter Stars
A veteran club coach, Jan Buron of the Alaska Winter Stars program has developed many top athletes. This past season his work with junior skier Gus Schumacher, whom he has coached for the athlete’s entire career, led to the USA winning gold in the men’s relay at the Junior World Championships.

Freestyle - Caleb Martin, U.S. Ski Team Moguls Coach
Olympian Caleb Martin’s leadership, professionalism, and commitment to a winning culture have led to strong success of his U.S. Ski Team moguls athletes over his years as a coach.

Freeski - Dave Euler, Freeski Rookie Team Coach
In his first season at the helm of the Freeski Rookie Team, Dave Euler brought in an inspiring enthusiasm and positivity which quickly translated to his athletes. It was a strong season at every level, led by Mac Forehand’s overall World Cup title plus a dominating performance at Junior World Championships.

Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined - Jan Druzina, Junior/Continental Cup Ski Jumping Coach
Jan Druzina came to USA Nordic as a Junior Team and Continental Cup coach for men’s ski jumping a year ago. Since then, he has visited every club to speak with coaches and parents, working together to build a strong junior program. The result was a definitive step up this year with Andrew Urlaub and Patrick Gasienica qualifying for their first World Championships and Urlaub taking a top-30 at Junior Worlds plus three top-30 Continental Cups.

DOMESTIC COACHES OF THE YEAR

Alpine - Matt Underhill, Independent
A longtime Ski & Snowboard Club Vail coach, Matt Underhill (Minturn, Colo.) branched out on his own this past season as an independent coach. Two of his athletes established themselves as best in their age class and qualified for nomination to the U.S. Ski Team.

Cross Country - Alasdair Tutt, Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks
Kendall Kramer, coached by Alasdair Tutt,  was 4th in the 15km mass start classic in her first time at Junior World Ski Championships.  Kendall will also represent USA at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games.

Freeski - Ryan Wyble (see above)

Freestyle - Bryon Wilson, Wasatch Freestyle
Olympian Bryon Wilson has transformed from bronze medalist to an outstanding moguls coach for Wasatch Freestyle. His athletes are benefiting from his ability to translate his own experience as a successful athlete into leadership and skills he is passing on.

Ski Jumping - Karl Denney, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
Karl Denney is having a strong impact on junior ski jumping and nordic combined athletes. In his tenure, two of his ski jumpers and three nordic combined skiers have made the national team. An additional six athletes were named to the Junior National Team and seven qualified for Junior Worlds. His athletes took 15 podiums at Junior Nationals including seven wins.

Snowboard - Chris Waker, Kirk’s Camp
A level 200 coach with over six seasons coaching, Chris Waker of Kirk’s Camp had multiple Rev Tour podiums this season and graduated two athletes to the Rookie Team.

Adaptive

Lane Clegg - Team Utah Snowboarding/National Ability Center 

Lane Clegg (Salt Lake City) has taken an innovative approach integrating his adaptive athletes into his able-bodied program to raise their level of competitiveness. Clegg works with a host of athletes including Paralympic champion Brenna Huckabee and 2019 Para World SBX Champion Noah Elliott, as well as a host of rising stars in his partnership between Team Utah Snowboarding and the National Ability Center.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced its U.S. Freeski Team halfpipe and slopestyle/big air nominations for the 2019-20 season. Nominations include those active athletes who qualified based on published selection criteria in the prior season.

Nominations for this year’s team include a balanced team dynamic of experience and youth. Leading the way for the U.S. is an elite group of seven Olympic medalists and, coming up through the ranks is an energetic and talented group of rookies from freeski programs around the country. U.S. athletes are coming off a spectacular 2018-19 season earning 15 podiums at World Cups, four World Championship medals, and 10 podiums at X Games and Dew Tour. The U.S. Freeski Team is prepared for a challenging and exciting winter ahead with 24 pro level and 15 Rookie freeskiers taking to elite international competition.

Each athlete accepting the nomination to U.S. Freeski Team receives world-class program support, along with access to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Center of Excellence, as well as athletic benefits including an elite coaching, sport science, sports medicine, and high performance staff, and education opportunities.

An official team announcement will be made in the fall.

2019-20 U.S. Freeski Team Nominations
(Hometown; Club; USASA Series; Birthdate)

HALFPIPE
PRO TEAM
Men
Aaron Blunck (Crested Butte, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/12/96)
Alex Ferreira (Aspen, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Aspen/Snowmass Series; 8/14/94)
Birk Irving (Winter Park, Colo.; Winter Park Freeride Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 7/26/99)
David Wise (Reno, Nev.; 6/30/90)
Torin Yater-Wallace (Basalt, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Aspen/Snowmass Series; 12/2/95)
Lyman Currier (Boulder, Colo.; Winter Park Freeski Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/28/94)
Hunter Hess (Bend, Ore.; Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation; Central Oregon Series; 10/01/98)

Women
Brita Sigourney (Carmel, Calif.; Intermountain Series; 1/17/90)
Devin Logan (West Dover, Vt.; Mount Snow Academy; Southern Vermont Series; 2/17/93)
Maddie Bowman (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Sierra-at-Tahoe Education Foundation; South Tahoe Series; 1/10/94)
Annalisa Drew (Andover, Mass.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Southwest Colorado Series; 5/28/93)
Carly Margulies (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team; Unbound Series; 12/24/97)
Abigale Hansen (June Lake, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team; Unbound Series; 5/26/98)

ROOKIE TEAM
Men
Dylan Ladd (Lakewood, Colo.; Winter Park Competition Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/29/01)
Sammy Schuiling (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 7/16/00)
Jaxin Hoerter (Breckenridge, Colo.; Rocky Mountain Series; 7/17/00)
Connor Ladd (Lakewood, Colo.; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/26/03)
Hunter Carey (Winter Park, Colo.; Winter Park Competition Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 6/12/02
Cassidy Jarrell (Aspen, Colo.; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/31/99)

