PARK CITY, UT (May 3, 2017) – Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) has been named the 2017 Beck International Award recipient by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association. The honor is awarded each season to a top USSA athlete for his or her performance in international competition. It is her second time winning the award. Shiffrin, along with other top U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboarding and U.S. Freeskiing athletes, will be formally recognized at the Chairman’s Awards Dinner on May 11 during the annual USSA Congress in Park City.

Shiffrin continued to be unstoppable during the 2016-17 season, landing 14 World Cup podiums and bringing home two World Championship medals, including her fourth slalom gold. She also claimed her fourth slalom title and the overall title. Shiffrin has demonstrated she has the potential to be a powerhouse in both slalom and giant slalom and posted three top-20 finishes in speed races.

"It is an honor to receive the Beck International Award, but even more than that, I want to say thank you to all of the volunteers, coaches, athletes, parents, course workers, race organizers, everyone who is involved in making this sport happen in the U.S.,” said Shiffrin. “This award is as much for them as it is for me. We had an unprecedented number of races in the U.S. this season at Killington, Squaw, and Aspen. Those events left the European's amazed by how we do ski racing in the U.S. I'm so proud of all the work everyone put into these events and I'm so thankful to share my World Cup racing in my home country with the world."

In addition to the Beck award, Shiffrin has also been named USSA Alpine Athlete of the Year. Other Athlete of the Year recipients include Brenna Huckaby (adaptive), Jessie Diggins (cross country), Ashley Caldwell (freestyle), McRae Williams (freeskiing), Stephen Schumann (nordic combined), Kevin Bickner (ski jumping) and Chase Josey (snowboarding).

“Our athletes of the year have demonstrated strong dedication to achieving athletic excellence,” said USSA’s Executive Vice President, Athletics Luke Bodensteiner. “We congratulate them on their success this season and expect that success to continue as all our teams look to be Best in the World at the Olympic Winter Games.”

The USSA Athlete of the Year awards recognize the outstanding athletic achievements of athletes across all sports. Additional information on the USSA awards process can be found at ussa.org.

QUOTES

Mikaela Shiffrin - Beck International / Alpine Athlete of the Year Recipient
It is an honor to receive the Beck International Award, but even more than that, I want to say thank you to all of the volunteers, coaches, athletes, parents, course workers, race organizers, everyone who is involved in making this sport happen in the U.S. This award is as much for them as it is for me. We had an unprecedented number of races in the U.S. this season at Killington, Squaw, and Aspen. Those events left the European's amazed by how we do ski racing in the U.S. I'm so proud of all the work everyone put into these events and I'm so thankful to share my World Cup racing in my home country with the world.

Luke Bodensteiner, Executive Vice President, Athletics, USSA
Our athletes of the year have demonstrated strong dedication to achieving athletic excellence.We congratulate them on their success this season and expect that success to continue as all our teams look to be Best in the World at the Olympic Winter Games.

2017 USSA ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Beck International Award: Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle/Vail, CO; Burke Mountain Academy/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail)

Alpine Athlete of the Year: Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle/Vail, CO; Burke Mountain Academy/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail)

Adaptive Athlete of the Year: Brenna Huckaby (Salt Lake City, UT/National Ability Center

Cross Country Athlete of the Year: Jessie Diggins (Afton, MN; SMS T2)

Freestyle Athlete of the Year: Ashley Caldwell (Ashburn, VA; Elite Aerial Development Program)

Freeskiing Athlete of the Year: McRae Williams (Park City, UT)

Nordic Combined Athlete of the Year: Stephen Schumann (Park City, UT; Park City Nordic Ski Club)

Ski Jumping Athlete of the Year: Kevin Bickner (Wauconda, IL; Norge Ski Club)

Snowboarding Athlete of the Year: Chase Josey (Hailey, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation)

Mikaela Shiffrin races at the Aspen World Cup Finals. (U.S. Ski Team)

Mikaela Shiffrin - Beck International Award / Alpine Athlete of the Year
Mikaela Shiffrin won her first overall FIS World Cup crystal globe at the 2017 World Cup Finals in Aspen, making her the only one of five American athletes to win the esteemed title, and only the third American woman in history to do so. In addition to the overall title, she also won her fourth slalom crystal globe in five years and captured 14 World Cup podiums, including 11 wins.

Brenna Huckaby poses at the Hollywood Olympic photoshoot. (Getty Images)

Brenna Huckaby - Adaptive Athlete of the Year
After losing her right leg to an osteosarcoma diagnosis in 2010, Brenna Huckaby uprooted her life in Louisiana to pursue snowboarding at the National Ability Center in Park City, UT. Over the course of her career, she’s brought home four World Championship medals in snowboardcross and banked slalom, including two golds in 2017.

Jessie Diggins celebrates after winning a World Championships medal in Lahti. (Getty Images)

Jessie Diggins - Cross Country Athlete of the Year
Jessie Diggins skied to eight individual World Cup podiums during the 2016-17 season. She brought home a individual silver and team bronze medal from the 2017 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, making it the third consecutive Worlds where she has medaled. She also holds the U.S. record for most Worlds medals with four total.

Ashley Caldwell smiles with her World Championships gold. (Getty Images)

Ashley Caldwell - Freestyle Athlete of the Year
After winning the overall title in 2015-16, Ashley Caldwell continued to push the sport of women’s aerials in 2016-17. She won a World Cup on home turf in Lake Placid, NY and brought home the gold at the 2017 FIS Freestyle Ski World Championships. At Worlds, she became the first woman to successfully land a quadruple twisting triple flip, called The Daddy, to take the win.

