Athletes of the Week
Jed Schmidt
If you hear a big WAHOOO while out on the cross-country trails, you may have come across Jed Schmidt. Jed is one of the youngest skiers on our Devo South team- he is full of joy for skiing and shows up every day excited to become a better skier. He is a quiet leader among his teammates, showing by example that by putting effort in, your skiing will improve. With his positive attitude, dedication to improving, and drive to push himself, Jed is set to go far as an integral member of our team! - Coach Emily Williams
Ryder Sarchett
Ryder is born and raised in Ketchum and has grown up within the SVSEF program. He comes from a long history of Alpine Racing success including his Father Jeff, Grandfather Bob and his Uncle Robin. Ryder has seen success on the slopes at every age and continues to excel and charge at every level. After returning from an injury sustained August of 2019, he was back at it starting June of 2020.
Ryder spent the month of January in Europe with the U.S Ski Team training and racing. He returned home with some fire in him and just recently placed first (his first FIS SL win) and second at the Bryce Astle Memorial Western Region FIS SL races at Snowbird - ultimately landing him the position of the #1 ranked Year of Birth 2003 in the World for Slalom. Something that not too many American’s (if any other than Shiffrin) can say they have accomplished!
There are about 6 more weeks left in the racing season. Ryder will continue to train and race and will be participating in the U.S. Junior Nationals and U.S. Senior Nationals events at the end of March into April in Aspen. - Coach Gladys Weidt
Charles Goodyear
Charles Goodyear is our athlete of the week. After suffering an injury early in the season, Charles is back and skiing harder than ever. His vision and belief in himself are top notch; he has been learning at an astonishing rate as of late. His coaches are impressed by his attitude and appreciate his positivity that radiates within the team. - Coach Gui Brown
Building a Culture: a Night Under the Full Moon with the Cross Country Team
Building a Culture: a Night Under the Full Moon with the Cross Country Team
“You know, it’s about building a culture.” Rick Kapala explains in a quick moment between rotating Dutch ovens over the bonfire. Kapala serves something like a knock-off version of raclette to passing skiers: cheese cubes, sausage, potatoes and bread warmed over the fire. Some skiers stop long enough for a few bites and a quick exchange with the coaches before skating off again. Others pop out of their skis and take refuge from the sharp chill of the February evening around the fire. Between cooking up the snacks, teasing athletes and shooting the breeze with parents, Kapala barely has a moment to pause. “I mean, you know it from hearing the kids’ senior speeches when they finish the program. It’s never about the races. It’s about ‘oh, I love my friends, I love my coaches.’ It’s about culture and community.” Kapala adds.
The full moon crests over the peaks opposite the bonfire at 8:10 PM, February 27th, but the team-wide full moon cross country ski is well underway. The evening started at 5:30 PM, all teams, all athletes, and all athlete families invited. The younger athletes turn up with their families first; some of them are so tiny, they barely stand at their parents’ hip as they demonstrate how to apply kick-wax. The older athletes trail in slightly later, bantering coyly with one another as they gear up. At the trailhead, a cardboard sign warns of yeti sightings in the area. The only way to escape the yeti, of course, is to outrun it on skis.
Luminaries along the trail light the way to the first bonfire, in the Lake Creek ‘stadium,’ where Cross Country races typically start and finish. If you’ve made it this far without a yeti intrusion, the first bonfire offers a moment of respite with marshmallow roasting and s’mores. Just up the hill from this first stop is bonfire number 2, with hot chocolate and cookies. Finally, bonfire number 3 burns steadily—lit early, as to provide coals for the Dutch ovens filled to the brim with sausage—on a ridge overlooking the rest of the loop.
Of course, the festivities hardly seem to be limited to the stops along the route; athletes big and small congregate on the trails to ski together, or to say a properly-distanced hello to their teammates’ families, even to build a jump or two and boast their interdisciplinary winter sport skills with a couple of tricks. There was not a single smile missing from any face, despite some definitively cold toes and fingers.
