The Office of the Athlete Ombuds offers independent, confidential advice to elite athletes regarding their rights and responsibilities in the Olympic and Paralympic Movement, and assists athletes with a broad range of questions, disputes, complaints, and concerns.
U.S. Ski & Snowboard mourns the passing of FIS President Gian Franco Kasper, who will be long remembered for the extraordinary role he played in growing a small sport into one of the most impactful in the Olympics over his 46 years of service at FIS (International Ski Federation). His leadership has established a strong base for the next generation of our sport under new FIS President Johan Eliasch.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Gian Franco Kasper’s family.
For more information please see FIS-Ski.com.
Dexter Paine
FIS Council Member
Tiger Shaw
President and CEO
Henri Rivers, the president of the National Brotherhood of Skiers, has been named by U.S. Ski & Snowboard as the inaugural recipient of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Award. The award is focused on recognizing a person, group, organization, or program that has contributed significantly and sustainably to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in skiing and snowboarding.
The new award recognition was implemented by U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the national governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboarding, as part of its initiatives to support DEI in the sport. Rivers has engaged productively to help the organization plot its course and to raise awareness across its membership and the entire sport community.
“When Henri got involved with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, he did not hesitate to step up into a leadership role,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “He had many connections which he immediately leveraged to join his efforts surrounding DEI with us, including many hours working on our DEI Committee as well as leading two well-attended virtual roundtables.”
Rivers has been an avid skier and outdoor enthusiast for more than 45 years. He is a professional ski instructor, certified master teacher, and children’s specialist as well as a U.S. Ski & Snowboard alpine coach, jury advisor, referee, and official, coaching in the alpine race program at Windham Mountain in the Catskill region of New York.
He was selected for the award by U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s DEI Committee. Moving forward, annual recipients will be selected by the DEI Committee based on a matrixed review of various factors reflecting the nominees’ impact on advancing DEI. The criteria include leadership of DEI in ski and snowboard, advancing education, collaborative coalition-building, development of equitable systems, and implementation of effective programs.
The DEI Committee, chaired by U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club Development Manager Ellen Adams, was founded in 2017 to increase racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic diversity at all levels of skiing and snowboarding.
“Henri has shown great patience, an indomitable spirit, and quiet conviction in his engagement with those of us who have a great deal to learn,” said committee member Sheryl Barnes.
“He is really the main inspiration for the work done by our DEI Committee. He is the reason we continue to educate ourselves, evolve our strategies as an NGB, and push for a more diverse ski and snowboard community in the United States.”
- U.S. Ski & Snowboard DEI committee member Elise Saarela
“I consider myself an ally for inclusion and equity,” said committee member Jamie Nagle. “Yet, as I listened to Henri speak recently about his experience as a black man, an athlete, and a coach, I couldn’t help but ask myself if I was really doing all I could to advance diversity, equality, and inclusion. He has taken the trials and experience of his past as a call to action to effect positive change.”
“Watching our supporters and allies awaken over the past 15 months and supporting the cause of racial equality, inclusion and diversity have been deeply felt,” said Rivers. “I believe what we are witnessing is a new era of challenge - white America is awakening and understanding our foundation was not put in place to the benefit and equality of all citizens. Our existing system needs to be dismantled and rebuilt for the betterment of society.”
Rivers cited U.S. Ski & Snowboard for adopting principles to nurture diverse communities rooted in understanding and respect, educating constituents emphasizing diverse communities, and supporting innovation to enhance retention of underrepresented groups.
“I look forward to U.S. Ski & Snowboard amply funding its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative over the next four years, leading the way to an equitable future for all sports organizations and our global community.”
An engineer and project manager by trade, Rivers is the founder of Drumriver, a New York-based renewable energy company. He first became involved with NBS in 1996. He became an NBS national team coach in 2003. Five years later, he was appointed administrator of its Olympic Scholarship Fund, growing the national team to 15 athletes. He became competition director in 2016 and was elected president in 2020.