McRae Williams wins gold at the 2017 World Championships. (Getty Images)

McRae Williams - Freeskiing Athlete of the Year
McRae Williams had a breakthrough season in 2016-17. After winning his first World Cup in January, he continued to dominate the slopestyle scene, bringing home gold at the 2017 FIS Freestyle Ski World Championships and claiming the slopestyle World Cup title. He also brought home a silver medal from X Games Aspen.

Stephen Schumann competes at the Junior World Championships. (U.S. Ski Team)

Stephen Schumann - Nordic Combined Athlete of the Year
Stephen Schuman made his way onto the USA Nordic Combined team after scoring his first Continental Cup points at the young age of 15. He’s continued to show his aptitude and talent by scoring points in every Continental Cup he started in the 2017 season as well as qualifying in every World Cup he started. Schumann’s 2016-17 season was highlighted by his performance at the FIS Junior World Championship where he passed over 15 athletes in the cross country portion of the event to finish 10th, the best American result since Eric Camerota in 2004.

Kevin Bickner jumps at the 2017 Nordic World Championships. (Getty Images)

Kevin Bickner - Ski Jumping Athlete of the Year
20-year-old Kevin Bickner is leading the charge in U.S. men’s ski jumping. He finished 30th on the HS130m large hill at the 2017 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, the best men’s finish on the large hill since 1999. He also posted and individual top-15 finish on the World Cup. On the ski flying hill, Bickner set a new U.S. ski jumping record, soaring 244.5 meters. He now holds the top three longest jumps in U.S. history; 244.5m, 227.7m and 225.0m.

Chase Josey finishes first at the LAAX Open World Cup. (FIS-Miha Matavz)

Chase Josey - Snowboarding Athlete of the Year
Chase Josey pushed the limits in the halfpipe this season, landing his first World Cup win and multiple top-10 finishes. He finished just off the podium at X Games and the Olympic test event in PyeongChang.

She may have won the overall World Cup globe this season, but Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) isn’t taking any breaks. You may have spotted on the U.S. Ski Team Instagram story that she’s still running slalom gates in Colorado, or spied on her own Instagram that she’s lifting weights in the gym. There are very few off days for this Olympic champion.

Paste Magazine talked with Shiffrin about her fitness background and how she maintains her health, nutrition and strength with such a busy schedule.  

READ – Fit Chicks: Olympic Champion Mikaela Shiffrin

The North American Snowsports Journalists Association - East Region has picked Patricia Mangan (Derby, NY – Holimont Race Team) and George Steffey (Lyme, NH – Stratton Mountain School) as the 2017 Don A. Metivier Golden Ski Award winners.

Since 1969, NASJA-East (formerly the Eastern Ski Writers Association) has awarded the Don A. Metivier Golden Ski Award to the most promising male and female junior alpine racers in the eastern U.S each season.

Patricia Mangan (right) finished third in the 2017 U.S. Alpine Championships. (U.S. Ski Team-Reese Brown)

Patricia Mangan

Patricia Mangan, a member of the U.S. Ski Team C Team, had her Audi FIS Ski World Cup debut in November at Killington. Among her season highlights, she stood on six NorAm podiums and took the overall super G and alpine combined NorAm titles. Mangan also made the Junior World Championships team and finished top 20 in the giant slalom. Wrapping up the season, she was third in the U.S. Alpine Championships GS. Mangan is also a biomedical engineering student at Dartmouth College. 

George Steffey races in the 2016 U.S. Alpine Champs. (U.S. Ski Team)

George Steffey

George Steffey, a member of the U.S. Ski Team D Team, also had a strong season, finishing eighth in slalom and 16^th overall in NorAm rankings. He also qualified for the World Junior Championships team, taking 11^th place in the slalom after starting 49^th. He finished his year taking 11^th at the U.S. Alpine Championships giant slalom, making him the 2017 junior national champion in GS. Steffey is also a student at Dartmouth College.

“The Golden Ski Award is the oldest honor given to junior alpine ski racers that exists today,” says Jim Gregory, Chair of the NASJA-East Golden Ski Award Committee. “We are proud this year to honor Patricia Mangan and George Steffey, two extraordinary athletes, and we look forward to watching them pursue their goals and set the bar even higher in the sport we all love so much.”

The Golden Ski Award is named it in memory of long-time snow-sports journalist Don A. Metivier, former editor of Ski Racing Magazine. The awards will be presented at a reception at the New England Ski Museum on Friday, June 9th from 5 to 7 p.m. ET.

Previous Golden Ski Award Winners:

1969: Tyler Palmer, Karen Middleton 
1970: Charles Bent, Karen Middleton 
1971: Rod Taylor, Judy McNealus
1972: Laurent Gaudin, Jody Palmer 
1973: Jerry McNealus, no female winner 
1974: No award
1975: Scott Light, Holly Flanders 
1976-2007: Award lost
2008: Bump Heldman, Julia Ford
2009: Nolan Kasper, Julia Ford
2010: Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Julia Ford 
2011: Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Mikaela Shiffrin 
2012: Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Mikaela Shiffrin 
2013: Kieffer Christianson, Mikaela Shiffrin 
2014: Sam Morse, Alice Merryweather 
2015: Drew Duffy, Nina O’Brien
2016: Ben Ritchie, Cecily Decker

PARK CITY, UT (May 3, 2017) – U.S. Cross Country Ski Team head women’s coach Matt Whitcomb and Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club’s Nichole Mason have been named 2017 International and Domestic Coach of the Year by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association. Whitcomb and Mason, along with 11 other domestic and international coaches, will be formally recognized at the Chairman’s Awards Dinner on May 11 during the annual USSA Congress in Park City.

Whitcomb, who will also be recognized as International Cross Country Coach of the Year, has played an integral role in the women’s World Cup success over the past few seasons. His athletes brought home three medals from the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships and skied to seven World Cup podiums during the 2016-17 season.