Women
Svea Irving (Winter Park, Colo.; Winter Park Freeride Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 2/27/02)
Hanna Faulhaber (Carbondale, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/04/04)

SLOPESTYLE / BIG AIR
PRO TEAM
Men
Alex Hall (Salt Lake City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 9/21/98)
Mac Forehand (Winhall, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 8/4/01)
Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, Ind.; Hanley Consulting Inc.; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/14/94)
Colby Stevenson (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 10/3/97)
Kiernan Fagan (Brownfield, Maine; Wy’East Mountain Academy; Rocky Mountain Series; 1/18/02)
Willie Borm (Chaska, Minn.; Midwest Freeskiing Association; 5/21/97)
Joss Christensen (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 12/20/91)

Women
Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 12/14/98)
Julia Krass (Hanover, N.H.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; New Hampshire Series; 6/7/97)
Caroline Claire (Manchester Center, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 2/2/00)
Darian Stevens (Missoula, Mont.; Missoula Freestyle Ski Team; 10/29/96)

ROOKIE TEAM
Men
Cody LaPlante (Truckee, Calif.; Squaw Valley Freestyle and Freeride Team; North Tahoe Series; 2/15/02)
Richard Thomas (Orono, Minn.; Midwest Freeskiing Association; Upper Midwest Snow; 8/16/01)
Deven Fagan (Brownfield, Maine; Wy’East Mountain Academy; Rocky Mountain Series; 1/18/02)
Hunter Henderson (Madbury, N.H..; Waterville Valley BBTS; New Hampshire Series; 12/28/2002)

Women
Grace Henderson (Madbury, N.H.; Waterville Valley BBTS; New Hampshire Series; 4/28/01)
Marin Hamill (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 4/5/01)
Rell Harwood (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 6/1/01)
 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced its U.S. Ski Team freestyle nominations for the 2019-20 season. Nominations include those active athletes who qualified based on published selection criteria in the prior season.

Thirty-two athletes have been nominated to the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, which includes aerials and moguls. The 2019-20 freestyle nominations include eight new faces, bringing fresh talent from the development pipelines up to the national level, creating a deeper field of competitive athletes for the United States. Veteran skiers and 2019 World Champion medalists Brad Wilson (Butte, Mont.) and Jaelin Kauf (Alta, Wyo.) lead the 18-member moguls squad. The U.S. Moguls Team is ranked second in the world coming off of the 2018-19 season, with the U.S. women as  the top women’s team in the world. Three-time Olympian and 2017 World Champion Ashley Caldwell (Ashburn, Va.) leads the charge for an emerging 14-member aerials team.

Each athlete accepting the nomination to U.S. Ski Team receives world-class program support, along with access to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Center of Excellence, as well as athletic benefits including an elite coaching, sport science, sports medicine, and high performance staff, and education opportunities.

An official U.S. Freestyle Ski Team announcement will be made in the fall.

2019-20 Freestyle Nominations
(Hometown; Club; Birthdate)

U.S. Moguls Team
Men
Casey Andringa (Boulder, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 10/6/95)
Jesse Andringa (Boulder, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 12/15/97)
Joel Hedrick (Fort Collins, Colo.; Winter Park Competition Center; 5/30/97)
Alex Lewis (Carlisle, Mass.; Killington Mountain School; 11/16/99)
Nick Page (Park City, Utah; Wasatch Freestyle Foundation; 8/1/02)
Thomas Rowley (Long Beach, N.Y.; Hunter Mountain Freestyle Team; 7/2/94)
Emerson Smith (Frisco, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 2/13/97)
Brad Wilson (Butte, Mont.; Wasatch Freestyle; 6/5/92)

Women
Sabrina Cass (Cheshire, Conn.; Wasatch Freestyle Foundation; 3/27/02)
Nessa Dziemian (East Hampstead, N.H.; Park City Freestyle Ski Team; 4/14/94)
Olivia Giaccio (Vail, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 8/15/00)
Tess Johnson (Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 6/19/00)
Jaelin Kauf (Alta, Wyo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 9/26/96)
Kai Owens (Vail, Colo.; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail; 8/16/04)
Kenzie Radway (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 6/22/03)
Morgan Schild (Pittsford, N.Y.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 8/25/97)
Hannah Soar (Somers, Conn.; Killington Mountain School; 6/4/99)
Avital Shimko (Manhattan, N.Y.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 4/24/96)

U.S. Aerials Team
Men
Alex Bowen (Springville, N.Y.; Buffalo Ski Club; 5/21/92)
Quinn Dehlinger (Cincinnati, Ohio; Elite Aerial Development Program; 6/8/02)
Chris Lillis (Pittsford, N.Y.; Bristol Mountain Freestyle Team; 4/10/98)
Jon Lillis (Pittsford, N.Y.; Bristol Mountain Freestyle Team; 8/20/94)
Eric Loughran (Pelham, N.H.; Loon Mountain Freestyle; 12/4/95)
Nick Novak (Stafford, Va.; Elite Aerial Development Program; 3/15/96)
Justin Schoenefeld (Lawrenceburg, Ind.; Elite Aerial Development Program; 8/13/98)

Women
Ashley Caldwell (Ashburn, Va.; Elite Aerial Development Program; 9/14/93)
Kaila Kuhn (Boyne City, Mich.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 4/8/03)
Megan Nick (Shelburne, Vt,; Elite Aerial Development Program; 7/9/96)
Morgan Northrop (Haymarket, Va.; Elite Aerial Development Program; 4/16/94)
Megan Smallhouse (Reno, Nev.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 1/16/01)
Winter Vinecki (Gaylord, Mich.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 12/18/98)
Madison Varmette (Stafford, Va.; Elite Aerial Development Program; 5/8/96)

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced nominations for the U.S. Snowboard Team snowboardcross, halfpipe, slopestyle/big air, and alpine disciplines for the 2019-2020 season. Nominations include those active athletes who qualified based on published selection criteria in the prior season.

