Know Before You Go: SVSEF to offer Wilderness First Aid Course
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation is offering a Wilderness First Aid course for all athletes ages 15 and older. The course is administered through Wilderness Medicine Institute and part of SVSEF's Mountain Adventure Curriculum.
"This course has been very popular and sold out the last two seasons," SVSEF Alpine Program Director Scott McGrew said. "This is knowledge all athletes and outdoor enthusiasts should have. Every activity we do has the potential to become a situation requiring medical assistance. The information in this course can help you make the right decision when necessary."
Athletes who are younger than 15 and are interested in the course need to contact McGrew before registering. The Wilderness First Aid certification is good for two years and the course can also be submitted to most colleges for one credit. For more information on WMI visit http://www.nols.edu/wmi/.
The course will be staged on Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1 with students meeting at SVSEF's Engl Training Center at 215 Picabo Street at Warm Springs. Classwork will take place inside and outside. Sessions run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with registration beginning at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday. The cost is $175. Additional details and registration are available online through the SVSEF website via the following steps:
- Log in to your SVSEF account under "My Account"
- Click "Events"
- Click "Wilderness First Aid"
SVSEF and Rotarun team up to present LASAR Program for area youth
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation and Rotarun Ski Area are excited to announce they will join forces this winter to present the SVSEF LASAR Program for the youth of the Wood River Valley.
“The LASAR (Learn Alpine Skiing and Racing) program was launched nearly a decade ago by SVSEF veteran alpine coaches Adele and Pat Savaria. It was designed to provide an after-school program for kids who couldn’t ski due to financial constraints or the logistical challenges of getting kids to Baldy or Dollar. LASAR has had an incredible and positive impact over the years and affected hundreds of children along the way,” said Scott McGrew, SVSEF’s alpine program director.
For the coming 2015-16 winter, the SVSEF alpine program will deliver the LASAR program, providing a professional coaching staff, support, and content in line with the SVSEF Athlete Teaching System. Instruction for 6-11 year olds will take place every Wednesday and Friday after school, 3:30-5:50 p.m. at Art Richards Mountain (Rotarun) west of Hailey. It will begin in January and run for eight weeks through the end of February, covering 16 sessions of instruction. The cost for LASAR is $150, which includes a season pass for Rotarun.
Jesse Foster, president of Rotarun BOD remarked, “With the newly-formed partnership between Rotarun and the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, the LASAR program is going to be even better than ever. Kids who attend school in the south valley are going to get outstanding and consistent coaching - all with the convenience and safety of skiing at Rotarun after school. Members of the LASAR program can translate these newfound skills and confidence to the slopes of Baldy.”
McGrew concurred, “I’m really excited to be partnering with Rotarun Mountain to help deliver this program to our community. Rotarun is an incredible teaching venue that provides the ideal classroom for introducing and refining fundamental skiing skills. Having a place for kids to go after school, and to be learning from our incredible devo team staff is a great opportunity. My hope is that kids will emerge from this program with a deeper love for the outdoors and the sport of alpine skiing.”
Iconic assets to the greater Wood River Valley, SVSEF and Rotarun are dedicated to engaging kids with the great outdoors and winter sports.
“In my mind, every kid who grows up in this valley should have the opportunity to cultivate a love of skiing. It is what this community is about and this program is designed to celebrate and inspire that vision,” McGrew said.
If you would like to sign your child up for the LASAR Program, please visit www.svsef.org and click on “My Account.”
Web Redemption: Blaine County Student Season Ski Passes Available Online
Blaine County Student season ski passes for Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation athletes are now available for purchase through your family's SVSEF online account.
Sun Valley Company has set the pricing for a 2015-16 youth season ski pass for Bald and Dollar mountains at $399. While it is the same price to buy a pass from the resort, purchasing your child's pass through the SVSEF helps offset the cost for our organization's coaches passes.
All registered SVSEF alpine, snowboard, freestyle, freeskiing and cross country (if desired) athletes are eligible to order a pass. To order, go to the menu bar on our home page and click on My Account, Registration and Events.
Ski passes will be available for pick up by the general public at River Run Lodge beginning November 1. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days per week. SVSEF athletes are asked to obtain their passes during one of two sessions when the resort will have extra staff on hand: November 6-8 (Friday-Sunday) and November 12-15 (Thursday-Sunday). Passes must be paid in full prior to pick up.