U.S. Ski & Snowboard continued its annual awards presentations recognizing competition officials, volunteers, and event organizers for their extraordinary contribution to the success of the organization. The gold and silver-level awards, recognizing volunteers and organizations around the country for their service to athletes in a variety of categories, follow the acknowledgment of athletes, coaches, and clubs of the year.
The Aspen Organizing Committee, notably Aspen Skiing Company and Aspen Ski & Snowboard Club, was honored with U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Paul Bacon Award for event organization. The Aspen organizers were lauded for their dedication in a pandemic season for stepping in to host the FIS Freeski & Snowboard World Championships, Land Rover U. S. Grand Prix and U.S. Alpine Championships at short notice.
The Paul Bacon Award, which was first awarded in 1969, is given annually to recognize contributions in event organization, which is a vital component of an athletic organization. It is named in honor of Paul Bacon, a New England native working in Vail, Colo., who in 1963 crafted one of the sport’s first operational manuals for event organization. Shortly thereafter, Bacon was tragically killed in a summer construction accident.
While there were no major events scheduled in Aspen to start the year, that all changed with the pandemic. Following the cancelation of the 2021 FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Championships in China, Aspen stepped in to run the event at its X-Games venue with halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air. In addition, Aspen provided a platform for the U. S. Grand Prix event following the World Championships.
In addition, with the cancelation of the U.S. Alpine Championships in New England due to pandemic protocols, Aspen once again stepped in to hold the event at Aspen Highlands.
The dedication of longstanding event partners in Aspen provided a platform to ensure that these top international and domestic championship events were able to be held this past season, with a strong partnership between the resort and the local club. The events were produced at the highest level and managed safely for participants and host organizers.
Jeff Byrne, who recently retired as vice president of events for the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) in Lake Placid, N.Y., was honored with U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s John Clair Award for a lifetime of service that benefited national teams. The award is named in honor of John J. Clair of the Long Island Ski Club, who was an active supporter of the U.S. Ski Team in the 1950s and ‘60s, being inducted into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1970.
In his long tenure with ORDA, Byrne helped elevate the level of skiing in America through his pursuit of national and international events in Lake Placid. He remained active within sport at the national and international levels during his entire career.
Former U.S. Ski & Snowboard medical director Melinda Roalstad was recognized for her service to athlete safety internationally with the Bud & Mary Little Award for service to the International Ski Federation. The award memorializes longtime FIS vice president Bud Little.
Today, athlete safety and medical support is an integral part of our organization and major events around the world. But it wasn’t always that way. As secretary of the FIS Medical Committee in the ‘00s, her influence and direct work led to numerous upgrades to athlete safety that are still in place today.
Roalstad was the principal writer for the first FIS concussion protocol, created a pivotal update to the FIS Medical Guide, successfully lobbied the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee to use U.S. Ski & Snowboard doctors at the Olympics, pioneered FIS Emergency Action Plans that are now required of all organizers and pushed to put a FIS medical director on the organizing committee of each World Championship.
Roalstad was the first full-time medical director of the U.S. Ski Association, serving until 2007. Since her retirement, she has worked in private concussion management.
Dr. David Kuppersmith, an internist with The Steadman Clinic, was recognized with the J. Leland Sosman Award for his service to the volunteer physician’s pool. This past year Dr. Kuppersmith took an enhanced role in managing the health and wellness of athletes during the pandemic.
The J. Leland Sosman Award is presented annually in recognition of service to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard volunteer physician’s pool. It is named in honor of Dr. Sosman, affectionately known as ‘Sos,’ who was a volunteer leader and competition official known for his energy, persistence, and passion for U.S. Ski & Snowboard sports. This award recognizes an individual from the medical community who best exemplifies these traits.
