Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, Colo.) is used to going fast on the mountain - like 80+ mph fast. However, this week she spent some time with a group of men and women who are used to going a little bit faster: the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds pilots. And by "a little bit" we're talking about 450-700 mph fast.

Shiffrin was invited by the U.S. Air Force Academy to represent the Class of 2019 and join the Thunderbirds - the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron - for a ride-along on Tuesday, May 27th. When Shiffrin received the invite she "Couldn't pass that opportunity up...it's been a lifelong dream of mine to experience that kind of speed and feel how next level nine g-forces feel." At most, alpine ski racing athletes experience somewhere in the realm of 3.5 Gs - more than space shuttle astronauts endure during launch. 

Shiffrin has won two Olympic gold medals, Olympic silver, she's the reigning three-time overall FIS Ski World Cup champion, has won 60 World Cup victories at just 24-years-old, and her accolades go on and on. But, what happened on Tuesday for Shiffrin? “The most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced,” the two-time Olympic champion said, nearly breathless, after her flight. 

Shiffrin joined the Thunderbirds, riding in and even flying an F-16D twin-seat trainer aircraft out of Peterson Air Force Base in her native Colorado. She said that the trained pilots perform a series of about eight maneuvers at 450 to 500 mph that make up their show "profile." Shiffrin was invited by the U.S. Air Force Academy as part of their efforts to create a strong, long-lasting relationship with Team USA/the United States Olympic Committee to connect elite athletes with U.S. military because of their obvious parallels in discipline, determination, excellence, grit, and beyond.

Laurie Wilson, the primary public affairs contact for U.S. Air Force Academy spearheaded this initiative, noting that it made sense, being that the location was Colorado Springs, Colorado - known as "Olympic City, USA." She also had mentioned that Shiffrin was the first Olympic champion in recent history to receive an invite. 

Shiffrin's excitement level was at an all-time high prior to the flight, as she was getting fitted for her flight suit, G-suit, helmet, mask, and learning about the safety protocol, oxygen, breathing techniques, and - of course - the courtesy barf bags provided. Flying for about 45 minutes, and making it through an entire show profile, said co-pilot Major Jason "Flack" Markzon (a.k.a. Thunderbird #8) - who was quite impressed - Shiffrin had the experience of a lifetime. She even was able to fly the plane herself, and coined a new maneuver known as "Wiggles" - slalom in the sky.

As a result, the other Thunderbirds pilots agreed that her "Call Sign" - nicknames given to each pilot - would be just that: Wiggles. Actually, Markzon's reply to the suggestion - made by U.S. Ski & Snowboard - was "I love it. Let's make it official when we all go skiing together. Deal?" And then, of course we invited them all to the HomeLight Killington Cup World Cup tech series in November. 

Following the landing when Shiffrin finally hit solid ground, she was surprised at how out of sorts her body felt, feeling dizzy and light-headed. Fellow Thunderbirds pilots told her it was normal as your body goes "What the heck just happened to me?" when you're out of nine Gs, landing safely on the ground. 

“You can’t breathe at that much force,” Shiffrin said after pulling nine Gs herself. “So you have to do the tiniest little breaths. During flight it felt like my shoulders kind of fell out of the sockets with such high g-forces. It's crazy. When we first took off and were flying through the clouds, it's the most beautiful thing. It's indescribable. You realize when you're flying through clouds just how fast you're going. I’m so dizzy. My knees are shaking.”

Following the flight, Shiffrin visited the U.S. Air Force Academy campus and was invited to the Superintendent's - Lt. General Jay B. Silveria - office. Silveria is a fan of skiing himself, and had invited current and former U.S. Air Force Academy ski team athletes to meet and visit with Shiffrin. 

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds' job is publicity and awareness for the U.S. Air Force. Shiffrin joined the Thunderbirds during a routine practice for Thursday's U.S. Air Force Academy commencement fly-over demonstration. 

Stay tuned for an edit of Shiffrin's flight experience. 

