U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Athletic Development staff works hard to improve the ways athletes train. One of their most recent initiatives, which centers specifically around female athletes, takes a unique approach towards improving athletic training and progression. 

The educational system from Orecco and the FitrWomen app will be used by U.S. Ski & Snowboard to help female athletes track their hormone levels and menstrual cycles. Female athletes will gain more knowledge about their personal physiology, know how to better fuel their bodies, and make better-informed decisions on their training schedules and intensity levels. With research-based advice, the educational programs and app will educate athletes on how to best prepare and rest their bodies for performance by advising them on how much sleep to get, when to schedule intense training sessions, what to eat, and more. 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Athletic Development Manager, Tschana Schiller, primarily works with the cross-country and snowboard-cross teams and initiated the early stages of building knowledge around female athletes. For the past couple of months, Tschana has worked with physiologist Dr. Georgie Bruinvels - one of the leading experts involved with Orecco and creator of FitrWomen App - to help develop educational plans for female ski and snowboard athletes. 

“For right now, knowledge is power and I think that’s the first step,” said Tschana. Her ultimate goal is to educate female athletes so that they are able to do their sport in the best possible physical and mental state. “It has been proven that there are times when women will be able to optimize their performance based on fluctuating hormone levels,” she continued. “If we aren't paying attention to that, we are missing a huge chunk that could really help athletes understand how they recover or optimize their training better.”   

U.S. Ski & Snowboard plans to start with educational sessions, not only for female athletes but for the entire athletic development and medical teams. These educational sessions will teach staff how hormones can affect performance and how different stages of the menstrual cycle can impact a variety of other body functions, such as heart rate or respiratory rate. The benefit of these educational sessions is mainly directed towards athletes, but there are positive impacts on U.S. Ski & Snowboard staff as well. 

“We have mainly male coaches and athletic development staff,” says Tschana. “They work directly with these female athletes and yet don't experience the things a female experiences.” 

With this new opportunity, staff and athletes can develop even stronger relationships and understanding, which could translate to even stronger results. Another beneficial aspect of the initiative is the flexibility of participation amongst athletes. There will be some initial educational sessions for everyone, as well as questionnaires for the athletes about their cycle, but from that point on all involvement in the programs or projects is voluntary. “It is totally up to them if they are interested in learning more,” says Tschana. “If there are further questions they have or the coaches have, they can ask and if it’s just education, then that’s great as well and is still beneficial.”  

Two-time Olympian and five-time World Championship cross country team member Sadie Bjornsen, is excited to partake in this new initiative. “I have never tracked my period or hormones and have never really thought about doing it,” she says. “I believe in understanding what is going on in your body and finding coping mechanisms will help me as an athlete. I find the app as something that will further empower me and help me further utilize my body.” 

The Athletics Department is thrilled to start this female-oriented initiative. “There is certainly a female movement going on in the world right now and so for me, it’s empowering our athletes to understand, learn more, and take advantage of their unique physiology so they can use it to help them in any way,” says Tschana. “It’s a cool opportunity because it's not only teaching them how to be better athletes, but how to be healthier people in general.”  

With a strong team, eager athletes, and a high-performance legacy to uphold, this initiative is likely to be another helpful step towards having the best and healthiest athletes in the world. 

NormaTec, the industry leader in compression recovery technology for athletes, today announced a four-year partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the national governing body of competitive skiing and snowboarding in the United States. U.S. Ski & Snowboard provides leadership, direction, and support for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders striving for excellence. NormaTec’s PULSE 2.0 Series systems will help U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes to achieve their goals to be best in the world in their sport by integrating superior recovery into training regimens.

The full team across seven disciplines including alpine, freeski, freestyle, cross country, ski jumping, Nordic combined, and snowboard, will have access to the NormaTec PULSE 2.0 Series Recovery Systems. U.S. Ski & Snowboard will also be constructing a dedicated NormaTec Recovery Room in the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Center of Excellence for the team to use as they train to compete at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

“We are proud to support U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes,” said Gilad Jacobs, CEO of NormaTec. “It is an honor to be partnering with a team that boasts some of the top performing winter sports athletes in the world and providing them the technology they need to continuously reach for their dreams here in the U.S. and around the globe.”