Dr. Kuppersmith played a central role in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s COVID-19 medical panel that met weekly throughout the season. It reviewed the ever-evolving best practices to keep athletes, staff, and officials safe and healthy, as well as providing personal telehealth calls with athletes from every corner of the world. In his hometown of Vail, he engaged to provide personal attention to regional athletes to ensure they had access to testing and vaccinations. His work was lauded by U.S. Ski & Snowboard as a key element in the team’s ability to continue competition and training safely in the past year.
U.S. Alpine Ski Team member Nicola Rountree-Williams was awarded the Team Athletes Giving Back award, which she will share with the nonprofit cause she supports, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. The Team Athletes Giving Back award is presented annually to a national team athlete to recognize their advocacy for outside causes. U.S. Ski & Snowboard will present a $5,000 donation to the Autistic Self Advocacy Network in her name.
The cause is important personally to Rountree-Williams, who was diagnosed with autism. Despite that, she has parlayed her passion for ski racing into a burgeoning career as a young ski racer. Growing up in North Carolina, she fell in love with racing through NASTAR during a family trip to Aspen. She kept at it and eventually found her way to Ski & Snowboard Club Vail and the Loveland Ski Club. In her young career, she has already competed in two Junior World Championships and the 2020 Youth Olympic Games. She is presently second in the world in her age class.
“It means a lot to me to have our voices out there on autism,” she said. “And I would love to donate this money to ASAN."
Peers of retiring national team member Sadie Maubet Bjornsen presented her successful nomination for the Buddy Werner Award, honoring the true spirit of sportsmanship she exhibited throughout her career. The award is named in honor of the great Buddy Werner, a great downhill ski racer from the 1950s and ‘60s who was known for his great caring attitude towards his teammates.
Maubet Bjornsen was well known for her interaction with teammates, always putting them above herself. In particular, she served as a respected mentor for young athletes just making their way onto the national team, acclaimed by her teammates for giving more than she receives.
She recently retired after a career that took her to six World Championships and two Olympics. She was a mainstay of what was arguably the best U.S. women’s team in history, where she played a vital role as both an athlete herself and as a key teammate. In addition to a team sprint bronze medal from the 2017 World Championships, she earned 17 World Cup or stage World Cup podiums - including five with her colleagues in team events.
One of the nation’s longest-serving volunteer competition officials, Jim Tervo was honored for his lifetime of service to the cross country skiing community with the West Family Cup. Named in memory of noted volunteer Fraser West and his wife Teddy, the West Family Cup is presented to recognize a long-serving official.
Tervo has been the soul of the Michigan Tech University organizing committee in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for decades. He was recognized for his being a loyal, reliable, and selflessly compassionate official and nordic community member. He is known for his sound decision-making on behalf of athletes, his vast background of knowledge, and his pep talks on the starting line about the importance of sportsmanship and fair play.
In his career, he has served in myriad roles including race official, chief of competition, event organizer and technical delegate. He has led the organizing committee for the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships five times in the last 15 years.
Former U.S. Ski Team athlete Karen Ghent has taken her knowledge and crafted it into a long career both as a coach and a competition official. Her peers acknowledged her with the gold-level Westhaven Award for longtime service as a technical delegate.
The Westhaven Award is presented annually in memory of longtime TD Fraser West. It dates back to 1991.
Her career in sport spans over four decades. After retirement, she continued in the sport as a coach and program administrator, becoming one of the few women to hold the title of alpine director for a major club - serving at Ski & Snowboard Club Vail. While in that role she personally earned both Alpine Domestic Coach of the Year honors, as well as the overall Development Coach of the Year. She also led her Alpine Club of the Year honors in 2010, 2014, 2015, and 2016.
After retiring from those professional roles, she became a FIS technical delegate, filling myriad assignments at all levels of competition. This past year, Ghent took on a vital leadership role as the head of the Health of Sport Task Force, looking at ways to help reform alpine ski racing to attract new participants.
Gordon Lange, retiring cross country coach of Park City Ski & Snowboard, was recognized with the Russell Wilder Award for his service to youth. The award is the second oldest from U.S. Ski & Snowboard, dating back to 1955.