Olympic gold medalist Kikkan Randall had just finished a 20-year cross country ski racing career and would be diving into retirement at just 36-years-old. Navigating the transition from elite-level competition to everyday life can be both challenging and daunting for athletes; fortunately, the Dartmouth College Tuck School of Business Next Step program helps athletes bridge that gap and make transition a bit smoother.

Dartmouth’s Next Step program is a general management certificate program specifically designed to support, educate and empower athletes and veterans alike in their transition beyond the world of competition and service. A two-week collaborative learning experience, Next Step brings elite athletes and military veterans together to help them identify, amplify, and strengthen their leadership, organizational, communication, strategic, problem-solving, team-building, and operational skills and aptitudes.

In the program, athletes learn the basics of business curricula and how to effectively apply their valuable, relevant skills, and experiences to the business world as they begin the next step of their careers. The four former U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes who  participated in the program this spring - including Randall, Keaton McCargo (moguls), Foreste Peterson (alpine), and Kaylin Richardson (alpine) – walked away with the ability build on and translate their athletic experiences to the business world in ways that successfully accelerates their progress towards a rewarding, meaningful business career.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Director of Athlete Career & Education (ACE) Julie Glusker, often champions the notion of “whole athlete development”, advocating to broaden the scope of athlete development and support beyond just athletic ability. Tuck’s Next Step program is just one example of this concept in practice.

“We are thrilled to have had four of our U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes from alpine, cross country, and freestyle attend the Tuck Next Step program this past April,” noted Glusker. “We received really positive feedback from each of our participants about the relevance and purpose of Next Step; the program and curriculum was geared around learning current business practices, identifying and utilizing experience and aptitudes intrinsic to athletes, and honing and fostering networking skills. Our athletes loved the academic learning and social development aspects of Next Step – and even enjoyed the daily morning group workouts.”

Peterson, a former U.S. Ski & Snowboard alpine athlete, who went on to become a high-achieving student-athlete at Dartmouth College and now skis for the independent “Team X” in Park City, Utah, understands the importance of building knowledge and a network that will help her transition to the next stage in her life when she’s ready to make that leap.

“Next Step was an eye-opening, exhausting, yet a totally inspiring and rewarding experience,” said Peterson, who continues to compete at the NorAM level, but has also had FIS Ski World Cup starts in during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. “The days were long and jam-packed but there was not one lecture, workshop, presentation, group activity, or social event that I didn’t take something away from or find valuable. The program instilled an unprecedented confidence in me that I attribute not just to the new tools and skill sets I acquired, but to feeling an overwhelming sense of community amongst all of the transitioning athletes and military personnel in the program. The connections made and relationships forged across multiple networks were a huge asset in and of itself.”

Additionally, program participants found the program material relevant and transferable. Freestyle alumna McCargo reports that the curriculum was “extremely transferable to many areas of life even if you don’t intend to work in business or get an MBA.” She even noted that she’d love to encourage former teammates, and even some of her former coaches, to participate in the program, adding that “any transitioning athlete should take part in this program. The information and experience are of extremely high importance.”

Both the network and the self-discovery are two of the biggest takeaways for McCargo and Peterson. “The community at Tuck and the diverse group of people in my cohort really made my time there. Everyone was so friendly and committed to helping each other,” reflected McCargo. “Transitioning, whether it be from sport, the military, or from one career path to the next is hard; it is nice to know that there are others like you and that you have support.”

For many elite-level athletes, fear and stress are common emotions they encounter when considering making the leap to the unknown. They will be leaving behind something they’ve known and lived for such a large part of their lives. Peterson felt that the future was always a source of tension, but that “there was a self-discovery component incorporated into the program that I found to be particularly powerful.” Throughout the program, Peterson could feel her tension lifting. “I can honestly say that I not only have a newfound clarity for what I want that ‘next step’ of my life to look like, but I feel genuinely excited and eager to take the necessary actions to navigate what lies ahead and make my vision a reality.”