“I am humbled to be selected for this award and am honored to represent the many factors behind our success,” said Whitcomb. “We’ve drawn a remarkable hand of athletes, graded not on talent but on courage. The strengths and weaknesses of every athlete on this team are played face up. They don’t pretend to be best friends. They focus on being best teammates who share a common goal. That vulnerability takes remarkable courage and is a factory for respect and getting results. Thank you to everyone that ever lifted a finger for our team.”

Since joining Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club three years ago, Mason has worked with many of AVSC’s upper-level athletes, including U.S. Snowboarding team member and World Cup winner Chris Corning. This season she was invited to coach at the FIS Snowboard Junior World Championships and bring home three medals. Mason is a level 300 certified coach, a member of USSA’s Snowboard Coach Education Committee and recently started leading Level 100 snowboard clinics.

“It’s a big honor to be recognized for the work we’ve done at Aspen,” said Mason. “I’ve watched other coaches win this award, taking note of what they did in order achieve their success. If you are a good person and you create a comfortable environment for your athletes, they are going to be able to put their best foot forward and be successful. I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me through my journey, especially my family and Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club.”

Mike Day (U.S. Alpine Ski Team), Tony McAllister (U.S. Paralympic Team), Todd Ossian (U.S. Freestyle Ski Team), Peter O’Brien (U.S. Freeskiing), Bine Norcic (USA Nordic, and Mike Ramirez (U.S. Snowboarding) will also receive International Coach of the Year honors. Domestic Coach of the Year honorees include Mike Morin (Stratton Mountain School), Erik Leirfallom (National Ability Center), Bryan Fish (U.S. Cross Country Ski Team), Kate Blamey (Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club), Jeremie Livingston (Winter Park), and Zac Hammill (Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage).

“All our domestic and international coaches play a key role in helping the USSA achieve our vision of being Best in the World,” said Jon Casson, USSA director of sport education. “Each of this year’s Coach of the Year winners has demonstrated their personal commitment to excellence and to executing their responsibilities effectively, creatively and passionately. Their individual wins and collective support of skiing and snowboarding is an asset to our entire organization.”

The USSA Coach of the Year awards recognize outstanding contributions by a coach to development and international programs resulting in high-level performance. Coaches of the year are recognized for their leadership, commitment, sport knowledge and passion, including proven ability to foster athletic excellence amongst their constituents or teams. Additional information on the USSA awards process can be found at ussa.org.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The USSA has recognized 14 international and domestic coaches for its 2017 Coach of the Year awards.
• U.S. Cross Country Ski Team head women’s coach Matt Whitcomb has been awarded overall International Coach of the Year as well as Cross Country Coach of the Year.
• Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club’s Nichole Mason has been awarded overall Domestic Coach of the Year as well as Snowboarding Coach of the Year.
• International Coach of the Year recipients include Mike Day (U.S. Alpine Ski Team), Tony McAllister (U.S. Paralympic Team), Todd Ossian (U.S. Freestyle Ski Team), Peter O’Brien (U.S. Freeskiing) and Mike Ramirez (U.S. Snowboarding).
• Domestic Coach of the Year recipients include Mike Morin (Stratton Mountain School), Erik Leirfallom (National Ability Center), Bryan Fish (U.S. Cross Country Ski Team), Kate Blamey (Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club), Jeremie Livingston (Winter Park) and Zac Hammill (Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage).
• All coaches will be formally recognized at the Chairman’s Awards Dinner on May 11 during the annual USSA Congress.

QUOTES

Matt Whitcomb, U.S. Cross Country Ski Team
I am humbled to be selected for this award and am honored to represent the many factors behind our success. We’ve drawn a remarkable hand of athletes, graded not on talent but on courage. The strengths and weaknesses of every athlete on this team are played face up. They don’t pretend to be best friends. They focus on being best teammates who share a common goal. That vulnerability takes remarkable courage and is a factory for respect and getting results. Thank you to everyone that ever lifted a finger for our team.

Nichole Mason, Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club
It’s a big honor to be recognized for the work we’ve done at Aspen. I’ve watched other coaches win this award, taking note of what they did in order achieve their success. If you are a good person and you create a comfortable environment for your athletes, they are going to be able to put their best foot forward and be successful. I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me through my journey, especially my family and Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club.

Jon Casson, Director of Sport Education, USSA
All our domestic and international coaches play a key role in helping the USSA achieve our vision of being Best in the World. Each of this year’s Coach of the Year winners has demonstrated their personal commitment to excellence and to executing their responsibilities effectively, creatively and passionately. Their individual wins and collective support of skiing and snowboarding is an asset to our entire organization.

2017 COACH OF THE YEAR AWARDS

USSA International/Cross Country International Coach of the Year - Matt Whitcomb
Matt Whitcomb has played an integral role in the success of the U.S. women’s cross country team. Over the past three seasons, he’s helped the team land 17 World Cup podiums and five World Championship medals. Whitcomb has worked closely with USSA staff, sport committees and partners to ensure that the entire cross country team has a support system that reaches far beyond those on the side of the trails that has resulted in a strong team culture. This is his first time winning overall coach of the year and third time winning cross country coach of the year.

USSA Domestic/Snowboarding Domestic Coach of the Year - Nichole Mason
Nichole Mason is one of the few female coaches working at a high level within snowboarding.  She has an exceptional talent of cultivating athletes and helping them meet their goals. Mason is a level 300 certified coach, a member of USSA’s Snowboard Coach Education Committee and recently started leading Level 100 snowboard clinics.

Mike Day - Alpine International Coach of the Year
Mike Day’s work with Mikaela Shiffrin has resulted in Shiffrin becoming one of the best female skiers of all time. During the 2016-17 season, Shiffrin landed 14 World Cup podiums, her fourth slalom title and the overall title.