Lange has been a legendary and inspirational leader through a career that spanned 43 years of coaching at the local, regional, national, international, and collegiate levels. In the early part of his career, he coached the Wyoming Cowboys to an NCAA skiing title. He went on to coach the U.S. Ski Team at three Olympics before settling in for a long career at the club level.
His work touched on every level of the sport, gaining a high level of respect from his athletes and fellow coaches. His contribution beyond his club across the division has helped lead the Intermountain Division to become one of the strongest in the country. In recent years, athletes from his program have had increasing impact in the sport internationally, including Rosie Brennan, who led the FIS World Cup this past season, and NCAA ski champion Sydney Palmer-Leger.
Davis U.S. Cross Country Ski Team athlete Jessie Diggins was honored by U.S. Ski & Snowboard with its Beck International Award as overall athlete of the year. Diggins was one of eight athletes recognized for their accomplishments in the 2020-21 season. It was her third time winning the overall athlete honor (2016, 2018, 2021).
Diggins was recognized for her overall FIS Cross Country World Cup title, the first time an American has taken the overall crystal globe since Bill Koch’s win in 1982. Diggins also became the first American to win the Tour de Ski title.
The Beck International Award dates back to 1931, honoring some of the greatest champions in ski and snowboard sport.
“The pandemic season created an unusual playing field for our athletes, but their performances still came through,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “There were myriad breakout seasons for our athletes, but the accomplishment of Jessie Diggins in winning the overall FIS Cross Country World Cup title was an extraordinary accomplishment.”
Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin was awarded the Alpine Athlete of the Year award. Shiffrin, who lost her father tragically a year earlier, was honored for her resiliency and her four medals at the 2021 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. It was the sixth time she has won the alpine award.
Freeskier Colby Stevenson was recognized for his breakout season with the Freeski Athlete of the Year honors. Stevenson won the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix Slopestyle, took silver at FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships slopestyle, then went on to take the slopestyle and overall FIS Freeski Crystal Globes. It is his first time winning the freeski award.
The Freestyle Athlete of the Year award went to Winter Vinecki. The aerial skier captured three World Cup podiums, including second at Deer Valley Resort and her career-first win in Moscow. She finished second in the FIS Freestyle World Cup aerials standings.
Pioneering women’s nordic combined athlete Tara Geraghty-Moats won her third-straight Nordic Combined Athlete of the Year recognition. Geraghty-Moats has been a leader in the movement to bring nordic combined for women into the Olympics. She won the debut women’s FIS Nordic Combined World Cup Crystal Globe.
Teen ski jumper Paige Jones was named Ski Jumping Athlete of the Year. Jones scored the best U.S. women’s ski jumping results in two seasons. It was her first time winning the award.
Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim earned her second Snowboard Athlete of the Year crown. She returned after a year away from competition to record a dominating season, winning X Games and World Championships gold, plus the FIS Snowboard World Cup title. She was also the athlete of the year in 2016.
U.S. Ski & Snowboard capped a challenging winter season by recognizing coaches and clubs for their service to the sport. A dozen coaches and seven clubs were honored in a kickoff for the organization’s annual spring awards.
U.S. Freeski Pro Team Slopestyle Coach Skogen Sprang, who led his athletes to an outstanding international season, was selected as the freeski and overall U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team Coach of the Year. Veteran cross country coach Sten Fjeldheim, who is retiring after an illustrious 35-year career at Northern Michigan University, was named cross country and overall Development Coach of the Year.
The 116-year-old Norge Ski Club in Fox River Grove, Ill. was recognized as overall Club of the Year, for its program growth during the pandemic season. Idaho’s Bogus Basin Ski Education Foundation was named Development Club of the Year for its focus on athletic development.
“Coaches and clubs faced unique challenges this past season yet still rose to the occasion to provide safe and productive athletic programs across the country and on international tours,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Director of Sport Education Gar Trayner.
The top honorees were recognized during the organization’s annual Club Excellence Conference, held online for a second straight year. Additional awards will be announced during late May and early June.