The U.S. had a strong 2018-19 season, earning seven podiums at the 2019 FIS Snowboard World Championships, five podiums across two Junior World Championships, 20 podiums at a variety of World Cup events, and 12 podiums at elite level events including the US Open, Dew Tour and X Games. Moving into the 2019-20 season, the U.S. Snowboard Team will field 33 pro level and 15 rookie and development level riders.

Each athlete accepting their nomination to U.S. Snowboard Team receives world-class program support, along with access to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Center of Excellence, as well as athletic benefits including elite coaching, sport science, sports medicine, and high performance staff, and education opportunities.

An official U.S. Snowboard Team announcement will be made in the fall.

U.S. Snowboard Team
2019-20 Team Nominations
(Hometown; Club; USASA Series; Birthdate)

HALFPIPE
PRO TEAM
Men
Chase Josey (Hailey, Idaho; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; Big Mountain West Series; 3/31/95)
Jake Pates (Eagle, Colo.; Rocky Mountain Series; 7/30/98)
Toby Miller (Mammoth Lakes, Calif; Tahoe Select Snowboard Team; North Tahoe Series; 2/14/00)
Taylor Gold (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 11/17/93)
Chase Blackwell (Longmont, Colo.; Jim Smith Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 2/27/99)
Ryan Wachendorfer (Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 2/3/98)

Women
Chloe Kim (Torrance, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 4/23/00)
Arielle Gold (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 5/4/96)
Maddie Mastro (Wrightwood, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 2/22/00)

ROOKIE TEAM
Men
Jack Coyne (Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 01/17/2002)
Jason Wolle (Winter Park, Colo.; Jim Smith Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 11/30/99)
Lucas Foster (Telluride, Colo.; Telluride Ski and Snowboard Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/17/99)

Women
Tessa Maud (Carlsbad, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 10/10/03)

SLOPESTYLE / BIG AIR
PRO TEAM
Men
Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/7/99)
Red Gerard (Silverthorne, Colo.; Rocky Mountain Series; 6/29/00)
Judd Henkes (La Jolla, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 4/3/01)
Lyon Farrell (Haiku, Hawaii; Rocky Mountain Series; 11/22/98)
Kyle Mack (West Bloomfield, Mich.; Great Lakes Snow Series; 9/6/97)
Ryan Stassel (Anchorage, Alaska; Auburn Ski Club; Big Alaska Series; 10/23/92)
Brock Crouch (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 8/22/99)
Luke Winkelmann (Blowing Rock, N.C.; Kirk’s Camp; Rocky Mountain Series: 12/18/00)
Sean Fitzsimons (Hood River, Ore.; Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation; Central Oregon Series; 9/22/00)

Women
Jamie Anderson (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.; South Tahoe Series; 9/13/90)
Julia Marino (Westport, Conn.; Southern Vermont Series; 9/11/97)
Hailey Langland (San Clemente, Calif.; Tahoe Select Snowboard Team; Tahoe Series; 8/2/00)

ROOKIE TEAM
Men
Jake Canter (Evergreen, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Aspen Snowmass Series; 7/19/03)
Dusty Henricksen (Mammoth Lakes, Calif; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 2/2/03)

Women
Nora Healey (Plymouth, N.H.; Waterville Valley BBTS; New Hampshire Series; 6/16/98)
Jade Thurgood (Salt Lake City, Utah; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 1/27/02)
Ty Schnorrbusch (Monroe Township, N.J.; Tom Anderson, Rocky Mountain Series 5/15/02)
Courtney Rummel (West Bend, Wisc.; Adam Junio; Midwest Best Series; 11/12/03)
Addie Gardner (Riegelsville, Penn.; Maine Mountain Series; 2/19/2002)

SNOWBOARDCROSS
Men
Mick Dierdorff (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/30/91)
Jake Vedder (Pinckney, Mich.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/16/98)
Nick Baumgartner (Iron River, Mich.; Superior Series; 12/17/81)
Alex Deibold (Manchester, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 5/8/86)
Hagen Kearney (Norwood, Colo.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 11/6/91)
Senna Leith (Vail, Colo.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/8/97)
Nate Holland (Sandpoint, Idaho; North Tahoe Series; 11/8/78)

Women
Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 8/19/85)
Faye Gulini (Salt Lake City, Utah; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/24/92)
Rosie Mancari (Anchorage, Alaska; Steamboat Spring Winter Sports Club; Big Alaska Series; 1/22/94)

DEVELOPMENT GROUP
Men
Mikey LaCroix (Shrewsbury, Mass.; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Maine Mountain Series; 7/12/98)

Women
Meghan Tierney (Edwards, Colo.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 1/15/97)
Stacy Gaskill (Golden, Colo.; Winter Park Snowboard Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 5/21/00)
Livia Molodyh (Hubbard, Ore.; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Mt. Hood Series; 6/30/99)

ALPINE
AJ Muss (Rumson, N.J.; Rocky Mountain Series; 12/15/1994)
 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced its U.S. Ski Team cross country nominations for the 2019-20 season. Nominations include those active athletes who qualified based on published selection criteria in the prior season.

Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.) and Simi Hamilton (Aspen Colo.) will lead an experienced team of athletes heading into the 2019-20 season, which includes the return of FIS Cross Country World Cup to the U.S. for the first time in 19 years on March 17 in Minneapolis, Minn. North American World Cup events will also include Quebec City, Canada, March 14-15, and for the second consecutive season, the World Cup Finals will also be held on North American soil in Canmore, Alberta, Canada, March 20-22.