For additional information, please contact the SVSEF office at (208) 726-4129 or info@svsef.org.
SVSEF Athletes Encouraged to Take a Bite Out of Our Big MAC Program
Seeking to constantly improve and evolve programing for our athletes, the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation is offering Mountain Adventure Curriculum, newly designed to complement and offer an alternative experience beyond alpine, freestyle and snowboarding competition. MAC will help athlete's expand their skill set in relation to technical skiing and riding fundamentals, with emphasis on snow safety, backcountry experience and big mountain terrain. Any SVSEF athlete age 15-over is eligible for MAC providing they are currently a member of our alpine, freestyle, freeskiing or snowboarding teams.
MAC athletes will follow the same practices in regard to conditioning, training, and skill acquisition work and the program will have a contact coach within in each discipline. The contact coach is responsible for organizing, communicating, and delivery high-quality and professional experiences in line with standards and core values of the SVSEF.
The fee for MAC is included in regular tuition, but associated curriculum comes with a separate project fee based on participation.
Goals & Objectives of MAC
- Our primary goal as a team is to provide a comprehensive athletic platform for athletes to train, learn, and experience a broad scope of mountain culture.
- We strive to foster a culture of sport and wellness for our athletes. Long beyond the days of an active competitive career, we hope to create lifestyle skills that support healthy living, fitness, and positive physical engagement. The MAC program is designed to provide an avenue for continued participation, experiences and education for athletes who are interested in a wide-ranging experience on skis, beyond competition.
- We aspire to cultivate and celebrate the core values that drive SVSEF’s mission: Passion & Perseverance, Sportsmanship, Citizenship, Teamwork, Creativity and Character.
- We strive to expose our athletes to the rigors and rewards of traveling and competing to locations both far and near. Skiing and riding is defined by community and a sense of adventure. Our goal as a team is to provide age-appropriate travel and skiing opportunities that reinforce the athletic, cultural, and experiential development of our athletes.
Activities and Curriculum
The Mountain Adventure Curriculum will be rooted in skill development with opportunities for athletes to explore the following projects:
- Wilderness First Aid
- Delivered by Wilderness Medicine Institute
- October/November
- http://www.nols.edu/wmi/
- Step One Avalanche Awareness to be coordinated through the Sawtooth Avalanche Center, Friends of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center, and the Sun Valley Ski Patrol.
- One-day clinic targeting high-school aged athletes.
- December 5 on Baldy.
- http://www.sawtoothavalanche.com/
- Avalanche 1 Certification or Mountaineering Skills offered through Sawtooth Mountain Guides (SMG)
- December 19-21.
- This three-day avalanche certification program will base from the Williams Peak yurt in the Sawtooth Range.
- The course is limited to 11 students, with three professional guides
- http://sawtoothguides.com/
- Backcountry Experiences in mid-March
- Day trips to the Idaho backcountry with SMG guides and SVSEF coaches.
- Implement and practice associated Mountain Adventure Skills.
- These day trips will be guided professionally by SMG and will present an opportunity to create, experience and execute “real world” application of backcountry skills.
- Blanket Glacier Chalet helicopter drop and touring trip outside of Revelstoke, BC Canada
- March 31-April 4 (not including travel days)
- Group size limited to 12 students
- http://www.blanketglacierchalet.com/#blankethome
- Preference will be given to athletes who participate in the full project lineup.
- Periodic MAC sessions throughout the season designed to support the vision and objectives of the team (skin up Baldy, transceiver part practice and guided big mountain style freeskiing).
For additional details, please contact program directors Scott McGrew or Andy Ware, or call the SVSEF office at (208) 726-4129 ext. 101.
Photo courtesy of Sawtooth Mountain Guides
FIS Team update from Coach Nate Schwing
FIS Team,
We have been busy in office working and planning for the nearing winter season. We have been sending out quite a bit of information about dryland and our upcoming fall camps. I wanted to send you all a quick summarization of what we have been working on and what we plan to work on as we move into the fall season.