Mike Morin - Alpine Domestic Coach of the Year
Morin has been an instrumental part of the domestic race scene for the past 20 years, working with athletes from the grassroots to the World Cup. His work with the U16 athletes at Stratton Mountain School resulted in multiple athletes qualifying for the Seven Nations Cup and U16 Nationals. SMS alumna Alice Merryweather brought home the gold in downhill at the 2017 FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships. A level 500 certified coach, Morin is involved on the Vermont Alpine Development committee, the Eastern Development Committee (former Chair), the National Development Committee (current chair) and is a member of the U16 and older working group.

Tony McAllister - Adaptive International Coach of the Year
McAllister brings years of experience in the sport and supports his athletes every minute of the day. Prior to joining the U.S. Paralympic Team in 2014, he worked with the men’s British alpine team and the British Paralympic ski team. Successes achieved by McAllister and his team this season include two men’s globes in super G and downhill, and five World Championship medals, including a men’s downhill gold.

Erik Leirfallom - Adaptive Domestic Coach of the Year
In his first season at the National Ability Center in Park City, UT, Erik Leirfallom called on his own experience as the former IPC World Cup alpine race director to prepare his athletes for their future on the U.S. Paralympic Team. He was previously recognized as the USSA International Adaptive Coach of the Year in 2011.

Bryan Fish - Cross Country Domestic Coach of the Year
Bryan Fish led an effort in 2016 to bring top junior cross country skiers to the Center of Excellence for testing and training that resulted in three of those athletes bringing home medals from the 2017 FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships. It was the first time any U.S. skiers had won a medal. As team leader, Fish worked to ensure the highest level of service for all athletes at Junior Worlds. He also supports summer development camps to help prepare the next generation of cross country skiers.

Todd Ossian - Freestyle International Coach of the Year
Todd Ossian has brought the sport of aerials in the United States to a level not seen in 15-20 years. He redeveloped the aerials development pipeline and has helped the national team bring home two Nations Cups and two gold medals at the 2017 FIS Freestyle Ski World Championships. This is the second year in a row Ossian has won Freestyle International Coach of the Year.

Kate Blamey - Freestyle Domestic Coach of the Year
As a women’s moguls coach for Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, Kate Blamey delivers an athlete-centric development program and has created an atmosphere of hard work and excellence. She has a strong understanding of skiing fundamentals – delivering high-quality programming that is very specific and detailed per each athlete.

Peter O’Brien - Freeskiing International Coach of the Year
Peter O’Brien has lead the U.S. Freeskiing rookie team to new heights. His athletes have landed multiple domestic and international podiums, including a World Cup win and two medals at the 2017 FIS Freestyle Junior World Ski Championships.

Jeremie Livingston - Freeskiing Domestic Coach of the Year
Jeremie Livingston has been a coach at Winter Park for over 10 years. He has helped build the program and coached athletes such as Birk and Svea Irving, who are both on the national team. He has helped coach at Junior Worlds and U.S. Freeskiing Project Gold Camps.

Bine Norcic - Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined International Coach of the Year
In his fourth year with USA Nordic, Bine Norcic continued to progress the success of the U.S. ski jumping team. Notable achievements from the 2016-17 season include a best-ever seventh place from Kevin Bickner at the Summer Grand Prix, a new U.S. jump record of 244.5 meters by Bickner and the qualification of four team members for the large hill event at the 2017 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Bine continues to improve the culture of U.S. ski jumping and is raising the bar with regards to expectations. He is also at the forefront of technology and has brought in innovators to move the U.S. forward in the areas of suit design, sport science and ski and wax preparation. 

Zak Hammill - Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined Domestic Coach of the Year
Zak Hammill has been the ski jumping coach for the Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage for the last four years. During that time, the number of athletes has reached an all-time high of 70 junior jumpers. In addition to coaching, Hammill was integral in the construction project, which put plastic on all the hills and now allows for year-round ski jumping. As a result of these efforts, athletes have improved dramatically and Alaska qualified the first girl in Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage (NSAA) history for ski jumping junior nationals this year.

Mike Ramirez - Snowboarding International Coach of the Year
As the U.S. Snowboarding slopestyle coach, Mike Ramirez has created a cohesive and dominate team. His group of young athletes have all had success at the highest levels, including multiple World Cup podiums and X Games medals.

PARK CITY, UT (May 2, 2017) – The Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC) has been named the 2017 Club of the Year by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association. This is the fourth time the club has achieved the honor. SSWSC will be will be formally recognized at the Chairman’s Awards Dinner on May 11 during the annual USSA Congress in Park City.

USSA Gold Club certified Stratton Mountain School is receiving Cross Country Club of the Year, Buffalo Ski Club is receiving Freestyle Club of the Year and Team Park City United is receiving Freeskiing Club of the Year.

In addition to receiving the overall USSA Club of the Year award, the USSA Gold Club certified SSWSC is also being awarded Club of the Year in alpine, ski jumping/nordic combined and snowboarding.

The Steamboat club received the very first USSA Club of the Year award in 1998 and most recently won the honor in 2007.

“We are humbled and honored to receive these awards from the USSA," said SSWSC Executive Director Jim Boyne. "They are a testament to the terrific work that our team has accomplished and their commitment and passion to helping our athletes achieve their goals. Our staff, volunteer coaches, athletes, parents, community supporters and venue partners can all be proud of our collective success.”  