The 2019-20 team also includes largest D-Team the U.S. has fielded in many years with nine athletes, including all four members of the gold-medal winning 2019 FIS Junior World Ski Championships men’s relay team: Luke Jager (Anchorage, Alaska), Ben Ogden (Landgrove, Vt), Johnny Hagenbuch (Ketchum, Idaho), and Gus Schumacher (Anchorage, Alaska).

Athletes nominated to the team open the season with the first on-snow training camp May 18-31 in Bend, Ore., and Mt Bachelor ski area.

Each athlete accepting the nomination to U.S. Ski Team receives world-class program support, along with access to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Center of Excellence, as well as athletic benefits including an elite coaching, sport science, sports medicine, and high performance staff, and education opportunities.

An official U.S. Cross Country Ski Team announcement will be made in the fall.

2019-20 Cross Country Nominations
(Hometown; Club; Birthdate)

A TEAM
Men
Erik Bjornsen (Winthrop, Wash.; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 7/14/91)
Simi Hamilton (Aspen, Colo.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 5/14/87)

Women
Sadie Bjornsen (Winthrop, Wash.; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 11/21/89)
Rosie Brennan (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 12/21/98
Sophie Caldwell (Peru, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 3/22/90)
Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 8/26/91)

B TEAM
Men
Kevin Bolger (Minocqua, Wisc.; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 4/11/93)
Scott Patterson (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 1/28/92)

Women
Julia Kern (Waltham, Mass.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 9/12/97)
Caitlin Patterson (Anchorage, Alaska; Craftsbury Nordic; 1/30/90)
Hailey Swirbul (Aspen, Colo.; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 7/10/98)

D TEAM
Men
Johnny Hagenbuch (Ketchum, Idaho; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 10/1/2001)
Luke Jager (Anchorage, Alaska; APU/University of Utah; 1/17/00)
Noel Keeffe (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; SSWSC/University of Utah; 8/24/99)
Zak Ketterson (Bloomington, Minn.; NMU; 4/2/97)
Ben Ogden (Landgrove, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School/University of Vermont; 2/13/00)
Gus Schumacher (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Winter Stars; 7/25/00)

Women
Hannah Halvorsen (Truckee, Calif.; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 2/19/98)
Novie McCabe (Winthrop, Wash.; MVNT; 12/15/01)
Kendall Kramer (Fairbanks, Alaska; NSCF-FXC; 6/25/02)

U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced today that Bernie Nelson joins the U.S. Cross Country Team coaching staff as D-Team/Development coach. Nelson, the former program director and head coach at the Bend Endurance Academy in Bend, Ore., brings a wealth of coaching knowledge and strong connections with a number of current D-Team athletes to the team.

“We are extremely excited to have Bernie join our U.S. Ski Team staff,” said U.S. Cross Country Head Coach Chris Grover. “Bernie is a highly-respected member of our coaching community and has a reputation for hard work, know-how, and is someone we’ve admired for some time. She brings the right combination of experience, work ethic, and personality to the position.”

“It is, without doubt, an exciting time to be a part of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team and I'm feeling really grateful for this opportunity,” Nelson said. “As a nation, we are an absolute force and are certainly establishing ourselves in cross country.”

Nelson, who has worked with several of this year’s D-Team athletes, replaces Bryan Fish, who transitioned to his new role as the Cross Country Sport Development Manager this past season, and Gus Kaeding, last season’s D-Team coach, who is transitioning to full-time Sports Science this season. She will hit the ground running when the team opens its first on-snow training camp May 18-31 in Bend, Ore., and Mt Bachelor ski area.

“I'm really looking forward to working with this team, collaborating with their club coaches and working together to achieve our goals,” Nelson said. “It's also exciting for me to be joining a talented, professional staff that I know will push my own development and provide opportunities for new growth and perspective in coaching.”

Nelson will be coaching the largest D-Team the U.S. has fielded in many years with nine athletes, including all four members of the gold-medal winning 2019 FIS Junior World Ski Championships men’s relay team.

“I've worked with several of this year's D-Team athletes at past World Junior/U23 Championships and worked with others at Junior Nationals and regional camps,” she said. “Each generation is proving our depth. The momentum from our clubs is impressive and the bar our current U.S. Ski Team athletes have set is nothing short of inspiring.”

Prior to her position at the Bend Endurance Academy, Nelson was the Elite Team Head Coach at the Bridger Ski Foundation in Bozeman, Mont.  She has coached and worked as a technician on numerous international competition trips, including three of the last four World Junior/U23 World Championships.

As a very successful competition season comes to a close, U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes take to the off-season, each with their own unique programs. In a three-part series, we caught up with Olympian and X Games freeski gold medalist Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.) and teammates Toby Miller (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) and Hailey Langland (San Clemente, Calif.) from the U.S. Snowboard Pro Team to find out how they will mentally and physically regroup for the season to come. Whether battling back from injuries, an inevitable part of performing at the highest level of action sports, or tackling hobbies that are simply impossible to participate in when traveling across the world to compete, every rider has a different outlook on what is the most beneficial approach to their time off snow.

Next up, Toby Miller who takes us through his plans for the summer ahead.

U.S. Snowboard Pro Team – Toby Miller

Although Miller has collected a handful of podiums at FIS sanctioned events in previous years, the 2018-19 season will surely be considered his breakout season. Looking back, the stars aligned for Toby to excel this past season. In the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic season, the young rider was shadowing the legend that is Shaun White (Carlsbad, Calif.), not only attending major events with White and fellow Olympian and coach JJ Thomas, who recently completed his first season as a member of the U.S. Snowboard Team coaching staff, but also trained alongside White whenever he had the opportunity. This experience clearly reaped benefits for Miller, both physically as a rider and mentally as a competitor.