The NormaTec PULSE 2.0 Series Recovery Systems use compressed air and the patented NormaTec Pulse Massage Pattern created by a physician bioengineer to massage limbs, mobilize fluid, increase circulation, and facilitate faster recovery. NormaTec’s technology gives athletes a competitive edge by helping them recover quickly after training sessions and is also used as a high-tech warm up. The technology is relied on by 97% of all pro athletic teams in the United States.

"I have been absolutely loving my NormaTec recovery system,” said Olympic cross country champion Jessie Diggins. “Since opening the box, I’ve used them every single day! I love how the compression massage makes my legs feel after a hard workout, and it helps me recover quickly before second training. I also love how small and quiet they are, and how I can customize exactly what I want, even changing the pressure zones mid-session! These are now my go-to recovery tool."

Thanks to a unique partnership with World Cup Supply Inc. (WCS) and its European partner SPM, U.S. Ski Team athletes and U.S. Ski & Snowboard events will continue to have the on-hill equipment and safety-related support needed for the next four years.

“World Cup Supply is an important partner for our organization and we are thrilled to have them in the U.S. Ski & Snowboard family for the next four years,” said Tiger Shaw, U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO. “Through this partnership we are able to produce safe and high-quality domestic events from the grassroots levels through to World Cup competitions for our athletes as we prepare for Beijing 2022. World Cup Supply is committed to safe ski and snowboard competition all over the world and we are fortunate to have their continued support.” 

As part of the agreement, WCS will supply gates, panels, safety fencing and other on-hill and event equipment for key domestic World Cup, NorAm and National Level events in alpine, snowboard, freeski, freestyle and cross country. WCS and SPM will provide thousands of gates and hundreds of panels annually for all Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team training and events domestically and in Europe. WCS will provide training bibs for all Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team athletes and air pads for domestic alpine World Cup and National Championships events. In addition, WCS will serve at the Official On-Hill Equipment Supplier for all NASTAR events. 

WCS is committed to athlete and spectator safety, offering race and event safety training and education as well as developing educational safety related videos for clubs and volunteers to help prevent on-hill injuries.

“Our primary goal for our long-term partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard is to ensure the athletes have what they need to train and be safe on the hill,” said Brad Williams, World Cup Supply, Inc. President. “The renewed agreement certainly accomplishes this goal and continues the partnership that began in 2006. The combination of high quality SPM products and a commitment from WCS to provide the best service possible, helps reduce the burden and stress associated with managing equipment and allows coaches and athletes to focus on the things that really matter to them.”

U.S. Ski & Snowboard will host its 53rd annual New York Gold Medal Gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City on October 24. Olympic stars such as Lindsey Vonn and Kikkan Randall, and many more current U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and legends will be available for media interviews.

WHAT
A “White Carpet” rollout for Olympic skiing and snowboarding legends ahead of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s annual New York Gold Medal Gala. Members of the media must RSVP to the White Carpet to guarantee access to athletes. The New York Gold Medal Gala plays a critical role in raising funds that directly help ski and snowboard athletes achieve their goals of being the Best in the World. In its fifty-third iteration, this year’s theme, “Inspired by the Stars,” reminds fans and athletes alike the reason behind the grueling work it takes to be an elite team member. 

WHEN
Thursday, October 24 from 6 to 6:30 p.m.