Dryland – Our fall dryland program will kick off next week. The first day of dryland will be Tuesday, November 8. The team will meet at the Sun Valley Pavilion Lawn (flag pole) from 4-5:30 p.m.
Equipment – I have been working with many families on purchasing equipment for the season. I have the sense that most families have either ordered equipment or are in the process of ordering equipment. I also know that there are some of you out there who haven’t begun the equipment ordering process yet. I recommend that if you haven’t ordered your skis equipment yet that you make that a priority in the near future. This is the time when reps and ski companies get busy and it pays off to order your equipment early so that you have ample time to prepare your equipment in time for fall camps. If anyone needs assistance or has any questions as to what they need to order, please get in touch with me.
Equipment night – We will be having our annual equipment night sometime around the end of September. This is a night where company reps come to town and sell their brands at a racer price discount. Local ski shops also sell race gear at a racer price discount. Equipment Night is a good time to pick up helmets, poles, gloves, suits, etc. I anticipate the date for Equipment Night will be solidified soon and we will pass that date along when it is set.
Fall Camps – The deadline for the Soelden World Cup trip and the Europe camp has come and past and we have our rosters set for those projects. We have a big group attending which is great! For those athletes not attending Europe we are planning a four-day slalom camp at Snow King, Nov. 5-8. We are working on solidifying a camp announcement and we will share that announcement soon.
Western Region Camps – The Western Region has gone though some staffing changes that have delayed their fall camp announcements and invites. The new WR staff began working together this week and I have been told that information on the Western Region camps will come out on Friday. We will have a number of athletes who will be invited to these projects and we will work with athletes and families individually to decide if there are Western Region camps that make sense in preparation for the season.
Career Development – Erika Rixon (formally Hogan) has been crafting SVSEF’s new career development program which assists SVSEF athletes with college and athletic planning following their time with SVSEF. The rollout of this program will happen in the fall with an initial meeting available to athletes and families. For this year’s seniors, you have most likely started the process of identifying potential schools. I know some seniors are further along in this process than others and we have been receiving valuable feedback from seniors who have visited schools and met with college coaches. Erika is available to assist in this process and I encourage seniors to get in touch with Erika and schedule a meeting with her. For any seniors who have aspirations or are considering ski racing beyond their time at SVSEF, the time is now to start exploring options and taking the initiative to contact potential college coaches.
Idaho Mountain Express reports on SVSEF expansion of USOC designation
The Idaho Mountain Express today reported on the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation's expanding United States Olympic Committee designation as an official Olympic Training Site for four winter disciplines: alpine, cross country. freestyle/freeskiing and snowboard. Click here to read reporter Amy Busek's story.
Rising Star Wearing Stripes: Durtschi Joins National Team
Alpine
Two SVSEF skiers picked up three wins in FIS racing at Mt. Bachelor, Oregon. In the Western Region Speed Series, Kyla Miller finished her season with a pair of victories in downhill. Tanner Farrow won one of the men’s super G’s and was runner-up in downhill.
Miller, 18, made substantial gains as the speed of the series increased. She did not finish the opening women’s super G, but skied to fourth in the next and won both women’s downhills – the first by .75 of a second and the next by .07.
Gold Team racer Farrow, 21, opened with a fourth in super G, followed it with a victory in the second, winning by .14 of a second over Sam Dupratt, who, like Tanner, spent the 2013-14 season on the U.S. Alpine Development Team. Farrow was runner up in downhill (by .16 of a second) to U.S. B Team member Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley), who won three out of four races.
Some of the youngest racers in the field with ’98 birthdays, Duncan Fuller finished all four races finishing 19/24 in super G and 16th twice in downhill. Teammate Yuri McClure went 23/32 in SG and 18th twice in DH. John Blackburn’s best results came in downhill with placements of 34th and 28th.
U16 team member Spencer Wright was runner-up twice to USST member Brennan Ruby in a pair of USSA Western Region super G’s at Mt. Bachelor.
Biathlon
Former SVSEF cross country team member Max Durtschi picked up the sport of biathlon roughly a year ago, and his natural aptitude for marksmanship coupled with his prowess as a cross country skier boosted him all the way to the U.S. Biathlon Team. Durtschi, 23, was a member of the SVSEF Cross Country program for eight years, but started out his 10-year SVSEF tenure as a member of the snowboard team starting in 2003. Max, the son of Kitty and Dr. Martin Durtschi of Ketchum, is currently a junior at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.
