Josie Brownell, a Vermont native, is now in her second year of coaching with SVSEF (we hope she’s here to stay). In addition to imparting knowledge on alpine Devo athletes and ripping with them all over the mountain, Josie is a part of the administrative team at the SVSEF Warm Springs office. Below, she shares people and places who have influenced her skiing, her favorite post-ski meal, and what she’d be doing if it wasn’t coaching (spoiler alert: she’d still be skiing)…
WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF SKIING?
Skiing down Easy Street on Spruce Peak in Stowe with my best friend, Ellie, and our dads.
CAN YOU GIVE A BRIEF HISTORY OF YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH SKIING?
I grew up skiing Mt. Mansfield in Stowe, VT, starting out as a J6 and skiing with Mt. Mansfield Ski Club (MMSC) and later attending Mt. Mansfield Winter Academy (MMWA). Eventually I decided I wanted a different type of program, so I transitioned to skiing in New Hampshire for the Holderness School. Although it was tough to leave Stowe, Holderness was the best. The combination of skiing everyday, challenging academics and interesting extracurriculars was a really good fit for me. For college, I decided to get out of the northeast and go to Colorado College. I skied on the club team for a couple years and got a taste for the amazing mountains of the west. I ended up here because of a job with the Wood River Land Trust. Working for them helped me get to know the area and appreciate the beauty of this valley. Sun Valley and Stowe are very similar – in size, sense of community and the way life revolves around the ski area every winter. I still feel very connected to Stowe, and go back whenever I can, so I’m happy to have ended up in a similar place where I can feel somewhat at home but explore on my own.
DID ANY ASPECTS OF SKIING HELP PREPARE YOU FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL?
Skiing taught me to be incredibly organized and disciplined. The schedules at MMWA and Holderness were crazy – we had very little downtime, so time management was crucial. This prepared me for my job in the SVSEF office where it can go from quiet to crazy at any point.
WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF ALPINE SKIING PERSONALLY?
Skiing has always been my stress reliever, where I feel most comfortable. I love that this sport allows me to be outside, see beautiful places and meet a variety of people.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN DURING YOUR FIRST SEASON AS A COACH?
The biggest thing was patience. Skiing with younger kids, I learned to be content with only skiing 5 runs the entire day. Devo focuses much more on quality rather than quantity. We do drills throughout those 5 runs and seeing the improvement just over the course of one day is so rewarding.
FAVORITE ATHLETE
WHAT VALUES DO YOU MOST WANT TO PASS ON TO YOUR ATHLETES?
I hope to pass on a love of skiing and a deep appreciation for the mountains that surround us.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WINTER WITH YOUR TEAM?
Last March, for Cheeso Day, we skied all the bowls, in order, all before lunch. At the beginning of the year, some of these kids couldn’t even ski down Warm Springs. I love watching that progression and I can’t wait to see it again this season.
WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB?
Two things – the quotes from the kids … last year one of my skiers asked me why my parents didn’t get me resort charge. And, the opportunity to connect with the community while doing something I love.
OTHER INTERESTS
Baking, hiking, mountain biking, and crosswords
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES YOU’VE NOTICED BETWEEN SKIING & SKI CULTURE ON THE EAST COAST AND HERE?
Everything in the northeast is on a much smaller scale. I grew up with at least four ski areas an hour from my house. I was in gates and traveling to races by third grade. Here, there’s more of an emphasis on freeskiing in all terrains. I really enjoyed cruising all around Baldy last year and having the kids show me around. We’re learning the mountain together!
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES INHERENT IN ALPINE SKIING?
Skiing is a unique sport because your team is a group of people that become your closest friends and your support system, but you compete against them at every training session and at every race. It makes you mentally tough and self-reliant at a young age.
WHAT GETS YOU OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING:
My dog, Birdie
FAVORITE POST-SKI MEAL:
Lefty’s chicken pesto & monkey fries
A SKIER OR PERSON WHO GREATLY INFLUENCED YOU?
I had two amazing coaches growing up – Lorant Gudasz at MMSC in Stowe and Georg Capaul at Holderness. Being more of a tech skier, both of these guys really pushed me to focus on my technique. Their attention to detail and knowledge of the sport is unbelievable.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR ATHLETES?
This is a lifelong sport – if you have one bad day of training, you still have an amazing skill that will stay with you forever. There is so much more to skiing than results.
WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING IF IT WASN’T WHAT YOU DO NOW?
I’d be skiing! Backcountry skiing, resort skiing, skiing abroad, back east, all over. I am happiest in the mountains, with skis. You could say it’s an obsession …
HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS?
Happiness – I think if you’re truly happy, then you’re successful.
BEST RISK YOU’VE EVER TAKEN:
I moved here right after college, not knowing anyone. It was a little overwhelming that first summer, but I’m so happy I ended up here.
Thank you so much, Josie!