Toby kicked of his 2018 season by claiming the title of 2018 Junior World Champion in halfpipe in Cardrona, New Zealand. Carrying momentum from this victory, he wasted no time earning his first FIS World Cup podium finish with a second-place at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain in Colorado and, if that wasn’t enough, he stepped up at one of the biggest snowboarding events of the season at the Dew Tour in Breckenridge, Colo. finding the podium once again with a third-place finish in the inaugural modified superpipe event.

Miller’s success can be tied to a complete shift in his mindsight coming into the season, quickly realizing that to succeed at the highest level of any sport, it takes full dedication.

“After the 17/18 Winter season, I decided to take the approach of turning snowboarding into a year-round sport and try to be on snow as much as possible,” said Toby when we caught up with him. “When the winter in North America started coming to an end, I would travel to Japan, New Zealand, Mt. Hood and finally travel to glaciers in Switzerland and Austria in the fall. When I go to these places, it’s not just to ride the groomers. Every place I travel to has a well maintained 22-foot halfpipe so I can keep working on all of my current tricks and start learning new ones. I can say with confidence that doing this allowed me to have the best season I’ve ever had.”

This approach boded well for the young prodigy. While some athletes look to alternative sports and activities to keep things fresh and avoid burnout, Miller’s top off-season priority happens to be snowboarding. What’s refreshing to Toby is the different mindsight riding outside of competition allows.

“My favorite offseason activity, as crazy as it might sound, is snowboarding,” he said. “I see in-season snowboarding and off-season snowboarding as very different. During the contest season, you are very focused on competing and landing your runs when it counts. When I’m not competing there is less pressure to do these big tricks at a specific time. You go into training with a plan of what tricks you want to learn going into the next competitive season and have roughly seven months to perfect them. In between camps, I do my best to do summer activities like going to the lake or the beach, but when it all comes down to it, my number one priority is snowboarding. If I have an opportunity to snowboard and train, I take it.”

One common theme that we continue to find when speaking with U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes is the importance of family. Unfortunately, the reality is that the families of elite level athletes often do not have the luxury of traveling the world from competition to competition. Whether due to schedule, finances, or logistical challenges, it’s simply not the reality for most.

“The greatest moments in life are not concerned with selfish achievements, but rather with the things we do for the people we love and esteem.”
 - Walt Disney

Miller echoed this sentiment, highlighting the important role his family serves in his career and his life.

“My family and friends play a huge roll in my offseason and in season as well,” said Miller. “They have always been so supportive of me ever since I started snowboarding. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them by my side. The time I get to spend with the people I love is priceless.”

Miller’s upbeat and positive approach to life and snowboarding makes him a truly special athlete at U.S. Ski & Snowboard. At only 19 years old, Miller has the world at his feet and limitless possibilities ahead of him.

“Toby is definitely going places,” said U.S. Snowboard Team National Development Team Coach JJ Thomas. “He has a work ethic and love for the sport that is unmatched and which has gotten him to where he is right now. If he stays on track and stays hungry, the sky's the limit! “

Don’t miss your opportunity to follow Miller through his year-round snowboarding journey on social media (see accounts below).  As the rest of us find solace on the beach, in the sun, and soaking up the warm weather, Miller will be striving to prepare for the next season of competition on snow in his pursuit to be best in the world

That’s our insight into what one of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s premier athletes will be up to this summer. Stay tuned for more of the same from Hailey Langland, and if you aren’t already following Maggie Voisin and Toby Miller, make sure you do so now by taking a look at the links below.

Happy summer!

TOBY MILLER ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: @TobyMillerReal
Instagram:  @tobymiller
Twitter: @itstobymiller

MAGGIE VOISIN ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: @maggiervoisin
Instagram: @maggie_voisin
Twitter: @maggie_voisin

Part 1: Off-Season With Maggie Voisin
 

Winter Vinecki (Gaylord, Mich.) is no stranger to the spotlight. As an aerial skier for the U.S. Ski Team, she is used to competing under pressure in front of thousands of people. Gaining the confidence to ski down the in-run to perform her aerials jump in training and competition is no small feat, but as an elite athlete, it is Winter’s job. Performing in front of a crowd is a part of Winter’s life both on and off the snow, and it is something the U.S. athlete embraces.

From when she was little, Winter was a multisport athlete. She tried “every sport available to me” but loved running, triathlons and skiing the most. While most kids would have been satisfied with recess activities, Winter ran her first 5k when she was just five years old, her first 10k when she was eight and a 10-miler when she was 10. Winter ran her first marathon at 13 and progressed to competitively competing in triathlons along the way, becoming a two-time IronKids National Triathlon Champion.

Every athlete can point to a reason for competing, why they grind it out every day. For Winter that reason is her dad, Michael. On Michael’s 40th birthday he was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of prostate cancer when Winter was just nine years old. “I knew on the day he was diagnosed that I wanted to do something to try to help him, and all men and families affected by prostate cancer.” That’s when Team Winter was formed, now a nonprofit organization for prostate cancer awareness and research, and Winter’s career as a public speaker was born.

“A big part of what I did, in the beginning, was just spreading the message [about prostate cancer] so I began doing a lot of public speaking in talks in our local town and at different triathlons and races that I was a part of.”

Very sadly Michael passed away 10 months after being diagnosed, but that didn’t stop Winter from spreading her message - it just propelled her forward and shifted her focus to using athletics as a platform.