As the community of athletes, parents and siblings of every age and level make their way, romping and laughing, through the Lake Creek landscape in the dark blue twilight, there’s a certain collective awe for the place we live in, and for opportunities like these. It’s the sort of night that gets at the soul of why we do it all, whether an athlete, coach or parent: we do it, ultimately, because of our total appreciation for playing in the mountains, and our adoration of those like-minded souls who go out and play with us.
So how do you build a culture? You practice bringing this community together, and finding an opportunity to remind them how they came together in the first place: playing in the mountains. Incorporating a yeti costume and some fire-roasted cheese helps too.
Athletes of the Week
February 26, 2021
Rylan Olson
"Rylan never turns down an opportunity to push his progression and his love for snowboarding is apparent in his riding - making any new trick he’s learned this season (there’s a lot of them) look easy. He consistently impresses his coaches with a down for anything attitude and by quietly helping his teammates push their own progression." - Coach Jean- Marie
Stoked to have this Shred on the squad! Can’t wait to see what’s in store! - Coach Andy Gilbert
Hunter Kari
Hunter Kari has done nothing but impress this season. Hunter constantly strives to better his skiing while always offering a helping hand to other athletes on the team when in need. With a big win coming out of Jackson Hole earlier this winter we know he has a lot more to show us before we wrap up the 2021 season. It has been an absolute pleasure working with him throughout this winter and I look forward to seeing where an athlete of his caliber can take his skiing in the future. - Coach Banks Gilberti
Matthew Thurman
Matthew is an absolute pleasure to have in my group and on the SVSEF Devo team. A natural on skis who is able to attack any terrain presented to him with fearlessness and exceptional technique. In addition to his athleticism, he is a focused listener, a quick learner, and displays great sportsmanship to his teammates and coaches. I along with the rest of the SVSEF DEVO Team are excited to see what the future holds for this young skier!
-Coach Alex Hegewald
A shared legacy: bringing Sun Valley ski history to our athletes
A shared legacy: bringing Sun Valley ski history to our athletes
In the last month, the SVSEF administrative team installed 16 canvas panels inside our yurt at the base of Greyhawk. From the world’s first chairlift on Ruud mountain, to our current athletic stars competing professionally, the panels tell the history of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, Sun Valley Ski Club, and skiing in Sun Valley.
“The goal is to give the kids a sense of time and place within Sun Valley ski history, and within Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation history.” David Butterfield explains. Executive Director Scott McGrew recruited Butterfield and Heidi Schernthanner to help compile and organize a timeline of historical highlights from this valley’s lengthy and rich ski history. The final product is this: 16 two-foot by four-foot canvas panels depicting photos and facts from 85 years of Sun Valley skiing history.
The panels reach back to the days before Union Pacific Railroad’s “Sun Valley,” when Ketchum-ites “coasted” around Knob Hill and Four Hills (above the Community Library). The panels then move through the history of Averell Harriman of Union Pacific Railroad, the building of Sun Valley lodge, and the world’s first chairlift; they also depict the history of the Sun Valley Ski Club, the Harriman Cup, the dawn of the valley’s cross-country tradition, and the golden athletic era of the 50s and 60s. The timeline then moves on to the founding of Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation in 1966, the introduction of “hot-dogging” in the 1970s (the precursor to freestyle), the introduction of World Pro Ski Tour, the advent of snowboarding, and the athletic success of Sun Valley athletes throughout this time period. The timeline begins to wrap up with the continued success of Sun Valley Ski Team athletes of the 1990s, with the likes of Picabo Street and the Crist brothers. The panels conclude with profiles of our current professional athletes.
“It’s a winter wonderland we get to live in, and a lot of people don’t really think about the history behind that. It’s kind of fun to be part of this project, because it gives back at such a big level. It gives back by sharing the behind-the-scenes of what got us here, to where we are now. The wheels keep going because of what we don’t see moving, which is this aspect of legacy.” Schernthanner shared.
“The kids are standing on the shoulders of everyone and everything that came before them. Obviously, not every kid that sees this history is going to go on to be a legend; however, the ones who do get up on the podium are standing on the shoulders of the other kids with them too.” Butterfield added. While not every athlete can go on to be a future feature on the history panels, every kid has contributed to the continuation of this Sun Valley skiing legacy; with this installation, the athletes get the chance to see exactly how.