The SSWSC seeks to “Create Champions, on and off the Mountain” and provides training and youth development to approximately 1,000 athletes every year in the sports of alpine, cross country, freeskiing, freestyle, nordic combined, ski jumping, snowboard, telemark and other areas. Serving tens of thousands of youth for more than a century, the club is one of the oldest and most successful in North America, producing 88 Olympians with 151 Olympic appearances. More information is available online at SSWSC.org.

“Strong support of athletes, and overall sport and club development, fuels the success of our top USSA clubs,” said USSA Club Development Manager Ellen Adams. “This year’s honorees for Club of the Year have demonstrated their commitment to these elements and, as a result, have seen strong athletic and organizational performance at every level. We congratulate this year’s winners on their achievements.”

The Club of the Year awards are presented to USSA member clubs in each sport that have distinguished themselves in providing direction to young athletes through high-level competition programs resulting in athletic success. Selection is managed by the USSA athletic management team with voting carried out by the USSA awards committee. Additional information on the USSA awards process can be found at ussa.org.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The USSA has recognized four member clubs as 2017 USSA Clubs of the Year.
• Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club has been awarded overall Club of the Year as well as the Alpine, Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined and Snowboarding Club of the Year. It was the fourth time Steamboat has been honored with the award.
• Stratton Mountain School has been awarded Cross Country Club of the Year
• Buffalo Ski Club has been awarded Freestyle Club of the Year.
• Team Park City United has been awarded Freeskiing Club of the Year.
• Club of the Year awards are presented to clubs who have distinguished themselves in providing direction to young athletes through high-level competition programs resulting in athletic success.
• Club of the Year recipients will be formally recognized at the Chairman’s Awards Dinner on May 11 during the annual USSA Congress.

QUOTES

Jim Boyne, Executive Director, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
We are humbled and honored to receive these awards from the USSA. They are a testament to the terrific work that our team has accomplished and their commitment and passion to helping our athletes achieve their goals. Our staff, volunteer coaches, athletes, parents, community supporters and venue partners can all be proud of our collective success.

Ellen Adams, Club Development Manager, USSA
Strong support of athletes and sport development fuels the success of our top USSA clubs. This year’s honorees for Club of the Year have demonstrated their commitment to these elements and, as a results, have seen strong athletic results at every level. We congratulate this year’s winners on their achievements.

2017 CLUB OF THE YEAR AWARDS
USSA Club of the Year - Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
The Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club was honored for an unprecedented fourth time as USSA Club of the Year. Recognized in the alpine, snowboarding and ski jumping/nordic combined Club of the Year categories, SSWSC has seen athletic success across a multitude of its programs this season. As a gold certified USSA club, SSWSC has worked continuously to improve its programs and implement best practices. SSWSC has received the Club of the Year award three times prior, in 2007, 2004 and 1998.

Alpine Club of the Year - Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
The SSWSC alpine program demonstrated tremendous growth and performance over the past season. Under the leadership of Adam Chadbourne and a group of highly accomplished and dedicated coaches, SSWSC athletes achieved success at every level. Additionally, SSWSC hosted innovative events including skills competitions, unique dual formats and a memorable U14 Regional Championship held during exceptionally challenging conditions. The culture of determination and teamwork is pervasive throughout the SSWSC program, undoubtedly contributing to their continued accomplishments.

Cross Country Club of the Year - Stratton Mountain School
Stratton Mountain School athletes saw success at the national and international level this season. Currently, half of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team athletes are from SMS. At the 2017 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Jessie Diggins claimed two medals, a silver in the freestyle sprint and a bronze in the team classic sprint. Diggins also represented SMS at the 2017 U.S. National Championships, taking home the sprint title and a win in the 30k. SMS athletes Erika Flowers and Katherine Odgen also podiumed at Nationals, and SMS won the mixed gender relay. Four SMS athletes participated in the 2017 FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships and landed seven top-10 finishes, including bronze medals from Ogden and Julia Kern.

Freeskiing Club of the Year - Team Park City United
Team Park City United, under the leadership of Chris (“Hatch”) Haslock, fielded 21 athletes at the 2017 Junior National Championships, landing 34 podiums and winning 15 age groups across halfpipe, slopestyle and big air. It had podium finishes at multiple Revolution Tour stops and fielded athletes in all four groups at USASA Nationals. U.S. Freeskiing member and Team Park City United alum Alex Hall made his first X Games appearance. The club had a fantastic season from a skills development standpoint, with impressive results from athletes just starting park and pipe all the way up to its elite athletes.

Freestyle Club of the Year - Buffalo Ski Club
Buffalo Ski Club has grown from a handful of athletes to over 30 between its non-competitive club development program and its competitive program. Through fundraising, the club has re-purposed two main runs this year and created infrastructure including dedicated snowmaking, a mogul course and an aerials site. Buffalo Ski Club now hosts an annual moguls event in addition to an aerials event. It has athletes ranked in the top 10 in all three freestyle disciplines, and 10 of its athletes qualified and were invited to compete at 2017 Junior National Championships.

Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined Club of the Year - Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
SSWSC currently has three ski jumping coaches who are Level 100 certified. Under the leadership of Todd Wilson, SSWSC set a new internal record for athletes in its ski jumping and nordic combined program, making it one of the largest clubs in the country. SSWSC qualified three athletes for the 2017 FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships and took home six titles at the 2017 Junior National Championships.

Snowboarding Club of the Year - Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
Under the leadership of Tori Koski, SSWSC’s snowboarding program has achieved tremendous success on the local, regional, national and international stages spanning slopestyle, halfpipe, snowboardcross and racing. The program’s commitment to its athletes has resulted in a strong, motivated and successful snowboarding community. Together with the Steamboat Ski Area, the SSWSC pitched in to keep the halfpipe open. Koski and her staff worked with the City of Steamboat Springs to revamp and enhance its terrain park, improving training opportunities for SSWSC athletes while also providing enhanced access to the community.