Winter became an IronKids ambassador when she was 11. IronKids was a national triathlon series for kids across the United States, holding races throughout the summer. Every summer weekend for the next three years, Winter traveled around the country, talking to kids and parents about her foundation, her career as a young athlete and the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. “One of the big messages with IronKids was helping children lead a healthy, active and positive lifestyle. I was also hugely into encouraging them to not only race for themselves but for a cause. I loved bringing that into schools and teaching the students tidbits about eating healthy and making smart choices and finding a passion, whatever that might be, whether it’s basketball or knitting or whatever they want.”

As Winter continued to compete in racing, she added to her portfolio of public speaking. Through Team Winter she did a lot of work with the Prostate Cancer Foundation and started speaking for that organization in public. She even spoke at their gala in New York City when she was just ten, in front of distinguished people such as Michael Milken, founder of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, and Whoopi Goldberg. She appeared on the Rachael Ray Show when she was just ten, sharing her story in front of a live studio audience and the millions of viewers tuning in to one of America’s biggest shows at home. Furthermore, Winter spoke at a TEDxSalem event, spreading the message of not letting age define your possibilities, and she was part of a company, Boosterthon, which helps schools raise money through fun runs. As part of their programming, Winter spoke at schools and became her own character for Boosterthon, “I was the ‘Grit It Out’ character for their posters and videos” that were shown to 1.3 million students in 1,900 schools across the country.

Winter realized the more races she ran and won, the more exposure she could garner. She wanted to do something big to honor Michael after he passed and came across an opportunity in the Guinness Book of Records, the youngest person to run a marathon on all seven continents. “I immediately told my mom I wanted to win this record for my dad. I was 10 or 11 at the time, and I really didn't think it would actually happen. But I have the most amazing mom in the world, and we started planning.” Not only did Winter capture the world record before turning 15, but she and her mom also earned the record of first mother-daughter duo to run marathons on all seven continents. Let that sink in…. A young teenager deciding to take on a challenge most adults would not even consider, and not only did Winter achieve that incredible goal, but she also did it with her mom at her side.

Around the time Winter was actively competing in marathons, she found aerials skiing. Winter learned to ski practically from the time she could walk and ski raced at her home mountain, Boyne. Her grandfather, Ed Estelle, taught skiing for almost 60 years, so the sport was in her blood. However, adding the aerial maneuver component to the sport was a whole new challenge for her. “I liked to mess around on our trampoline at home doing flips, and I love skiing, so I thought, ‘Why not try it?’ I came out to Park City and did the Fly Freestyle tryout camp.” Earning a spot to train through the Fly Freestyle scholarship, Winter trained in aerials skiing through the summer of 2012 with coaches Sharlee Strebel and Matt DePeters and ended up moving to Park City that fall.

For a while, Winter remained a multisport athlete, training for marathons while learning to do double flips on snow. In 2016, Winter was named to the U.S. Ski Team after winning the 2015-16 aerials NorAm tour, and since then has taken a step back from competitive running to concentrate on her aerials career.

To date, Team Winter has raised over half a million dollars for prostate cancer research, the majority of which has been donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Although she’s pulled back on bigger events with her organization due to her ski team commitments, Winter and her mom and three brothers (who help run the organization) still raise money through their online store and through other supporters running their own fundraising events. The money raised has had a direct, positive impact on the fight against prostate cancer, helping to develop a new drug to treat metastatic prostate cancer, the disease which Winter’s father, Michael, had. “He never got to use that drug, but knowing that it might be about to help other families is really cool.”

Just as Winter has transitioned from Park City Ski & Snowboard to the U.S. Ski Team, her public speaking career has gone from the assembly halls of schools to auditoriums of thousands of people. “Now I do a lot of speaking with JuicePlus, a whole food based nutrition company I work with. I have spoken on their main stage at several of their conferences, starting when I was 12.” Having just come back from speaking for them in Sacramento to more than 8,000 people, Winter will also speak in Chicago and San Antonio, Texas, with them this summer.

Winter points to the fact that when she’s public speaking, it’s her story, so it comes naturally, and after doing so many speaking engagements in the last 11 years, now more than half her life, Winter says, “I’m pretty used to it. Sometimes I practice beforehand, but it’s my story, so I know it pretty well. I usually have pictures and videos that accompany my talks, and I really just love sharing my story with the audience.”

Looking to the future, Winter knows public speaking will always be a part of her life, if not necessarily her primary career. “Promoting healthy living and sharing my story are things I’ll always be passionate about. As long as there’s a want and need for me to speak, I will continue to get that message out.”

Speaking to a crowd of thousands and skiing down an aerial in-run both conjure feelings of fear and stress for most, but when deciding which is more nerve-wracking, Winter chooses aerials.

“But in both scenarios, you practice a ton and get more and more comfortable doing it. I find ways to overcome the fear and the jitters. As soon as you step on stage or hop-turn at the aerials site, you get in the zone and are ready to go.”

For more information on Team Winter, click here
You can also follow Winter’s journey at wintervinecki.com

The Mammoth Mountain Ski & Snowboard Team has been named the 2018-19 Club of the Year by U.S. Ski & Snowboard. Mammoth Mountain is one of over 400 clubs across the country that provide opportunities for aspiring athletes to achieve their dreams. The award will be presented May 16 at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress in Park City, Utah.

In making its selection, the national organization looked at clubs that provided a strong introduction to multiple ski and snowboard sports, as well as development opportunities for advancement. As a Best in the World athletic organization, U.S. Ski & Snowboard provides opportunities for aspiring athletes to achieve their dreams at all levels. But the ability to meet that goal depends on the support and leadership provided at grassroots clubs across the country. Clubs are an essential resource for parents and an introductory point for young athletes to engage in competitive skiing and snowboarding, and clubs provide an invaluable service in helping young athletes take vital steps along the pathway to the top.