Athletes of the Week
February 20, 2021
Nakiah Acacia
It's hard to pick just one out of the crew because so many of them are motivated to work so hard on the mountain and in the barn, but this week's Mini Xer AOW is Nakiah Acacia. Nakiah has gotten compliments from every coach who has had him for being coachable and mindful. When an athlete takes your advice and notices a really positive effect, it sort of makes it all worth it as a coach. Nakiah has a technical smooth style from being brought up by racers in the Cascades, and is inspired to get rad off-piste in the Powder. I think we have a future contender on the Big Mountain scene here. - coach Ben Schumacher
Nina O'Sullivan
Nina arrives at practice with a huge smile and a “Yes, I’d love to!” attitude every day. From rocking the Rip-a-Thon by skiing 30 laps (!) to skiing the 15km Boulder Mountain Tour, Nina makes the most of everyday she is on skis. She is a kind & tenacious 2nd grader, and truly leads her teammates by her own “every-day-I- get-to-ski-is-a-great-day” example. Keep having fun out there, Nina, and thank you for being an AWESOME Devo Skier! - Coach Martha Pendl
Out of the gate: the 51st Arkoosh Cup
Out of the gate: the 51st Arkoosh Cup
Sunday, February 14th, Rotarun hosted the 51st running of the iconic community event, the Arkoosh Cup. With a field of 150 skiers and riders, the chill of the overcast February day was offset by the excitement of the athletes.
The day was split in half, with alpine girls and all snowboarders running in the morning, and alpine boys running in the afternoon. From pole-less U6 athletes that needed a little push to get out of the start, to U12 athletes tagging gates as they cut down the line, the race was an opportunity for skiers and riders of every level to put their skills to the test.
However, this year’s running of dual-format Arkoosh included a distinct feature from years past: pro-tour style starting gates, donated by the Bob Beattie Ski Foundation. The racehorse-style gates work as follows: once each athlete is in the gate and both courses declared ready, a light display to the immediate right of the gate begins to count athletes down. On ‘Go,’ the gates shoot open.
“The start gates added a whole other element. They keep everything running smoothly and on time. There’s no confusion among the kids on when to go depending on what we say. Plus, it gets the kids fired up. The kids are excited, and we are excited!” Alpine Program Director Will Brandenburg reported from the hill.
It is thanks to the generosity of the Bob Beattie Ski Foundation that SVSEF gets to heighten the Arkoosh Cup experience with this technology. Named for US coaching legend Bob Beattie, the Bob Beattie Ski Foundation mission is to “bring happiness through [its] work in skiing,” by making skiing fun and accessible to all athletes. One of the ways in which they execute this is through their advocacy on behalf of ‘pro-style’ racing.
Beattie brought ‘pro-style’ racing to the center stage of professional skiing in the season of 1969-70—the same year as the first Arkoosh Cup—when he established the World Pro Skiing Tour. WPST was designed to capture the attention of viewers through the thrill-inducing, ‘pro-style’ dual format, which in turn would grow a larger ski racing fanbase in the US. The ultimate goal of the circuit was to give athletes a way to make a sustainable living off of ski racing professionally.
While it is the legacy of Beattie’s World Pro Skiing Tour that the Foundation looks to preserve, it is far from focused on the professional level alone; one of the Foundation’s central strategies to proliferate pro-style skiing in the US is to bring the event to young athletes.
Of course, while any dual-style race taps into the thrill, it’s not fully authentic ‘pro-style’ without the racehorse start gates. “When you get put in a horse gate, you get pumped up. You go as fast as you can go. You’ve got to make sure you are sitting on your skis well, and that you’re in the zone as soon as those gates open.” Explains Terry Palmer, who in addition to working with the Bob Beattie Ski Foundation, is also an Olympian, ex-US Ski Team athlete, ex-World Pro Skiing Tour athlete, and of course, full-time Sun Valley local legend. “The dual format is meant to be fair, since you switch courses for each run. It always brings out good sportsmanship; you are able to go over to the person you beat and give them a high five, tell them, ‘next time you’ll get me, or I’ll get you.’”