Many spectators and enthusiasts of sport believe an Olympic gold medal to be an athlete’s pinnacle performance. For Randall, then, it must have been challenging to come off such a high at the end of her career and redirect her mind to life after skiing. Ever-optimistic and always up for a challenge, Randall took it all in stride. In fact, she made the most of every minute during the two-week program, including every coffee and lunch break, to take engage in opportunities for meaningful conversations with her fellow classmates.

“Transitioning after my 20-year career in ski racing has been a bigger undertaking than I expected, and it was so comforting to be able to talk through challenges and compare experiences with my fellow classmates in the Next Step Program,” said Randall. “Prior to going through this program, I never would have appreciated the parallels between elite athletes and military veterans, but it turns out the two groups have quite a lot in common and make a pretty powerful group together.

From the moment I walked onto the Dartmouth campus I was impressed with how well-organized the program was and how welcomed I felt. I immediately connected with several of my classmates, and it was impressive how our class bonded over the two-week program. We made the most of every minute during the two weeks, every coffee  break and meal time was maximized with meaningful conversations amongst our cohort.”

Randall was impressed with the curriculum and the teaching staff’s ability to present such an impressive volume of relevant content that would apply directly to new careers. Along with that, her peers were inspiring. “All of my fellow students were dedicated, bright and inspiring people,” Randall noted. “While we had common experiences and struggles, everyone brought something unique to the program. I learned as much from my classmates as I did from the professors and guest speakers.”

Glusker hopes this program will become a “meaningful tradition and strong heritage for our athletes as they navigate the possibilities of transition beyond sport,” and encourages athletes – both current and  former – to seek out opportunities that will aid them in creating valuable life skills and creating meaningful connections.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) for ski and snowboard sports in the U.S., wrapped day one of its annual Congress  Tuesday, May 14, in Park City, Utah, with an alpine “Collegiate Forum,” an evening event featuring a coaches panel hosted by U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Development Director Chip Knight.

The goal of the Collegiate Forum was to bring together a range of people from across the alpine ski racing community including college coaches, athletes, parents, and U.S. Ski & Snowboard staff to network, to learn more about college skiing and to hear details comparing and contrasting different college programs, including the offerings of the U.S. Collegiate Ski Association (USCSA). Among the discussion points were how NCAA Division 1 alpine skiing fits into U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s national development pipeline.

The event was streamed live and is available to watch on demand via this link.

“It was a great way to start our 2019 Congress, covering a topic that is of huge interest to many people involved with ski racing across the country,” said Chip Knight, himself a former NCAA coach and World Cup athlete. “The relationship between our national development program and the NCAA system is important and it was great to have the chance to debate and discuss this topic with a range of people with huge investments in the development of young American athletes.”

Picking up on this theme was U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s President, and CEO, Tiger Shaw, who said “as a former college athlete myself, I understand the importance of the relationship between the NCAA and elite levels of skiing. There are multiple pathways to the highest levels of the alpine World Cup - some have made it through this route to the top and it is critical to understand its role in all stages of development. Education is important to Americans and the U.S. Ski Team has a long history of developing the whole athlete, funding athlete career and education programs that, ultimately help make better athletes. At the same time, many understand that it takes complete commitment to make it to the top ranks. This discussion was both lively and interesting as it touched on many aspects of the work we are all doing to be the best while keeping the interests of the athletes first and at the heart of everything we do.”

Edie Thys Morgan has compiled a collegiate ski racing history and reference paper which provides much detail on college racing, available for download HERE.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard appreciates the hard work and commitment of everyone involved in helping athletes see their dreams come true.

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

Double Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin (Avon, Colo.) and three-time FIS Ski World Cup winner and veteran Steven Nyman (Sundance, Utah) headline the list of both accomplished and emerging athletes into the 2019-20 season. Coming off a historic 2018-19 season that saw Shiffrin rack up an impressive 17 World Cup victories, four Crystal Globes (overall, slalom, giant slalom, super-G), and an astounding 83% podium percentage, 2019-20 is bound to be another edge-of-our-seats season.