Mammoth Mountain, under the leadership of Director of Athletics Pete Korfiatis, has developed one of the premier ski and snowboard programs worldwide, producing both Olympic champions and weekend rippers, continually placing top athletes on U.S. teams. The program provides fundamental skills in a supportive team environment with a focus on personal goals both on and off the snow. One of the keys to the success of the program is the unique partnerships it has developed with the community, including the Mammoth Mountain Community Foundation and Mammoth High School. Additionally, Mammoth Mountain is an official training venue partner of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, further strengthening the ties between Mammoth Mountain and U.S. Ski & Snowboard.

“As a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Gold Club and High Performance Center, the Mammoth Team is on a continual quest for excellence as we are aware the other clubs and teams across the country are pushing just the same," said Mammoth Director of Athletics Pete Korfiatis. "Mammoth has had a longstanding history of supporting the Olympic movement, whether it’s our home team or U.S. national team athletes. It was a philosophy of our founder, Dave McCoy, and one that still remains within Mammoth Resorts and Alterra Mountain Company. We, as a team, a resort and as a company is honored to receive the award as it’s a first for Club of the Year and Snowboard Club of the Year.”

The program is noted for its depth of tenured coaches with significant competition experience and high level of certification. Mammoth Mountain is a gold level podium club. The program is a past recipient of both Alpine and Freeski Club of the Year, as well as this year’s Snowboard Club of the Year, but it is the first time it has achieved the overall U.S. Ski & Snowboard honor. It is also a regular host for national Project Gold camps as well the National Coaches’ Academy plus both the national team and club training.

“We are fortunate to have so many great clubs providing opportunities for young ski and snowboard athletes. Mammoth Mountain has truly distinguished itself with a high-level program that embraces sport at all levels.”
 - U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club Development Manager Ellen Adams.

 

Adaptive: National Sports Center for Disabled

The National Sports Center for the Disabled is one of the largest therapeutic recreation agencies in the world, with deep roots in adaptive skiing. The Center hosted two major races for Para-Alpine Skiing this past season. The Winter Park Open is an early season development race that the national team uses to identify the next generation of athletes while tuning up their performances to be prepared for World Cup and World Championship competition. It also played host to the U.S. and Canadian National Championships for super-G, giant slalom, and slalom. Under the leadership of Competition Director Erik Peterson, the Center has a reputation for hosting great races and supporting athletes.

Alpine: Burke Mountain Academy

Vermont’s Burke Mountain Academy, under the leadership of Head of School Willy Booker, was recognized not only for its own programs but for its partnership with regional and national programming. Burke has aligned its programming with U.S. Ski & Snowboard to extend value across a wide swath of athletes. The club played host to over 44 races this season including Speed Week and other regional training projects, the Eastern Cup Finals and the January U16 National Championships National Performance Series (NPS) including early training for all three national regions. Burke expanded the knowledge of its staff with professional development opportunities as well as maintaining a strong commitment to both coach and official certification.

Burke athletes distinguished themselves with results at U14 and U16 levels regionally and nationally. At the FIS level, Burke had multiple athletes participating in D Team projects with a strong showing in FIS events.

Cross Country: Stratton Mountain School SMS T2

The Stratton Mountain School T2 Elite Team, under the direction of Nordic Program Director Sverre Caldwell and coach Patrick O’Brien, comprises seven members of the U.S. Ski Team including A Team members Jessie Diggins, Sophie Caldwell and Simi Hamilton, along with 2019 U.S. SuperTour overall winner Julia Kern plus Ben Ogden who contributed to the first-ever Junior Worlds gold medal in U.S. history. First-year team member Alayna Sonneysn took a strong win in the American Birkebeiner. SMS T2 has continued to elevate ski performance at every level from the junior through World Cup and has been a strong partner that demonstrates the importance of common goals and collaboration.

Freeski: Waterville Valley BBTS

The fabled Waterville Valley BBTS program has been a longtime strong partner with U.S. Ski & Snowboard and has now become a rising star in freeski. Under the leadership of  Shuffleton, the club now has five freeski athletes in the top 10 on the NorAm tour with four podiums including two wins across NorAm and Rev Tour events this season and two athletes invited to Junior Worlds. The club has shown a commitment to the sport as a regular event site and a dedicated U.S. Ski & Snowboard training center with a four-season airbag and trampoline center and a dedicated partnership with its host resort. One of the most prestigious clubs in the Eastern USA over the decades, it currently has nearly 400 members with programs for kids up through international competition.

Freestyle: Killington Mountain School

A longtime strong program in freestyle under the leadership of Kris Pepe, Killington Mountain School offers programming for athletes from six years old up through post-graduate with a track record in delivering athletes to the World Cup level. This year Killington enlarged its opportunities for age and ability level training with the addition of youth sessions to summer on-snow and airbag training camps. Killington also stepped up to organize a wide range of events including the Eastern Championships, Killington Klassic Moguls, KMS Four Season Airbag Extravaganza, Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge and more. Killington had three athletes earn spots at Junior Worlds plus five separate moguls athletes with top-10 finishes at U.S. Freestyle Championships among 14 who qualified to compete. The team also had a strong presence in NorAm and divisional competitions. Thanks to its broad programming reach, Killington saw impressive growth in 2019 with 25 new athletes coming into the program.

Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined: Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club

A long established nordic club program under the leadership of Olympian Todd Wilson, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports saw its program grow to record levels in 2019 - the largest jumping and nordic combined club in the country. Most notably, the club is showing a strong gender balance with the onset of women’s nordic combined in addition to women’s ski jumping. Steamboat women took titles in U20 ski jumping, U16 men’s and women’s nordic combined as well as men’s and women’s team sprint at U.S. Championships. Steamboat also qualified seven athletes for Junior Worlds. The club also played host to a successful men’s and women’s FIS Nordic Combined Continental Cup in December - the first women’s event ever held in the USA.