So is the spirit of pro-style racing: fiercely competitive and wholeheartedly playful, earnest and fair. It was that exact energy that hung in the air on Sunday. Kids who complained about being matched against a notoriously fast competitor always managed to find that extra gear needed to close the gap in the course; athletes went from competitive banter to wishing their competitors good luck before entering the start gate with them. There were equal parts friendliness to fire pent up behind those start gates, and there was plenty of both.
SVSEF would like to reiterate our gratitude to the Bob Beattie Ski Foundation for helping turn this year’s Arkoosh Cup up a notch with the donation of pro-style start gates. Congratulations to Conway Selznick and Fleur Brazil, this year’s overall winners of the Arkoosh Cup!
Results:
SNOWBOARD: 10 & Under, Women: 1. Vivian Smith. 10 & Under, Men: 1. Enzo Schmillen 2. Quin Enoch & Rylan Olson 3. Bolden Enoch 4. Cameron Cardella. 11 & Over, Women: 1. Callie Allen 2. Emma Lurie 3. Camille Armeen. 11 & Over, Men: 1. Charles Nelson 2. Miles Hatzenbuehler 3. Henry Georgiades
U8 WOMEN: 1. Lauren Larrabee 2. Téa Smither 3. Arielle Ries 4. Alta Questad 5. Katherine Morrison
U8 MEN: 1. Jasper Pollock 2. Logan Steel 3. Jack Kantor 4. Alex Grant 5. Jackson Hudyma
U10 WOMEN: 1. Savannah Pringle 2. Camille Reid 3. Taylor Rundell 4. Olivia Harrington 5. Jennings Fraser
U10 MEN: 1. Henry Questad 2. Corbin Flood 3. Cash Mintz 4. Coen Lamb 5. Dillon Wyman
U12 WOMEN: 1. Fleur Brazil 2. Sasha Preuss 3. Elliot Leahy 4. Skye Pringle 5. Skylar Jensen
U12 MEN: 1. Conway Selznick 2. Sawyer Morgan 3. Tommy Hovey 4. Wyatt Limburg 5. Harrison Black
Athletes of the Week
Athletes of the Week
February 14 2021
Karsen Miller
This week’s SVSEF Snowboarding athlete of the week comes to you from the Mini Shred Team.
Karsen Miller is new to the SVSEF this season but according to Mini Shred Head Coach “Danger” Dave. “Karsen has been grinding it out all season pushing himself in all areas of snowboarding. His fundamentals have really improved with his hard work. It has been noticed by his teammates, and his effort brings up the level at any practice he is at.I see him being in snowboarding for a long time.”
Great work Karsen keep up the hard work. - Coach Andy Gilbert
Aisley Grohusky
Aisley Grohusky is XC Comp Team’s Athlete of the Week. She will likely laugh and deny it- but Aisley has quietly become a leading force on our team. Aisley leads by example and it is rare for her to miss practice or an opportunity to race. It is even rarer if she isn’t laughing or at least smiling with her teammates during practice or around the hut. This is Aisley’s 2nd year with SVSEF and we are seeing Aisley’s hard work and positive attitude payoff in both her results this season and with her influence on the team. - Coach Ashley Knox
Emmett Christ
Emmett has been an exceptionally positive force on the squad this season. From tossing his first flat 360 off a nature feature side jump at Dollar to going thru the process of learning all 4 way 360s, his work ethic unmatched. We look forward to seeing where his skiing takes him in the future. - Coach Cassidy Dubois “Queso”
Athletes of the Week
Athletes of the Week
February 7 2021
Mabel Dietz
Mabel is on Baldy Devo and LASAR. She is a Good Person and a Great teammate. She has worked hard to improve her Skiing. We look for Mabel to do well as she continues her journey! - Coach Brian Caulkins
Camille Fox
Camille is a rookie Travel Team member who came to the program with only two seasons of snowboarding and no expectations other than taking her riding to a new level. She has done that in short order going from an eager good rider to a shredder who is comfortable on all terrain now.
Camille said it best to the coaches recently when asked how snowboarding was fitting into her life? She said, “Snowboarding was something I liked to do, now it’s like everything”!