2021 COACHES OF THE YEAR
U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD TEAM COACH OF THE YEAR
FREESKI TEAM COACH OF THE YEAR
Skogen Sprang, Olympic Valley, Calif.
U.S. Freeski Pro Team Slopestyle Coach Skogen Sprang was selected as the freeski and overall U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team Coach of the Year. It was the third time Sprang has been honored with the freeski award, and second as overall coach of the year (2014).
Sprang was recognized for the accomplishments of his athletes, winning the FIS Freeski Park & Pipe Nations Cup and a pair of crystal globes for Colby Stevenson. Three other athletes, Alex Hall, Mac Forehand, and Aaron Blunck, finished in the top-10.
USA won the FIS Freeski Nations Cup trophy in the 2021 season, with the country’s 1696 points nearly double the points of runner-up Switzerland’s 853. Colby Stevenson led the way by taking the slopestyle and Freeski overall globes and three other men - Alex Hall, Mac Forehand and Aaron Blunck - finished in the top-10.
He was also acknowledged by his peers for nearly a decade of success through two Olympics and his personal commitment to coaches education. Sprang is a level 300 coach and helps to facilitate coach education every spring at the level 300 coaches clinic at Mammoth Mountain, Calif.
OVERALL DEVELOPMENT COACH OF THE YEAR
CROSS COUNTRY DEVELOPMENT COACH OF THE YEAR
Sten Fjeldheim, Marquette, Mich.
Legendary Northern Michigan University cross country coach Sten Fjeldheim was recognized as the cross country and overall Development Coach of the Year. Fjeldheim was recognized for his 35 years as one of the most successful coaches in sport history and for his broad contribution to sport development. It was his third time winning the overall award (2000 and 2005) and fourth time for cross country (1991, 2005, 2016).
In his tenure at NMU, seven Wildcats won national titles. He coached 97 National Collegiate Athletic Association All-America athletes, 11 Olympians and five U.S. champions. During his entire time as a coach, he was a significant contributor to U.S. development efforts, also serving as a national development coordinator and a coach at Olympics, world championships, and junior worlds.
A Norwegian native, he came to the USA as a child. He skied three seasons for NMU and was a member of the U.S. Ski Team from 1980-86.
U.S SKI & SNOWBOARD TEAM COACHES OF THE YEAR
Alpine - Mike Day, Burlington, Vt.
U.S. Ski Team alpine coach Mike Day was honored as U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team Alpine Coach of the Year. Day, who heads Mikaela Shiffrin’s coaching team, was recognized for Shiffrin’s success in a challenging season, coming back from the tragic death of her father amidst a World Cup tour upended by the pandemic. Shiffrin won four medals at the world championships and skied a strong World Cup season with three victories and 10 podiums.
Day was lauded for his attention to detail and anticipating every scenario. His planning acumen instills confidence and trust in his athletes enhancing their ability to perform. He has been a coach with the U.S. Ski Team for a decade, most recently working with Shiffrin. He was also Ted Ligety’s coach when he won three gold medals at the 2013 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.
Cross Country - Jason Cork, Stratton Mountain, Vt.
U.S. Ski Team cross country coach Jason Cork was named U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team Cross Country Coach of the Year. Cork was recognized for the success of Jessie Diggins, who won the overall FIS Cross Country World Cup as well as the Tour de Ski.
Cork has been Diggins’ primary coach since 2010, building a strong rapport and orchestrating her training plan and race service support, in addition to providing athlete support at the World Cup level for the entire Davis U.S. Cross Country Ski Team.
Freestyle - Vladimir ‘Vlad’ Lebedev
U.S. Freestyle Ski Team aerials coach Vladimir ‘Vlad’ Lebedev was honored with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team Freestyle Coach of the Year. He was recognized for leading the U.S. team to the FIS Nations Cup in aerials.
A mix of veterans and new rising stars combined to place nine U.S. athletes into the top 16 in the World Cup led by Winter Vinecki, who finished second. At the FIS Freestyle World Championships, Chris Lillis and Ashley Caldwell won silver, with the team taking bronze.