The 2019-20 season will feature World Cup Finals in Cortina d’ Ampezzo, Italy from March 18-22, 2020. Cortina d’Ampezzo is a favorite classic venue on the women’s World Cup circuit where our women’s speed team has enjoyed a lot of success, and also the site of the 2021 FIS Ski World Championships.

“I am pleased to share that our A, B, and C team athletes will be fully travel-funded for the 2019-20 season and will be able to go into prep period camps with the ability to focus purely on athletics,” said Alpine Director Jesse Hunt. “Thanks to commercial sponsors, the Bob Beattie Travel Fund, USOC Direct Athlete Support, dedicated trustees and donor gifts to our Foundation, as well as dedicated fundraising activities carried out by athletes, multiple arms of the organization have been working together to make this happen. The organization has also made significant headway in our efforts to decrease travel costs at the development team level, where members will be responsible for no more than $10,000 in travel and training costs with their team.”

The 38 athletes nominated will be supported by a strong coaching staff, committed to “building a positive and professional staff around our athletes,” as Hunt recently said when numerous 2019-20 season staffing additions were announced. Notable staffing additions include Randy Pelkey taking the helm on the World Cup men’s speed side, alongside longtime U.S. Ski Team men's coaches Scotty Veenis and Josh Applegate. On the men’s World Cup tech side, Will Courtney joins Forest Carey and Ian Garner as an assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach. Ryan Wilson will join Carey and Garner to focus on supporting men’s slalom at the World Cup level. Matt Underhill will lead the Europa Cup team on the men’s side. Katie Twible joins the women’s NorAm coaching staff, working with Magnus Andersson and Kris Shampeny.

Athletes nominated to the team already opened the season with their first on-snow training camps in late April at official U.S. Ski & Snowboard training sites Mammoth Mountain and Squaw Valley, Calif., as well as physical testing at the certified U.S. Ski & Snowboard Center of Excellence in South Lake Tahoe, located on the Barton Health medical campus and officially unveiled as a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Center of Excellence in 2018.

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. Alpine Ski Team team announcement will be made in the fall.

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

A TEAM
Men
Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team; 7/14/1992)
Tommy Ford (Bend, OR; Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation; 3/20/1989) 
Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team; 7/14/1988)
Ted Ligety (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 8/31/1984)
Steven Nyman (Sundance, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard/Sundance Ski Team; 2/12/1982)

Women
Breezy Johnson (Victor, Idaho; Rowmark Ski Academy; 1/19/1996)
Alice McKennis (New Castle, Colo.; Sunlight Winter Sports Club/Rowmark Ski Academy; 8/18/1989)
Laurenne Ross (Bend, Ore.; Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation; 8/17/1988)
Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.; Burke Mountain Academy/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 3/13/1995)
Jacqueline Wiles (Aurora, Ore.; White Pass Ski Club; 7/13/1992)

B TEAM
Men
Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, Vt.; Cochran’s/Mount Mansfield Ski & Snowboard Club; 3/27/1992)
Jared Goldberg (Holladay, Utah; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation; 6/15/1991)
Brian McLaughlin (Waitsfield, Vt.; Dartmouth College/Green Mountain Valley School; 6/24/1993)
Sam Morse (Carrabassett Valley, Maine; Carrabassett Valley Academy; 5/27/1996)
Kyle Negomir (Littleton, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 10/3/1998)
River Radamus (Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 2/12/1998)
Ben Ritchie (Waitsfield, VT; Green Mountain Valley School; 9/5/2000)
Luke Winters (Gresham, Ore.; Sugar Bowl Academy; 4/2/1997)

Women
Keely Cashman (Strawberry, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team; 4/4/1999)
AJ Hurt (Carnelian Bay, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team; 12/5/2000)
Alice Merryweather (Hingham, Mass.; Attitash Race Team/Stratton Mountain School; 10/5/1996)
Paula Moltzan (Prior Lake, Minn.; University of Vermont/Buck Hill Ski Team/Ski and Snowboard Club Vail; 4/7/1994)
Nina O’Brien (Edwards, Colo.; Burke Mountain Academy/Squaw Valley Ski Team; 11/29/1997)

