January Alpine Newsletter
The Alpine Program is off to a great start this season! There is plenty of snow in the valley to make for quality training for every age group within the program.
We've had a few days of challenging weather conditions over the holiday break, from one extreme at -24 F to pouring rain and 40 F the next week. Ski racing, like so many outdoor sports, creates very adaptable individuals and teaches a great lesson to focus on the factors that you can control! It was a perfect test during the month of Commitment at JHSC, and we're proud of how well our athletes maintained their focus and dedication while learning to overcome some challenges.
In the month of December, JHSC hosted 2 race series: one a FIS race at JHMR, which was their first in a long time, and the annual Sean Nurse Memorial Tech Series at Snow King. Looking ahead, January will be our busiest month this winter with 14 days of JHSC-hosted alpine races. We host the FIS Devo Series at Snow King Jan 2-5, a U14 Tech Qualifier Jan 13-15 at Snow King, and the Wes Baron Memorial SG series Jan 26-29 at JHMR. It is a huge benefit for our athletes and community to host races at our home hills. Come out to cheer on the local athletes!
Sean Nurse Memorial Results
The Sean Nurse Memorial Open Tech Race held at Snow King is an excellent way for athletes to assess their skills for the season ahead. Most IMD athletes race to improve their points, which in turn provides for a better starting position in races to come!
GS Day 1 Women's podium with JHSC’s own Lucy Wirth on the top step and teammate Taylor Moe in 5thplace! Great skiing, ladies!
GS Day 1 Men’s podium with JHSC’s 1st-year U16 Jaden D’Amours in 1st Place. Beside him, Oliver Sanders takes 3rd!
Behind the Scenes of a Home Race
We always talk about the races we hold at Snow King and JHMR and how well the athletes did, which is extremely important! We tend, though, to skip over the backbone of how we are able to run a race safely and effectively in the first place.
Not today! Let’s get to know the hard working, dedicated, and all-around amazing individuals who make our races a success for JHSC and visiting athletes!
The team that makes it all happen!
Photo: Athletes Noah Parazette, Travis D'Amours, & Atticus Sanders carrying b-net up the Cougar Chair to help set up for an upcoming race series a couple seasons ago!
Sean Hines, Race Director: Sean decided to be our fearless leader on the race side after working in and around races here at Snow King for 8 years. He knows the ins and outs of what it takes to make the venue safe, have firm racing conditions, operating the timing system, running an efficient race day, and much, much more! His first outing with the FIS race at JHMR was a huge success - we're grateful for how he dove right in this fall, training and leading the team.
Kristin Waddle, Alpine Director/Alpine Volunteer Coordinator: Kristin is responsible for making sure there are coaches and volunteers to help on race day. JHSC coaches not only prepare their training sequences for their teams but also help our course crew, which entails jobs such as slipping the course to make it smooth and fair for all athletes, fixing and repairing gates that may break or pop out of the ground, setting up the protective barrier, and assisting course setters by carrying gates. On the volunteer side, Kristin organizes parents and volunteers to assist in jobs including the starter, announcer, hand timers, lunch prep team, timers, course slippers, and more! There are anywhere from 8-15 volunteers at each race day assisting the staff!
Jeff Schwerdfeger & Meta Zagar, Race Administrators: This job consists of everything that needs to be done on a computer for the race—race entries, payment, waivers, additions, pulls, creating start lists, making sure we are using the correct points list, and submitting results and paperwork to IMD & US Ski & Snowboard. It's no simple task!
Mickey Brockman, Course Crew: Mickey has been working on the race crew at JHSC since 2000! On race day, you can find him stationed at the bottom of the slalom or GS course (in the holy land!) where you can guarantee his section of the course will look top notch. He can also set b-net like no one I have seen before! It is always perfectly to code and safety regulations, while also very straight and taut!
Avery Holdsworth & Wyatt Doyle, Course Crew: Avery and Wyatt are both JHSC alumni, and we are incredibly lucky to have such hardworking individuals back with the program, contributing to the success of JHSC! You will find them helping Sean and Mickey setting up b-net days before the race and working course crew during the race series! If you've see the blue dye marks near every turn gate in GS, that was Avery!
Volunteers: Yes all the jobs I mentioned before are important, but a race would not happen with out the MANY volunteers we have each race day! It is tough because I can’t possibly name everyone but there are a few dedicated folks who must be mentioned!
Timing Room: Sue Bybee, Audrey Hagen, Kathy Lynch, Rich McDowell, Daryl Peightal, and Patty Cook
Starter/Start Referee/Finish Referee: AJ Sanders, Andy Parazette, Libby Hall, Greg Johnson, Heather Noble, Jeff Wogoman, Cynthia Clausen
Hand Timers, Course Maintanence, Announcer, Lunch crew: Robin Folweiler, Matt MacMillan, Sarah MacMillan, Tamzen Pruzan, Tommy Moe, Rebecca Ritter, Johnny Tozzi, and many, many more!
All, of our amazing volunteers put in countless hours on the hill, in the cold, in order for the athletes to have a safe and successful race series! Thank you all for what you have done and what you continue to do!
Race Schedule/Opportunities to Volunteer:
Past Events:
Dec 14-17: FIS OPEN TECH SERIES at JHMR
Dec 19-21: Sean Nurse Tech Series at SK
Upcoming Opportunities
January
Jan 2-5: FIS DEVO TECH SERIES at SK
JAN 7: CAROLINE CLASSIC CLUB SERIES RACE at SK
JAN 13-15: U14 TECH QUALIFIER at SK
JAN 23: PICA”S MARG CUP RACE #1 at SK
JAN 26-29: WES BARON SG SERIES at JHMR
February
FEB 6: PICA’S MARG CUP RACE #2 at SK
FEB 13: PICA’S MARG CUP RACE #3 at SK
FEB 25: BANK OF JACKSON HOLE CLUB SERIES at JHMR
FEB 27: PICA’S MARG CUP RACE #4 at SK
March
Mar 4: BANK OF JACKSON HOLE CLUB SERIES at SK
Mar 10-12: JACKSON HOLE DOWNHILL at JHMR
Mar 23-26: U14 REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS at JHMR
For Volunteer Opportunities, visit https://jhskiclub.org/support/volunteer-jobs
Email Alpine Program Director Kwaddle@jhskiclub.org if you ever have questions!