"We have greater depth than ever before -- five athletes with top-16 World Cup finishes, a junior with a medal and a rookie with a World Cup point," said U.S. Biathlon Chief of Sport Bernd Eisenbichler. "We have two very strong groups of four athletes per gender on the A Team, who will benefit from training next to each other and together on a daily basis in Lake Placid. With an efficient training set-up and use of the two biathlon venues in Lake Placid starting in May, we will provide our athletes competitive group training mixed with very specific individualized plans."
SVSEF Board of Directors
Jim DeWolfe was named to the SVSEF Board of Directors earlier this month.
Jim is the Managing Member and Chief Investment Officer of Northside Capital Management LLC, a multi-family office investment management company; and Vice Chairman of Jeffrey Slocum & Associates, an institutional investment advisory firm. Previously, Jim held several senior positions at Morgan Stanley & Co., and Thomas Weisel Partners. He served for six years as a founding board member of the Sugar Bowl Ski Team and Academy, and was previously a board member of the USA Cycling Development Foundation.
Jim graduated from the University of Vermont in 1979 with a BA in Economics and Political Science and was an early member of the Stratton Mountain Ski Team.
“(I) had a less than noteworthy ski racing career before and after college, including a ten-year stint on the Masters circuit in New England, all of which have served to permanently scar my technique,” he said.
Jim and wife, Eva, have four children; Sofia, a SVSEF alpine and cross country alum, Kristian, a current member of the FIS team, Lukas, a former member of the cross country team now attending school in his mother’s native Sweden, and Willy, a member of the U12 alpine team.
Rising Juniors, Seniors encouraged to apply for True North Scholarships
Thanks to the generosity of the Kalik Family, three SVSEF student/athletes will be given merit scholarships covering 50 percent of their tuition for the 2015-16 season. Recipients are chosen solely for merit, financial need is not a consideration. Last year’s honorees were Renee Shapiro, Grace Gorham and Wyatt Smith.
Here is the topic question for this year’s essay:
Has your experience as a member of the SVSEF empowered you and how will you carry this with you into the future?
The True North Award celebrates the spirit of John Randolph Kalik who found his best self in Idaho. Inspired by mountains and starry skies, he discovered inspiration, meaning and purpose. He delighted in joyful fun, transcendence, gratitude, and love. John was killed in a plane crash in 1980 at age 24. We are grateful for John’s legacy and the Kalik Family’s generosity that profoundly and positively impacts the lives of our SVSEF student/athletes.
Student-athletes are asked to submit essays to Jody Zarkos by Monday, June 15. Completed essays may be sent via e-mail to jody@svsef.org, USPS to P.O. Box 203, Sun Valley, Idaho 83353 or fax (208) 3548.
Olympic Day is a program-wide celebration that features field games and relays for SVSEF team members of all ages. Kids are asked to register for the event by clicking HERE.
62 for Lindsey Vonn
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (Jan. 18, 2015) - With a powerful run through sunshine and fog, Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) etched her name into the ski racing history book, winning her 62nd career Audi FIS Ski World Cup at the Cortina downhill by .32 over Austria's Elisabeth Goergl. The win by Vonn matched the seemingly unbeatable record of 62 World Cup wins set by Austrian great Annemarie Moser-Proell that had stood for 35 years.
"It’s a pretty special moment for me," said Vonn, whose parents were in Cortina. "These records mean a lot to me and my family."
After two days of snowfall, a patchwork of clouds against the blue sky were mixed with bands of fog on the Olympia delle Tofane course in the 1956 Olympic city of Cortina d'Ampezzo. Vonn took the early lead coming off a steep face into a band of fog and kept it through the finish, building continually down the course on which she had won seven times previously. It was the same day on which 11 years ago a 19-year-old then Lindsey Kildow scored her first World Cup podium, finishing third in the Cortina downhill.
Read full article here http://alpine.usskiteam.com/news/62-lindsey-vonn
Capturing the essence of SVSEF!
Hillary Maybery has a knack for clicking at exactly the right moment. Nice to have her back on the mountain.