WHERE
Ziegfeld Ballroom, 141 W 54th St, New York, NY 10019

WHO
Lindsey Vonn, Olympic Champion, three-time Olympic medalist, alpine skiing
Kikkan Randall, Olympic gold medalist, cross country skiing
Jonny Moseley, Olympic gold medalist, freestyle moguls skiing
Bryce Bennett, 2018 Olympian, alpine skiing
Kevin Bolger, 2017 U.S. Champion, cross country skiing 
Sophie Caldwell, 2014 and 2018 Olympian, cross country skiing
Ashley Caldwell, 2010, 2014 and 2018 Olympian, freestyle aerials skiing
Mick Dierdorff, 2018 Olympian, snowboardcross
Travis Ganong, 2014 Olympian and World Championships silver medalist, alpine skiing
Nick Goepper, 2014 Olympic silver medalist and 2018 bronze medalist, freeski slopestyle
Jared Goldberg, 2014 and 2018 Olympian, alpine skiing
Alex Hall, 2018 Olympian, freeskiing
Simi Hamilton, 2010, 2014 and 2018 Olympian, cross country skiing
Katie Hensien, 2019 Junior World Silver Medalist, alpine
Tess Johnson, 2018 Olympian, freestyle moguls skiing
Jaelin Kauf, 2018 Olympian, freestyle moguls skiing
Julia Kern, 2019 U.S. Champion, cross country skiing
Maddie Mastro, 2018 Olympian, snowboarding
Alice McKennis, 2010 and 2018 Olympian, alpine skiing
Alice Merryweather, 2018 Olympian, Junior World Downhill Champion, alpine skiing
Toby Miller, 2017 and 2019 World Championship team, snowboarding
Paula Moltzan, 2015 and 2019 World Championship team, NCAA Slalom Champion, alpine skiing
Steven Nyman, 2006, 2010 and 2014 Olympian, alpine skiing
Caitlin Patterson, Eight-time U.S. Champion, cross country skiing
Laurenne Ross, 2014 and 2018 Olympian, alpine skiing
Brita Sigourney, 2018 Olympic bronze medalist, halfpipe skiing
Winter Vinecki, 2019 World Championship team, freestyle aerials skiing
Maggie Voisin, 2018 Olympian, freeski slopestyle
Brad Wilson, 2014 and 2018 Olympian, freestyle moguls skiing

Based on competition and training schedules, athlete appearances subject to change without notice. 

CONTACT
Members of the media can RSVP to the White Carpet to:
Lara Carlton
U.S. Ski & Snowboard Communications Manager
lara.carlton@usskiandsnowboard.org

U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Live Like Sam announced the inaugural Live Like Sam Day today. Live Like Sam was founded by Ron Jackenthal, the father of the late Sam Jackenthal, a Park City, Utah local and young man of strong character and values who was also a budding and promising world-class athlete. The 16-year-old freeskiing champion passed away in 2015 from injuries suffered in a training accident in Australia. 

Live Like Sam and the Sam Jackenthal Fund partnered with U.S. Ski & Snowboard in March of 2019 with the shared objective of providing young athletes the tools to succeed in sports and life with a sense of gratitude. Today, that partnership expands with the launch of Live Like Sam Day. October 10 holds a special significance as it marks the anniversary of Sam Jackenthal’s celebration of life in 2015.

“Live Like Sam Day is about spreading positivity and kindness, not only in a youth sports environment but across all communities,” said founder of Live Like Sam, Ron Jackenthal. “While Live Like Sam was founded following Sam Jackenthal’s tragic passing, the common thread that has kept his collective community together is a strong focus on the positive and what made Sam so special. Through Live Like Sam Day, we believe that by focusing on Sam’s outstanding qualities of kindness and positivity, we can make a difference both in the winter sports community and beyond.”

Live Like Sam Day is meant to be a celebration in which we can all remind ourselves of the Live Like Sam guiding principles. With a mission of flooding the internet and our communities with a sense of kindness and giving, U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes, friends of Sam, and winter sports communities impacted by Sam’s tremendous spirit are currently filling their respective social media feeds with amazing, personal, heartfelt videos of love, selflessness, and compassion. 

Join us in keeping Sam's spirit alive by spreading kindness in our communities and throughout the world. Check out how U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes are celebrating Live Like Sam Day below or create your own video to share across your personal social media accounts answering the following questions: 

• What does it mean to Live Like Sam?
• What are you doing today to Live Like Sam?
• What acts of kindness and giving are you doing today?
• What acts of kindness do you do all the time?
• What are the three Sam characteristics you admire and emulate the most?