From local ski hills to the PyeongChang Olympics, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) encompasses all athletes that share a passion for skiing and snowboarding. We explore what makes each skier and rider a champion with stories from the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboarding and U.S. Freeskiing, next to kids winning a NASTAR medal, landing their first cork 7 or joining a club team. Alongside USSA’s mascot Champ, take a look at how all of these athletes strive to be Best in the World.

As we continue to explore what makes USSA athletes champions, we’re learning more than we ever expected. To be a champion is holistic – it goes beyond the medals and the titles. It’s someone with great character and an undying belief in themselves; it’s someone who loves their sport with an unmatched passion—whether they’re still actively pursuing it or not. We are honored to share these stories with you. In this installation, Alpine Press Officer Megan Harrod sits down with new U.S. Ski Team alumna, Leanne Smith, to discuss retirement and her thoughts on #WhatMakesAChamp.

Witness Leanne Smith (North Conway, NH) cruise along downhill inspection and you’ll notice she does it with a focus and determination in her gaze and an aura of quiet confidence characteristic of most veterans on the Audi FIS World Cup circuit. However, throw a “hello” in Smith’s direction and you’d be amazed what you receive in return. Because you see, Smith doesn’t only have pairs on pairs of Rossignol skis in her quiver—she has an unmatched smile and a deep, genuine warmth to go along with those speed boards. She'll stop, flash that signature Leanne Smith grin at you and ask you how your brother's dog is doing. Or how your holiday break was. Because you're more than a teammate or a competitor. You're family. 

Leanne Smith (bottom right) poses with the women's speed team before the 2016-17 season. (U.S. Ski Team)

Fiercely loyal, friendly and a fighter, east-coaster Smith has endured her fair share of joys and hardships in a 10-year career that features two World Cup podiums—second in Val D’Isere (2012) and third in Cortina (2013)—and, more importantly, one gigantic and tight-knit ski family. And that is what she’ll miss most as she announces her retirement and moves on to the next adventure. 

“I’ll definitely miss my teammates,” she reflected. “They've become family. Given the environment of life on the World Cup, we are around each other pretty much constantly. You are training, you are competing and you couldn't be living any closer together. But these are the people you are making the memories with and the people that helped you get there.”

Leanne Smith (bottom left) with her Junior Meister teammates at Cranmore. 

On skis at six, Smith skied at New Hampshire's Cranmore Mountain Resort, the heralded Mount Washington Valley ski area made famous when instructional legend Hannes Schneider arrived there from Austria in 1938. Smith skied for Cranmore’s race team until she entered Kennett High School, where she continued racing and moved to the Mount Washington Valley Ski Team. Following high school, she spent the 2006-07 year at University of New Hampshire before taking leave for winter 2007 to join the U.S. Ski Team on the development team. She then erupted, having a breakout season as a double NorAm champion in both super G and the overall—catapulting her to the World Cup level.

Leanne Smith, Chelsea Marshall and Keely Kelleher in the finish in St. Moritz in Smith's rookie season. (U.S. Ski Team)

In her rookie season with the team in 2008, she scored points in four World Cup races, including points in her very first World Cup start, which happened to be the first downhill of the 2008 season, finishing 23rd. From there, she kept the fire rolling.

In her career, she’s been on the World Cup podium twice—an experience most World Cup athletes only dream of. She was on two World Championship teams and has three top-20 World Championship results, including a 12th in the downhill in Schladming in 2013. She’s a two-time Olympian, with two top 20 Olympic results to her name. And, it’s her Olympic experiences that she’ll hold closest to her heart as she moves forward.

Leanne Smith skis in the Sochi Olympics. (Getty Images-Ezra Shaw)

“I have great memories of every stage of my career, but if I had to choose I would say the Olympics,” Smith said. “It is the pinnacle for every athlete. A medal would’ve been unbelievable, but just being there and representing the United States with thousands of other athletes, from all over the world, is something special. It’s probably the first thing that comes to mind since most little ones dream of being Olympians.”

(l-r) Megan McJames, Leanne Smith, Julia Mancuso, Laurenne Ross and Jessica Kelley at the 2010 U.S. Alpine Champs. (U.S. Ski Team)

Smith’s also noted an extreme gratitude for the lifestyle she experienced while traveling on the circuit. She is thankful to have traveled to some of the most beautiful places in the world to do a job she loved and had such a strong passion for. She'll miss the views, the different cultures and the chaos of traveling around the world to compete. She realizes more than most that it’s a gift to experience the chaos, because along with the pandemonium came beautiful moments, faces and places.

Plagued with injuries at the end of her career, Smith sat out much of the 2015 and 2016 seasons, spending time in Park City working hard at the Center of Excellence. It was blood, sweat, and tears for Smith—literally—as she made a comeback to the World Cup circuit in 2017. Talk about a fighter. Not surprisingly, she admits injuries are the most challenging thing about the sport.

The journey to the podium is no easy feat. It takes hard work. Smith acknowledges that it takes something special to stand on the podium, especially when everyone is pushing hard to achieve their dreams. For her, it was not solely the work on snow, but also the hard work off snow that helped her get there. A large part of that work included the mental aspect of the sport.

The women's U.S. Ski Team celebrates on the podium with Leanne Smith after her second place finish in the Val d'Isere downhill. (U.S. Ski Team)

“I was always trying to build confidence so my skiing could become automatic,” reflected Smith. “That’s the hardest thing to keep consistent as a ski racer. But, there is no doubt that when you find it, with a clear head, that is when you will most likely get to that top level.”

Above all else, Smith realized the importance of loving what you do in life, and she hopes to carry that same enjoyment into her next endeavor.

