Summer Dryland

We've had a great start to summer dryland. Our FIS and U16 athletes have been building strength, athleticism, and healthy training habits while preparing for the season ahead.

It's also been fun to see athletes training together across programs this summer. Our FIS and Nordic athletes have combined training every Wednesday, while our U16 and FIS athletes have also shared workouts and adventure days throughout the summer.

A recent trip to Phelps Lake included a hike through Grand Teton National Park followed by plenty of fun leaps from the famous jumping rock into the lake. This week, the group heads to Delta Lake for another day together in the Tetons. These adventure days have been a great way to build friendships while enjoying everything Jackson has to offer.

Community Service

Thank you to everyone who came out to help with our first weed-pulling project back in July. Our next service project is Thursday, August 6, from 8:30–10:00 a.m. at the base of Snow King. We hope you'll join us as we continue giving back to one of our primary training venues.

Saas-Fee Training Camp

Our U14 athletes are currently training in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, taking advantage of one of the world's premier summer glacier training venues.

The athletes have enjoyed outstanding slalom and giant slalom training while also making the most of everything Saas-Fee has to offer. Off the snow, they've hiked in the Alps, cooled off in glacial rivers, explored the village, celebrated Swiss National Day, and experienced a little Swiss culture along the way.

Summer glacier training is about much more than time on snow. It gives athletes the opportunity to continue developing technically while living, training, and traveling together in an incredible mountain environment. The combination of world-class skiing, adventure, and travel has made this a memorable experience, and we look forward to welcoming everyone home on Saturday.

Meet the Coach: Matt Hoffman

One of the highlights this summer has been welcoming Matt Hoffman to the JHSC community. I asked Matt to share a few thoughts for this month's newsletter about how he views success in ski racing and what he's excited to build with our FIS program. I enjoyed reading it and wanted to share part of his message with everyone.

When I think about "success" in ski racing, I look for the things that last longer than ski racing. Medals get shoved into drawers or locked behind glass cases. Our race skis eventually become the skis we pull out on a bluebird day when the snow is perfect, and we laugh about the tight speed suits we used to wear.

But the memories—that's the important stuff. The stories athletes tell are almost always about their friends: summer camps in Europe, races with terrible weather where everyone ended up playing cards together, or reuniting with teammates from across the country at Nationals. Those experiences never seem to lose the excitement they bring.

One of my own favorite memories is hitchhiking back from Mt. Hood with a snowboarder because my friends and I didn't want to walk a couple of miles carrying demo skis. Our coach was not happy, and I still remember calling my mom afterward with my coach standing there. Great memory though!

Chase the experiences, not the points. If you do that, I bet some pretty cool things will happen down the road in this sport for you.

— Matt Hoffman, Head FIS Coach

We're excited to have Matt as part of the JHSC coaching staff and look forward to the positive impact he'll have on our athletes this season.

Athlete Recognition

Congratulations to first-year FIS athlete Taryn Moe, who was selected to attend a U.S. Ski & Snowboard National Development Group project in New Zealand.

Taryn earned this invitation following an outstanding U16 season and will join a select group of developing athletes from around the country. It's a tremendous opportunity, and we wish her the best as she represents JHSC.

Good luck, Taryn! We look forward to hearing about your experience when you return.