Day Returns to Coach U.S. Ski Team

PARK CITY, UT (July 18, 2016) – The U.S. Ski Team has announced that Mike Day, current head men’s coach at Green Mountain Valley School (GMVS), will make a return to the U.S. Ski Team to serve as women’s head coach, working specifically with Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin. 

A coach in various capacities for more than 15 years, Day previously coached Ted Ligety (Park City, UT), who became a world champion and won two World Cup giant slalom titles during Day’s tenure with the men’s technical team from 2010 to 2013.

The announcement was made by Alpine Director Patrick Riml. GMVS has a tradition of excellence in staffing and a track record of success with their athletes. Earlier this month former women’s head technical coach Brandon Dyksterhouse, a GMVS alum and former GMVS head men’s coach, resigned from his coaching role with the U.S. Ski Team. According to Riml, the U.S. Ski Team is looking forward to continuing this momentum with Day. He will join a staff that includes Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeff Lackie.

Day will assume his coaching position officially on July 18, and will join the Team in New Zealand for the first on-snow training camp of the season at the end of the month. The U.S. Ski Team is still seeking an additional coach for their women’s World Cup technical program.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Mike Day, current GMVS head men’s coach and former U.S. Ski Team head men’s technical coach, will join the U.S. Ski Team’s women’s technical staff as head coach, working specifically with Mikaela Shiffrin.
• Day’s coaching resume began with Carrabassett Valley Academy—where he was once a student athlete—before he went on to coach the Park City Ski Team.
• In 2002, Day worked with the U.S. Ski Team as a coach through the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, returning after the season’s end to the Park City Ski Team.
• Day gained great understanding of the material side of alpine skiing in his six years as national alpine race director at Fischer Sports USA.
• In 2010, Day joined the U.S. Ski Team as men’s head coach, where he coached Ted Ligety to four World Championship titles and two World Cup giant slalom globes during his tenure with the men’s technical team.
• Day is now in his third season at GMVS as men’s head coach. Doug Williams, former USSA Coach of the Year award recipient, will assume the role as interim head coach at GMVS. Williams also coached USSA’s CEO Tiger Shaw in the past.
• The U.S. Ski Team is still seeking an additional coach for their women’s World Cup technical program.

QUOTES

Mike Day, Women’s Head Tech Coach
I am excited to be back with the U.S. Ski Team. Mikaela is an amazing talent and an inspiring person. I look forward to joining her exceptional team next week in New Zealand.

GMVS is a very special place and I have truly enjoyed my time there. My family and I will miss being part of the GMVS community.

Patrick Riml, U.S. Ski Team Alpine Director
Mike Day is an experienced leader and great coach who has worked very successfully with the U.S. Ski Team in the past, as well as with GMVS, one of the leading academy programs in America. He made a difference for the Team in the past, especially with Ted Ligety. It will be great to have an American coach back in the system. We are thankful to Steve Utter and GMVS for the support as Mike transitions to our program to coach Mikaela Shiffrin in this important Olympic cycle.

Steve Utter, Alpine Program Director, GMVS
The selection of Mike Day to be Mikaela’s primary coach reflects positively on our system at GMVS and our staffing. GMVS is honored that Mike will be part of a team charged with steering Mikaela's training and competition plan leading up to the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang. He is an outstanding coach and we wish him the best in this exciting venture.