“Ski racing was very stressful at times, but the great days made it all worthwhile,” said Smith. “Hopefully whatever I choose next won't have my blood pressure so high so many days of the year. But we will see.”

(l-r) Leanne Smith, Julia Mancuso, Laurenne Ross stand atop the 2012 U.S. Alpine Champs podium. (U.S. Ski Team)

What’s next for Smith? She’ll join the mastermind behind the American Downhiller concept Marco Sullivan and an all-star staff of current and former U.S. Ski Team athletes and coaches to pave the way for future generations of downhillers at a camp in May. Also involved will be Daron Rahlves, Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT), Alice McKennis (New Castle, CO), Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, CA), former U.S. Ski Team World Cup downhill coaches Chris Brigham and newly appointed men’s head speed coach Johno McBride.

What sets this camp apart, in Smith’s words? “I am excited to work with guys like Marco, that have so much knowledge and experience,” said Smith. “These guys are all legends on the speed side. It will be great to hear their thoughts and understand concepts that they have been successful with. I don't know if I have seen a camp that has more talented skiers and coaches in one place.”

Lindsey Vonn and Leanne Smith after finishing first and third in the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup downhill in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. (U.S. Ski Team)

Smith ended her career with the U.S. Ski Team at the U.S. Alpine Championships in Sugarloaf, Maine quietly. We asked Smith our three questions on what she believes makes a champion, and her message is one to be shared.

U.S. SKI TEAM: In your words, what makes a champion?
Leanne Smith: A champion is someone who overcomes a challenge even when all odds are stacked against them, and someone who has persevered through the lowest of lows to triumph over an obstacle. 

A champion is a humble winner, a gracious loser and a good teammate. It is hard to be all three. 

U.S. SKI TEAM: Do you remember the first time you felt like a champion?
LS: It all began with NASTAR pins, Junior Meisters on Friday nights, black leggings, Chuck Roast fleece vests and glasses under the goggles. 

U.S. SKI TEAM: What is the biggest piece of advice you have for young athletes who want to be sitting where you are today?
LS: Having fun with what you're doing is the most important thing. Work hard and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. 

Leanne's tech Ales Sopotnik works on her skis. (U.S. Ski Team)

After a 10-year career, Leanne would like to thank the following:

Her family and friends: "I would like to thank my family, and friends who believed in me from day one. You all made any success I had that much more enjoyable." (Leanne would also like to give a shout-out and BIG thank you to her longtime serviceman Ales Sopotnik, whom she described as a sidekick, a trusted counselor, a "big brother" and a friend, and whom she probably trusted more than anyone else out on the mountain.)

Her sponsors: "I wouldn’t have made it very far without my sponsors: Rossignol, Lange, POC, Swix, Reusch, Cranmore Mountain and Coleman’s. You guys stuck with me through everything, including the injuries. Thanks for having my back and supporting me throughout my career."

Her coaches: "Thank you to my coaches. You know who you are." 

The "Reusch Speed Unicorns" (l-r: Alice McKennis, Jackie Wiles, Leanne Smith, Laurenne Ross and Stacey Cook) goof off after a bike ride. 

Some Parting Love from the Reusch Speed Unicorns:

Stacey Cook
Leanne is one of the most talented athletes I have ever met. She would blow us away with her ability in training and I credit her with pushing me so much to keep up. She's fiery, fun and real—and will be a great friend for life, which is a true gift from this sport to me. 

Jackie Wiles
Leanne is a tough badass that can make anybody laugh. I was lucky enough that Leanne's last four years on the U.S. Ski Team were my first. Striving to one day make it to the team, she is someone I watched intently on the World Cup circuit because I absolutely loved watching her ski. She is such an amazing skier with a tenacious attitude. I learned a lot from Leanne about being true to myself. Cherishing the wonderful, lifelong friendship that has come from these past years, I will really miss her fun-loving, jokester energy on tour. I'm sure whatever endeavors she pursues next, she will be successful. Cheers to a very triumphant career that she should be most proud of! P.S. Lots of love. Go Seahawks.

Alice McKennis
Leanne has always been a skier I have admired from the time I was a young athlete. I remember meeting her at a camp in Mammoth a million years ago and instantly knowing she was an athlete to be reckoned with. Her drive on the mountain was always so fearless and I admired that from the beginning. I remember so many times inspecting with her in training and she always chose the line with the most risk; she was never afraid to push the limit and take that chance. Times when I was uncertain, she always had the confidence to take that risk. So many times it paid off. Many times it didn't, but it was her willingness to push hard that made her one of the best super-G skiers on the circuit for several years. 

As a person, Leanne has always been one of the first to crack a joke, have some fun and truly enjoy every aspect of the sport. She has never been one to miss out on an adventure or opportunity to experience something new on tour. It was an admirable asset to an athlete in a sport where we all can easily become so trapped in only focusing on the results and performances.

Seeing how hard she fought to come back from a really horrific injury, the times she tried to fight through the pain, fight through it all, and how close she came to getting back is an inspiration to me. People may not know her full story or what she went through, but I saw so much of it, I can't even describe the will it must have taken to continue when odds were stacked against her. She gave everything to come back and left no stone unturned. She can walk away knowing she succeeded in that regard. Thinking back to all the times I have shared with Leanne on tour and as friends, it truly brings tears to my eyes. She is such a big personality that I will miss every day in training, grinding and working away. I will miss her devilish smile, always ready to line one of us up for a joke or tease. I wish Leanne all the best and have no doubt she will take her tenacity into something else and find success and happiness. 

Laurenne Ross
Since the moment I met Leanne, I knew I wanted to be her friend. She has always made me laugh, made me think and she has definitely made me a better skier. Her talent and touch for the snow is a wonderful combination to witness -- at her best, Leanne is the most graceful and fun-to-watch skier on the World Cup. She will be missed by our team and by all on the circuit.