Keep it up Camille your coaches and teammates are stoked you are here and on the progression your making! - Coach Andy Gilbert
Noah Horsch & Meredith Bromley
Noah Horsch and Meredith Bromley have been selected to represent the USSA Team as Athletes of the Week! Both Noah and Meredith sustained major injuries in January which will keep them off the snow for some time. This was very unfortunate as both athletes are very committed to their sport, and we have been missing them out at training and at races! Meredith and Noah are both new to the team this year, but they have quickly become valued teammates to all. Though they encountered a set-back, their past efforts and improvements are not lost! They may have to take a break from skiing for a bit, but the opportunity to improve in other aspects of the sport can now take center stage! We wish Noah and Meredith well on their road to recovery! We are looking forward to having them back with the team in the future! - Coach Nate Schwing
Athletes of the week
Athletes of the week
January 29, 2021
Abby Berner
Abby is new to the sport of ski racing, but that hasn’t held her back! She has made huge leaps in ability. She raced her first ski race ever last week, with nowhere to go but up! She pushes herself every day, whether its in a course or jumping a cat track on a powder day! Abby is also very supportive of her teammates, always maintaining a sunny disposition and a positive, yet fiery, attitude. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her this year! - Coach Charlotte Gourlay
Nic Rubenstien
Over the past few weeks Nic has been working hard on fine tuning his competition runs and his hard work is really starting to pay off. Last week Nic set a new personal high score with a 63 which ended up putting him on the podium for his age group. -Coach John Grigsby
Eavan Brow
Eavan is a new skier on this team this year and has been just an awesome addition. Every day Eavan is just pumped to be at ski team and her energy for the sport is both palpable and contagious, you can’t be on the trails with Eavan and not become stoked to be there. Learning a new sport, specifically XC skiing can be a very difficult and frustrating endeavor but somehow for Eavan it has only been a great adventure, every day she rises to the challenges we put in front of her, pushing herself and her teammates to be better. It doesn’t matter if we are logging kms, learning technique, playing games or doing intervals, Eavan is always smiling and encouraging herself and her teammates to continue on. I have seen her ski along side a teammate during and interval workout; totally out of breath, pushing herself to her limits and still find the energy to cheer for her teammate. She is such an important addition and our team this year wouldn’t be complete without her! - Coach Kelley Sinnott
From the start gate to the finish line: a week with the Alpine program
From the start gate to the finish line: a week with the Alpine program
With the holiday season in the rearview mirror and the thick of competition season picking up, SVSEF Alpine teams find themselves in the heat of athletic programming. Merely following them around for a week—let alone actually training—is exhausting work. So, we followed them around for you.
We’ll start off by heading to Rotarun for some weekday training. From 3 P.M. to 5 P.M., you can find Mini World Cup, North Series, and the IMD team training on the ‘little ski hill with a big heart.’ With North/South-split training, these teams alternate between Rotarun days spent skiing together, and Baldy days, where teams conduct more isolated training.
On Rotarun, the flow of athletes up and down the hill is constant; at any given time, an athlete is either on the slope or watching teammates from the poma lift. The only real moment of stillness is that spent listening to a coach’s advice. The minimal turn-around time keeps athletes engaged, and steady repetition creates tighter feedback loops between the coach, the athlete, and the athlete’s skiing.
The athletes show off the comprehensive benefits of this fast-paced repetition as they execute drills. They are charged with one-skiing a small course of brushes—commonly called carrots—on just enough of a fall-away slope to challenge their natural balance. While there were plenty of blowouts, there was a steady determination among athletes, and a tangible increase in comfort with each lap. Over time the athletes even manage to master the single-ski poma ride, something the 23-year-old lifetime skier and author of this post would hardly think to attempt.
Other athletes, meanwhile, run a GS on Rotarun’s main face. In addition to thinking critically about their own performance, athletes are encouraged to watch one another. Coaches occasionally pull individuals aside to watch their teammates ski and quiz them on the nature of the lines taken: are they high and conservative, or tight and aggressive? This exercise trains athletes to hold an essential question in mind: what can I learn from everyone around me, regardless of skill level relative to mine?