C TEAM
Men
Cooper Cornelius (Glenwood Springs, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski Club; 6/20/1999)
Bridger Gile (Aspen, Colo., Aspen Valley Ski Club and Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 10/15/1999)*
George Steffey (Lyme, N.H.; Stratton Mountain School; 8/8/1997)

Women
Abi Jewett (Ripton, Vt.; Green Mountain Valley School; 1/10/2000)
Katie Hensien (Redmond, Wash.; Rowmark Ski Academy; 12/1/1999)
Galena Wardle (Aspen, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; 4/24/1998)

DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Men
Jacob Dilling (Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, 10/19/1999)*
Kellen Kinsella (Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 8/7/2001)*
Isaiah Nelson (Wayzata, MN.; Buck Hill Ski Racing Club; 4/3/2001)
Jack Smith (Sun Valley, Idaho; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 4/24/2001)*

Women
Lauren Macuga (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 7/4/2002)*
Ainsley Proffit (St. Louis, MO; Sugar Bowl Ski Team & Academy; 3/21/2001)
Emma Resnick (Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 7/23/2003)*
Alix Wilkinson (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team; 8/2/2000)*
Zoe Zimmermann (Gilford, N.H.; Burke Mountain Academy; 5/16/2002)

*Newly named to the U.S. Ski Team

Seventeen clubs across the USA have achieved certifications in 2019 in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s podium certification process, a key element of the work done by U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s sports education department. Seven clubs achieved recertification and 10 earned new certifications. Club certification is a process of self-assessment, peer-evaluation, certification committee review and organizational improvement in partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the national governing body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, to assist its clubs through assessing club leadership, operations, and athletic programming and performance. The seventeen clubs will be recognized May 13 at the annual U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club Excellence Conference, held in Park City, Utah.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard offers three tiers of certification: bronze, silver, and gold. All certifications involve a comprehensive organizational assessment that places clubs on the path of continual improvement with ongoing club development resources and opportunities provided by the NGB. Through the podium certification process, U.S. Ski & Snowboard works in close collaboration with member clubs to recognize excellence and to understand the challenges and opportunities that exist for clubs in every corner of the country.

“Judging by the caliber of the clubs we worked with this year, it is clear the future of our sport is in good hands,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Club Development Manager, Ellen Adams. “The demonstration of professionalism and commitment to a culture of excellence was apparent to our certification team, and the delivery of a vast array of programs in line with best principles and practices was evident in the clubs we visited. We are excited to see that clubs who were part of the inaugural program four and five years ago have used the program to work toward established goals, and embraced the experience of applying for recertification in their effort to always be improving. The record number of new clubs starting the process with Bronze certification this year is a true cause for celebration. Congratulations to all for their achievements.”

Member clubs represent a vital component of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s talent pipeline, where many Olympians first put feet to snow. Club Certification is a rigorous process designed for the clubs that want to verify and demonstrate their understanding of the best principles and implementation of best practices of their club. Not included in this year’s count are two clubs whose recertification applications are in progress (one gold and one bronze) and three clubs who are on track for new bronze level certifications.

COMPLETED QUADRENNIAL RECERTIFICATION
GOLD
Green Mountain Valley School
The Loppet Foundation
Bridger Ski Foundation
Winter Park Competition Center
Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows
Sugar Bowl Academy and Ski Team

BRONZE
Snowbird Snowsports Education Foundation

ADVANCED FROM SILVER TO GOLD
Team Gilboa
Team Summit

NEW BRONZE LEVEL CERTIFICATIONS
Attitash Alpine Educational Foundation
Bogus Basin Ski Education Foundation
Granite Peak Ski Team
Loveland Ski Club
Madison Nordic Ski Club
Mount Sunapee Alpine, Freestyle and Snowboard Programs
Silver Run Ski Team
Wy’East Mountain Academy

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.