DON’T MISS OUT – ONLY TWO SPOTS LEFT…
Make sure to register for the American Downhiller camp from May 16-21 for ages U14-U21. If those dates don't work for you, three-time Olympian and current U.S. Ski Team athlete Stacey Cook also hosts her “Chix on Stix” camp at Mammoth from April 29-30.

Confidence, excitement and nerves fueled Alice Merryweather (Hingham, MA) to take gold at the FIS World Junior Championships in Are, Sweden this season—a perfect highlight to an already impressive season.

See how New England skiing helped Merryweather get her start, how her brother—a former captain of the Harvard ski team—influenced her career and her goals for the future in the Boston Globe piece, U.S. Ski Team’s Alice Merryweather Speeding Toward Prominence.

Since the 2016-17 World Cup season wrapped, Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) has been back in Colorado, skiing at her home resorts of Vail and Beaver Creek. Last week, Vail Daily’s on-snow correspondent Ross Leonhart rode the chairlift with Shiffrin between training runs to talk about the season, meeting Morgan Freeman, her other passions apart from ski racing and love of Taylor Swift on Beaver Creek’s Centennial Express.  

Resi Stiegler has been an ever-present character on the World Cup circuit for the last 15 years—from racing her first World Cup at the age of 17 to nabbing multiple top 10s in the past two seasons. And while she’s had many setbacks throughout her career, her energy and enthusiasm are contagious. She talked with POWDER Magazine’s Nausicaa Cast about how living a happy, well-rounded life aids her ski racing journey.

LISTEN TO NAUSICAA CAST WITH RESI STIEGLER.

PARK CITY, UT (April 7, 2017) — Former U.S. Ski Team coaches John “Johno” McBride and Chip White will both return to the U.S. Alpine Ski Team for the Olympic season. McBride will take over as head men’s speed coach and White will step in as head women’s speed coach, while present Men’s Head Speed Coach Alex Hoedlmoser returns to the women’s alpine speed team, specifically to support Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO).

Heading into the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic year, the Team has made changes to bring extensive coaching experience and familiarity to the men’s and women’s World Cup speed teams.

This isn’t Aspen Valley Ski Club (AVSC) alumnus and current head coach McBride’s first rodeo with the U.S. Ski Team. McBride started with the U.S. Ski Team as a speed coach in the 1990s and is perhaps best known for his tenure as Bode Miller’s (Franconia, NH) coach during the two seasons when Miller won the overall World Cup title as well as his medal performances in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. McBride followed that up with a four-year stint as a speed coach with Alpine Canada before spending the last two years with AVSC.

A longtime resident of Mammoth Lakes, CA, White was first welcomed into the U.S. Ski Team family in 1990 as a project coach with the men's speed team. He joined the women's speed team in 1996, spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach, before being promoted to women's speed head coach after the 2010 Olympic season through the 2014 Sochi Olympic season. Most recently, White has served as head coach for Mammoth Mountain Ski and Snowboard Team.

During his stint with the U.S. Ski Team, White coached one of the most successful women’s speed teams, grabbing 122 World Cup podiums, 13 World Cup titles, 10 World Championship medals and six Olympic medals. White led all six members of his World Cup team to the podium during the 2013 season.

Chris Knight, Chip White, Alex Hoedlmoser and staff stand on the podium in Lake Louise with Lindsey Vonn and Stacey Cook after the women's team finished 1-2 twice in 2012. (Roger Witney)

Hoedlmoser, who has been with the U.S. Ski Team for 20 years, will return to the women’s program, bringing vast knowledge to the women’s speed team. Hoedlmoser will work specifically with Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn, supporting coach Chris Knight— who will continue to drive Vonn’s program. With this change, the U.S. Ski Team aims to provide strong support to Vonn in her quest for Olympic gold and endeavor to surpass Swede Ingemar Stenmark’s record of 86 victories and become the winningest alpine ski racer of all time.

Chip White, Alex Hoedlmoser and women's speed staff pose with Lindsey Vonn after securing her third-straight World Cup downhill crystal globe in 2010. (U.S. Ski Team)

Assistant Coach Karin Harjo, who made history when she became the first female coach to set an Audi FIS Ski World Cup slalom course in 2016 at Flachau, Austria, will make the move from the women’s technical side to the women’s speed side. Harjo has worked with many of the women’s speed team athletes during her tenure as a Western Region coach prior to her role with the U.S. Ski Team. Assistant Coach Jim Pollock will move from the women’s speed side to the women’s technical side.

All of the coaches will officially assume their new role with the U.S. Ski Team for the first prep period camps of the season in May.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Chip White will return as women’s speed head coach and John "Johno" McBride will return to the men’s program as men’s speed head coach.
• Alex Hoedlmoser will move from men’s speed to women’s speed, working specifically with Lindsey Vonn, supporting coach Chris Knight, who drives the program.
• Karin Harjo will move from women’s tech to women’s speed as assistant coach, while Jim Pollock will move from women’s speed to women’s tech as assistant coach.
• All of the coaches will officially assume their new role with the U.S. Ski Team for the first prep period camps of the season in May.

QUOTES

Patrick Riml, Alpine Director
We look forward to the return of Johno and Chip to the U.S. Ski Team. Both coaches have extensive experience at the World Cup level and have worked with many of our top athletes, and I believe they will help steer our speed teams in the right direction as we sharpen our focus on the PyeongChang Olympic Games. Alex Hoedlmoser’s return to the women’s speed team, supporting Chris Knight, is invaluable as Lindsey attempts to break Ingemar Stenmark’s World Cup win record of 86 victories.