For more information about Sam or Live Like Sam Day visit LiveLikeSam.org.

Facebook
@usskiandsnowboard
@livelikesam.org

Instagram
@usfreeskiteam
@ussnowboardteam
@usskiteam 
@just.jackenthal.it

Hashtags
#LiveLikeSamDay
#ShredForSam
#JoinTheMovement
#SmilesForSam
#IRideForSam
#SpreadTheLove
#SelfDevelopment
#CharacterMatters

Winter is here and you don't want to be left in the lodge! So it's time to learn or refresh yourself, about athlete SafeSport training and background check requirements so you can make the most of your-on-snow competition time this winter. Don't forget, all athletes 18 and older must complete SafeSport training and background checks on or before their 18th birthday. Read on for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.

Athlete SafeSport training highlights: 

Are athletes required to complete SafeSport training? Almost all adult U.S. Ski & Snowboard members (athletes, coaches, officials, and volunteers) are required to complete SafeSport training. Short Term Athlete Members due to their limited participation and Master Athletes who do not i) have regular contact with minor athletes or ii) have authority over minor athletes are exempt from training.

What happens if an athlete’s SafeSport training is not completed prior to turning 18? All athletes must complete SafeSport training no later than their 18th birthday to be eligible for participation/competition in U.S. Ski & Snowboard events and training with your club. Pending members are ineligible to participate. 

If I’m turning 18, can I complete SafeSport training now? Yes, you may complete SafeSport training now if you have parental consent. The consent is built into the SafeSport policy in online registration. Member Services will provide instructions once you’ve registered for membership. 

Does U.S. Ski & Snowboard recommend 17-year-old athletes complete SafeSport training prior to their 18th birthday? Yes. Training must be completed no later than your 18th birthday to avoid being placed on pending status and ineligible from participating in U.S. Ski & Snowboard events. We encourage athletes and their parents to have 17 year old athletes complete training prior to their 18th birthday to avoid any delay in participation/competition. However, you may delay training until closer to your birthday by calling or emailing Member Services.

How will U.S. Ski & Snowboard know I’ve completed training? It’s important that all those who take SafeSport training include their 7-digit U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership number/ID and add U.S. Ski & Snowboard as your membership affiliation when creating your SafeSport account. U.S. Ski & Snowboard will be notified of your course completion automatically when your account includes these two items. In this case, there would be no need to remit your completion certificate.

Athlete background screening highlights:

As an athlete, am I required to undergo background screening? Much like SafeSport training, almost all adult U.S. Ski & Snowboard members (athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers) are now required to undergo periodic criminal background screening. Short Term Athlete Members due to their limited participation and Master Athletes who do not i) have regular contact with minor athletes or ii) have authority over minor athletes are exempt from the background screening requirement.

What happens if I don’t complete the background screening prior to turning 18? All affected athletes will have 45 days from their 18th birthday to complete screening. On day 46, the athlete will be placed on pending status and ineligible to compete.  

If I’m turning 18, can I register for background screening now? Yes, you may register for screening once you’ve registered for membership. Parental consent will be captured within the screening company’s registration process and is required for all those under the age of 18. Member Services will provide instructions once you’ve registered for membership 

Does U.S. Ski & Snowboard recommend 17-year-old athletes complete background screening prior to their 18th birthday? Yes. Background screening can take several weeks. We want to avoid the potential for athletes being placed on pending status and prohibited from participating in U.S. Ski & Snowboard events. We encourage athletes and their parents to have 17-year-old athletes complete screening prior to their 18th birthday to avoid any delay in participation/competition. Athletes will have a maximum of 45 days from their 18th birthday to complete the screening process.

Anticipation builds before the beginning of any big event, whether it’s a World Cup competition or the New York Gold Medal Gala. Making a grand entrance on snow or on stage takes preparation. 