Lebedev is a native of Uzbekistan and competed as a Russian aerialist for a decade, winning bronze at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.
Nordic Combined/Ski Jumping - Anders Johnson, Park City, Utah
Team Coach of the Year honors for ski jumping and nordic combined went to Anders Johnson, a longtime athlete who was in his first year as World Cup coach for the women’s ski jumpers. Despite a challenging season, he was recognized for raising the level of all his athletes and improving the team culture.
Johnson grew up in the shadow of the Olympic jumps in Park City. After coaching for several years with Park City Ski & Snowboard, he moved up to the national team last spring. He single-handedly led the team through much of the COVID-impacted World Cup season serving as everything from coach to suit maker.
He led the women’s team to its best results in two seasons with personal bests from Paige Jones, Annika Belshaw, and Logan Sankey.
Snowboard - Peter Foley, Hood River, Ore.
Veteran coach Peter Foley was selected as Snowboard Coach of the Year. His snowboardcross team earned eight podium finishes on the World Cup tour, more than any other nation, earning the SBX Nations Cup for the USA.
Foley was the founding coach of the U.S. Snowboard Team in 1994 and has been with the SBX program for 17 seasons. In addition to his work with the team, he is an advocate for coaches' education. He is a level 500 coach himself and hosts a level 300 clinic for SBX at Mt. Hood each summer.
DEVELOPMENT COACHES OF THE YEAR
Alpine - Mike Bansmer, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club alpine coach Mike Bansmer was recognized as Alpine Development Coach of the year. A six-year veteran of the Steamboat program, Bansmer has been an instrumental contributor to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard alpine development system.
This past season, five of Bansmer’s athletes were at the top of the National Development Group. Across his entire program, Bansmer manages 42 athletes, one of the deepest talent pools in the country. Two of his athletes were nominated for the U.S. Ski Team this spring.
Beyond his program in Steamboat, Bansmer is integrally involved with regional and national development projects, donating significant time each season to contribute to the development of athletes around the country. He was cited for his hard work and professionalism that is having an impact not only on his own club, but on the sport as a whole. This coming season, Bansmer will be joining the U.S. Ski Team’s men’s Europa Cup team as an assistant coach.
Freeski - Teddy Goggin, Team Summit, Dillon, Colo.
Longtime freeski coach Teddy Goggin, director of the Team Summit freeski program in Colorado, was honored as Freeski Development Coach of the Year. Goggin was recognized for his creation of a thoughtful, well-rounded approach to athlete development, focusing on process and goal setting.
Goggin has been coaching for a dozen years. He is a level 300 coach who is also one of the primary developers for national coaches education clinics. He works with athletes from grassroots to the national team. His approach to coaching and engagement in the overall development process have made him an integral part of the sport’s pipeline.
Freestyle - Lars Johnson, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Lars Johnson of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club was selected as Freestyle Development Coach of the Year. The head coach of the Steamboat freestyle program was recognized for his contributions to the development pipeline in numerous ways this past season.
Johnson had multiple athletes from his program start in World Cup moguls events this past season, including four athletes named to the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. Johnson also plays a strong role in the thought leadership space of long-term athlete development and skills acquisition.
Nordic Combined/Ski Jumping - Zak Hammill, Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage, Anchorage
Under the leadership of former national team ski jumper Zak Hammill, jumping in Alaska is really taking off! Hammill was named Nordic Combined/Ski Jumping Development Coach of the Year for his work in bringing jumping to the forefront in Alaska through his work with the Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage. Hammill is already seeing success, with club member Carter Brubaker nominated to the Junior National Team and qualifying last year for Junior World Championships. Alaska also has multiple up-and-coming athletes in the Fly Guys program.
After taking a one-year sabbatical, Hammill came back as head coach last year to take his club to the next level. He worked with his club to get funding for the organization’s first winch cat to better prepare the jumping hill. He has continued to upgrade the jumping facilities and is assisting in the planning of a new clubhouse.