Snowboard: Mammoth Mountain Ski & Snowboard Team

In addition to its overall Club of the Year title, Mammoth Mountain Ski & Snowboard Team was also recognized as Snowboard Club of the Year. With some of the best training facilities in the world in its innovative Unbound Terrain Parks, Mammoth Mountain has consistently produced some of the top riders in the world including Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim and U.S. Open champion Maddie Mastro, as well as current Rookie Team members Tess Maud and Dusty Hendrickson. It holds a major USASA event each year, providing a proving ground for young riders. Under the leadership of Program Director Ben Wisner, a level 300 coach, the club has a strong focus on coach certification.

As a very successful competition season comes to an end, U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes take to the off-season, each with their own unique programs. In a three-part series, we caught up with Olympian and X Games freeski gold medalist Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.) and teammates Toby Miller (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) and Hailey Langland (San Clemente, Calif.) from the U.S. Snowboard Pro Team to find out how they will mentally and physically regroup for the season to come. Whether battling back from injuries, an inevitable part of performing at the highest level of action sports, or tackling hobbies that are simply impossible to participate in when traveling across the world to compete, every rider has a different outlook on what is the most beneficial approach to their time off snow.

First up, it’s Maggie Voisin who takes us through her plans for the summer ahead.

U.S. Freeski Pro Team – Maggie Voisin

Voisin had a strong 2018-19 season collecting both X Games and Dew Tour podiums. In addition, after spending three weeks on the airbag in Park City in summer 2018, Maggie brought her left side double cork 1260 to elite level competition. If that wasn’t impressive enough, Voisin also reached these milestones without a functional ACL.

“I recently had my left ACL repaired,” said Voisin. “It’s pretty crazy because I had no idea that I was skiing without an ACL. There wasn’t really a specific crash that I can think back to where I would have really hurt my knee, but not knowing, and then finding out the news, it definitely took me by surprise, but I’m all about trying to find the positive, even in bad situations. Injuries are a part of the sport and that’s just the name of the game sometimes. However, I am looking forward to working hard this summer so I can be back on my skis stronger than ever next season!”

By no means is Voisin planning on just “winging” her recovery. With detailed and customized plans from the U.S. Ski & Snowboard medical and training staff, she has a solid plan to get back in competition shape.

“My workouts vary from a mix of plyos, weight lifting, circuits, and cardio,” she said. “I love seeing results in the gym, but it’s refreshing to mix it up too. Outside of the gym I do a lot of pilates as well, which I absolutely love. It’s a different approach to keeping myself strong without lifting heavy weights. It’s a fun challenge for the mind and body, plus it really keeps my whole body feeling absolutely amazing.”

As Maggie mentioned, it’s critical that recovery takes place both inside and outside the gym. Fortunately, she has a strong support system, in particular with her father, that keeps her on track both mentally and physically.

“My dad is the one who gave me my love for the mountains and no matter what season it is, I am drawn to finding new adventures or mountains to climb,” Voisin reflected. “Our days are usually pretty long and by the time we get back to the car, my legs feel ten times heavier than when we started. Although my body is exhausted after climbing, usually for ten-plus hours, I wouldn't trade that feeling of being in the mountains for anything in the world. Every time I go out it’s always a challenge, but I discover something new within myself and around me every time. The outdoors, as they say, are truly the best medicine and every adventure reminds me to stay true to what makes my heart happy.”

Recovering from a busy competition season, in particular, one throughout which Maggie carried such a major injury, is no easy task, but there are often people in your life that make most challenges bearable. These people are called family and Voisin embraces this sentiment from the bottom of her heart.

“I try to spend most of my summer back home in Montana with my family and close friends. Going home has always been the best way for me to reset after a long season.”

However, Maggie Voisin is a professional athlete, an Olympian, an elite level competitor, so completely unplugging is not a reality for the young star. The cell phone will continue to ring, her email inbox will continually fill, and delivering on sponsorship obligations is a must for a   pro athlete. However, these responsibilities can also create great experiences and unique opportunities for someone like Maggie.

“Sometimes I’ll have sponsor obligations to take care of in the summer months and those are always fun, said Voisin. “Last summer I went on a trip to Australia with one of my sponsors and we were getting video and photo content for the company. It feels more like fun than ‘work’.”

Be sure to follow Voisin’s journey of recovery on social media (see accounts below). Although her main focus will be the rehab of her ACL, her adventurous and genuine personality always make for a great follow on social. Whether she’s outside, volunteering for a good cause, or putting in time in the gym, Voisin will be staying busy!

“My main focus this summer will be on my rehab so I can get back on my skis stronger than ever. I’ll be posting a lot of updates on my knee so if you want to check out how I’m progressing definitely follow along on my social media. When I’m not focused on my knee I plan on going on quite a few adventures. Although I won’t be hiking any big peaks this summer, I will be doing a lot of camping, boating, a little bit of traveling, and just getting outside as much as I possibly can. I’m working on figuring out a beach trip or two as well - I’m looking forward to a trip like that and I’ll certainly be posting a lot of fun content. I just bought my first real camera and I’m super excited to play around and learn a thing or two about photography.  Hopefully, I can pick up some skills pretty quick so I can start posting some interesting shots! I’m also passionate about giving back in some way or another and while I have all this time off my skis, I want to utilize that time to volunteer.”

That’s our insight into what one of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s premiere athletes will be up to this summer. Stay tuned for more of the same from Toby Miller and Hailey Langland, and if you aren’t already following Maggie, make sure you do so now by taking a look at the links below.

Happy summer!

MAGGIE VOISIN ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: @maggiervoisin
Instagram: @maggie_voisin
Twitter: @maggie_voisin