As the sun begins to tuck itself behind Rotarun’s peak, coaches pull the GS course in favor of a panel slalom, closing out the day with some light-hearted, head-to-head competition. While the coaches change out the course, athletes entertain themselves by throwing the biggest spread eagles they can, wherever they can.
Come the weekend, we’ll catch the Intermountain Division team on Baldy. They train Hemingway-into-Grayhawk, preparing for home race to be set in the same spot the upcoming weekend. The coaches create the best environment they can to place these athletes in a competition headspace. They set up a timing kit, which not only arms athletes with reference points for performance run-to-run, but also re-acquaints them with the race-day pressure of being under the clock. Coaches take nearly forty-five minutes to inspect with athletes, pointing out tricky turns and key locations to generate speed. Finally, they send the athletes down in racesuits and bibs. For two hours, the athletes receive the opportunity to train in a mock-race setting.
The end of the weekend returns us to Rotarun for the final Pastry Cup of the season. In a year that traditional competition opportunities are far-and-in-between, the Pastry Cup gives North Series athletes an additional opportunity to practice getting into the competitive zone... With some sugar mixed in. What better a way to motivate young athletes than delicious baked goods for prizes?
The racers compete in a dual slalom, facing off in tense head-to-head matches. Lynyrd Skynyrd's Free Bird blasts from speakers at the base of the poma lift, the sun beams down on Rotarun’s slopes, spectators keep an appropriate distance from one another and enjoy the racing from smoldering fire pits aside the parking lot. With the laughter, light, and music, it’s the sort of morning that almost feels as if it could exist outside the pandemic.
By lunch time, coaches hold awards, announcing the top three female finishes and top three male finishes. Each top finisher gets their choice of coach-baked goodies: rice krispy treats, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake. However, while those who make the podium get first choice, every athlete still gets a small taste of victory: enough pieces are made of each treat as to make sure all members of the get a taste. A word of advice: don’t catch yourself standing amid the athletes when the award ceremony concludes, unless you’re ready to run the stampede of ski boots around you as the victors share their spoils.
While there’s no guarantee of normalcy this season, the Alpine program pushes forward with this sort of programming: drilling in muscle memory, encouraging critical thought about one’s skiing, re-creating the competitive environment, and of course, keeping things engaging and fun. "At the end of the day, the goal is progression." Alpine Program director Will Brandenburg explains. "The staff is asked to build their programming to be season-wide, targeted at long term development of an athlete's skiing. There's a method to all these moving parts, and the whole goal is developing programming that can continually help athletes progress day-to-day, month-to-month, year-to-year."
"We build programming that gives the athletes the proper steps to progress; races serve as tests of this progression." Brandenburg continues. One such testing opportunity was this last weekend, with nine total races held across age groups, locations and disciplines. By-and-large, SVSEF athletes scored big. In Grand Targhee, SVSEF U12 boys made up half of the top ten finishers, two of which were on the podium. In races split between Baldy and Rotarun, SVSEF athletes across genders took 5 out of the 6 first-place finishes. Across the weekend's events, SVSEF alpine racers secured 14 podium spots out of 33 total opportunities. However, it's not the impressive finishes that pose a testimony to the hours of programming: it's the scale of progression across the field.
"Ninety-five percent of the kids are getting better, the whole program is moving forward." Brandenburg adds. The results demonstrate this too: SVSEF athletes are almost entirely concentrated toward the front half of the field. "If you were to call the head coaches today, they would be like 'yeah, I really don’t care about the results. We do care, we care as far as the team is moving forward, and that the individuals are getting better at skiing, but not about how we are doing in reference to everyone else.' Across our coaching staff, they aren’t putting pressure on the kids to ski fast, rather, they are teaching and challenging the kids to ski better." Brandenburg continues. As he views it, "when you, as an athlete, don’t feel your getting better and progressing, it’s really hard to be motivated to continue to work hard." At the end of the day, it's about loving what you do, and loving the hard work it takes. When hard work begets progress, it's a lot easier for that love of skiing to flourish.
As Brandenburg explains, "I think that’s part of the reason everyone is doing well."