He has also pushed the national coaches committee to form a working group to develop a more structured national training program for U16 athletes designed to reduce attrition in the age class and to establish ski jumping and nordic combined as viable options for skiers from Alaska.
Snowboard - Dylan Omlin, Auburn Ski Club, Truckee, Calif.
A significant contributor to the snowboard development pipeline for many years, Dylan Omlin of the Auburn Ski Club was recognized as Snowboard Development Coach of the Year. As program director for the club, he oversees over 300 snowboard members including a special high school sports program.
Omlin’s athletes have found success at the highest levels from grassroots to the Olympics in both slopestyle and snowboardcross. At the same time, Omlin has given back as a member and now chair of the Snowboard Sport Committee and this past season stepped in to help fill a gap as national slopestyle development coach. He has been a consistent presence for rookie team athletes while helping them navigate an unprecedented pandemic season.
2021 CLUBS OF THE YEAR
OVERALL CLUB OF THE YEAR
SKI JUMPING/NORDIC COMBINED CLUB OF THE YEAR
Norge Ski Club, Fox River Grove, Ill.
Founded in 1905, the Norge Ski Club in Fox River Grove, Ill. is one of America’s oldest. It continues to thrive today, 116 years later, and was named U.S. Ski & Snowboard overall and ski jumping/nordic combined Club of the Year. In a season disrupted by the pandemic, Norge still saw a 30% increase in participation and remains one of the largest jumping clubs in the Central Division. It is the first time Norge has won the overall award, but won for ski jumping/nordic combined in 2004 and 2012.
The Chicago-area club is one of the most well-represented on national ski jumping teams with three men and one woman on the national team, and two men on the junior national team. Two Norge athletes made the 2021 World Championship Team with another two named to the Junior World Championships Team, along with seven to the USA Nordic Junior Championships.
The success of the club stems from a very strong coaching staff, along with increased parent engagement. The club has also initiated specific projects to keep the club thriving and developing athletes across the variety of hill sizes Norge has to offer. It’s jumping complex north of Chicago is one of the most complete in the midwest.
DEVELOPMENT CLUB OF THE YEAR
Bogus Basin Ski Education Foundation, Boise, Idaho
Athletic development is a vital component of successful clubs. In recognition of its innovative work, U.S. Ski & Snowboard has awarded its Development Club of the Year Award to the Bogus Basin Ski Education (BBSEF) in Boise, Idaho. The award is presented annually to a club that has executed outstanding programs in the area of athletic development. The award was first implemented in 2019 to encourage clubs to increase their focus on development.
Under the leadership of Head Coach and Program Director Mark Wedeking, along with Director of Operations Shannon Carrell, BBSEF has been actively engaged in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Podium Club Certification since 2019, with an interest in identifying opportunities and creating a roadmap for continuous improvement in all areas of organizational and athletic performance. The club earned bronze certification in 2019. Over the next 12 months, it executed strategies for ongoing self-assessment, resource development, and improved facilities and training venues. As a result of this mission-focused work, it earned the silver level in 2021.
The club was cited for its commitment to professional development and coaches’ certification, as well as its full range of programs to keep athletes engaged and having fun while developing important skills in alpine, freeski, and snowboard. The club has shown a great commitment to increasing financial scholarships to minimize barriers to the sport. It has established clear goals and benchmarks for organization and athletic performance.
SPORT CLUBS OF THE YEAR
Alpine - Green Mountain Valley School, Waitsfield, Vt.
The Green Mountain Valley School (GMVS) in Waitsfield, Vt. was awarded the Alpine Club of the Year Award. Formed in 1973, the club was recognized for its longstanding holistic approach to developing the GMVS community and for its extraordinary work during COVID where the club played a pivotal role in ensuring ski racing could continue during the pandemic.
Under the leadership of Tracy Keller, GMVS has a strong commitment to coaches’ education as well as women in coaching with at least one female coach in every age group from U8 to U19. It has also developed a strong high performance team.