The athletes of U.S. Ski & Snowboard work hard all summer in the gym and at training venues perfecting their craft so that they’re ready when they get in those first start gates of the World Cup season. But on October 24, these legends will be stepping out of their snow gear and into their finery to attend the 53rd annual New York Gold Medal Gala. What goes into making sure these stars shine?

Before competitions, each athlete has their own rituals or traditions to get them in the right headspace. Before the Gala, a common tradition among attending athletes is to take advantage of the Raika Studio salon experience presented by 20-plus year partner John Paul Mitchell Systems’. In the hours leading up to the night’s festivities, the hair stylists of Raika are hard at work turning their beanie-hair White Carpet-ready. 

Personal style counts big for the athletes of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. From gracefully arcing around slalom gates to getting sendy on a big air jump, each athlete brings their personality to their run. Competing at the most elite level not only requires technical prowess, but also artistry. You can feel the passion when watching three-time Olympian aerials skier Ashley Caldwell perform quadruple-twisting backflips off the triple kicker, besting the rest in her sport. 

“We all try to show off our personalities when training and competing, but there’s only so much you can do wearing ski pants,” says Ashley. “So when we get the chance to go to the Raika Studio for the Gala, and get dressed up, it’s really fun to show people a different side of us. I love seeing a different side of my teammates and other athletes I train with at the gym and on the hill. It’s a unique experience to come together and celebrate the coming season.”

The New York Gold Medal Gala will raise nearly $2 million in funds that will directly support athletes’ opportunities to train and compete at the highest level. Paul Mitchell and the stylists at Raika Studio look forward to using their artistry and expertise to beautify skiing and snowboarding’s biggest stars for what is a social highlight of the year. 

Be a part of the celebration from wherever you might find yourself on Oct. 24. National ski and snowboard team athletes are privately funded and receive no government assistance. Technology connects us more than ever and fans can show their support remotely. 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has partnered with Mountain Towns 2030 (MT2030) to help mountain towns commit to ambitious carbon reduction goals and implement solutions by 2030. The inaugural Net-Zero Summit is the kick-off event for MT2030 and will be held on October 2-4, 2019 in beautiful Park City, Utah.

“U.S. Ski & Snowboard is in the process of quantifying our carbon footprint, which is the first step in ultimately making broad goals down the line,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “We are exploring how we can take our sustainability efforts to the next level, participating in this conference to see what other towns and companies are doing is key for us. We are excited to be a part of this important conversation and look forward to working with our community in implementing meaningful solutions.”

“We formed Mountain Towns 2030 because we strongly believe mountain towns have the power to make a global impact on climate change,” said Park City Mayor Andy Beerman. “As with any community initiative, the support from local organizations and nonprofits are a big reason we can set ambitious goals and achieve them. We could not be more pleased to have U.S. Ski & Snowboard partner and lead the way with us.”

Keynote speakers include renowned conservationist and United Nations Messenger of Peace Jane Goodall, and environmentalist Paul Hawken from Project Drawdown. The speaker lineup also includes Utah State University Professor Robert Davies, Rocky Mountain Power CEO Gary Hoogeveen, Park City Mayor Andy Beerman, clean energy impact investors, leaders from non-profit organizations and many more.

Following the summit, MT2030 will take the commitments made at this summit and put them into action by connecting the communities, sharing best practices, and using the collective voice of our coalition of mountain towns to encourage other municipalities across the globe to take action. Over 30 mountain towns will be represented at the Net Zero Summit.

### 

About Mountain Towns 2030
Mountain Towns 2030 (MT2030) is a coalition of mountain towns that have committed to ambitious carbon reduction goals by 2030. The inaugural Net Zero Summit is the kick-off event for MT2030 and will be held on October 2-4, 2019 in Park City, Utah.  More information about Mountain Towns 2030 and the Net Zero Summit can be found at www.mt2030.org.

The sense of urgency around 2030 continues to escalate. The world’s climate scientists agree—to control global warming at 1.5 degrees, the earth needs drastic reductions in carbon emissions by 2030. Communities need to identify and act on effective solutions immediately.

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2019, competing in seven teams; alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, nordic combined and ski jumping. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org