During the pandemic, GMVS took charge - not just for its own programs, but to help ski racing across New England. Despite some of the strictest COVID regulations in the country, GMVS was innovative in working with health officials to create an environment where even out-of-state families could continue to participate. It innovated new policies, schedules, and other protocols to ensure a successful junior ski racing season.
Cross Country - Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, Ketchum, Idaho
Strong clubs stepped up during the pandemic season, including the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) which was awarded Cross Country Club of the Year. Not only did SVSEF rise up to help its own athletes, but it extended its resources to ensure that skiers across the region had opportunities to compete.
Under the leadership of Executive Director Scott McGrew and Cross Country Program Director Rick Kapala, the club expanded opportunities by hosting additional cross country competitions. The club also provided additional representation and support to U.S. Ski & Snowboard for event planning, coaching education and COVID-19 mitigation policy working groups.
As a longstanding club, it continued to have an impact with three of its athletes on national teams. It is the fourth time (1999, 2007, 2009) the club has been recognized as Cross Country Club of the Year.
Freeski - Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, Vail, Colo.
A longstanding club of nearly 70 years, Ski & Snowboard Club Vail really upped its game in freeski over the past two seasons led by Program Director Chris Laske and Head Coach Willis Engelhart. The clear impact was seen in results and enrollment this past season with the club being named Freeski Club of the Year. It is the third time the club has been honored with the award (2013, 2014).
Despite a season impacted by COVID, enrollment in the park and pipe program doubled. SSCV athletes upped their engagement at U.S. Ski & Snowboard and USASA events including the Futures Tour, Revolution Tour and World Cup. The club had seven finalists at Rev Tour, three Futures Tour wins and five other podiums. Willis has also continued to work with Rookie Team athlete Riley Jacobs.
The staff has also been upgraded, now with four coaches - all level 100-300 certified. Former pro skier Sean Jordan, a new addition, brings over a decade of Dew Tour experience to the program.
Freestyle - Park City Ski & Snowboard/Wasatch Freestyle, Park City, Utah
A pandemic season can bring the best out in clubs. Two high-profile freestyle clubs in Utah combined forces to ensure that the sport would continue on, supporting each other on events and providing a playing field for athletes. Jointly, Park City Ski & Snowboard (PCCS) and Wasatch Freestyle were honored as Freestyle Club of the Year.
Wasatch played host to the U.S. Freestyle Championships for moguls, while PCCS managed aerials. Wasatch also held a FIS Open as a NorAm replacement and multiple regional events. PCCS held the U.S. Junior Championships for moguls plus other regional events.
Both programs also had strong seasons. Park City Ski & Snowboard’s moguls program grew 135% thanks in part to its Intro to Mogul Day at the Utah Olympic Park. Wasatch Freestyle had multiple podiums at US Selections, FIS Open, Junior Nationals, and the U.S. Freestyle Championships.
Snowboard - American Snowboard Training Center, Mt. Snow, Vt.
The American Snowboard Training Center (ASTC) was recognized as Snowboard Club of the Year. Founded in 2007 by Olympian Ron Chiodi, ASTC’s mission as a winter-term snowboard academy is to offer a clear path of success in both snowboarding and academics, with a focus on keeping college admissions a priority. Chiodi, who was on the very first Olympic halfpipe team in 1998, has combined with head coach Scott Horwath and the team to build a successful program at Vermont’s Mt. Snow and now ASTC Michigan and ASTC West.
Over the last eight years, ASTC has grown its impact at the Futures Tour, Revolution Tour, and World Cup slopestyle, and big air events. This past year, 16-year-old Lucas Ferry consistently made finals in all Rev Tour events. Fellow 16-year-old Nick Fox also made finals at Aspen in his first Rev Tour.
Between all three programs, the dream of creating a system of support for athletes nationwide has come to fruition. With a clear path and direction for its athletes, the future looks very bright for this unique snowboard academy.