Advice for Girls

In their Words: NYSEF Alumna Kalen

Griffin & Belleayre Local Iz La Motte

Share their Love of East Coast Skiing

Ahead of New Ski Film

In Their Words: Advice for Girls

Kalen Griffin is a Lake Placid native who grew up racing as a NYSEF alpine skier at Whiteface Mountain. Iz La Motte grew up skiing at Belleayre - prior to NYSEF acquiring the program - and is well acquainted with ski racing on the East Coast. They’re part of a new, allfemale-driven film project under the direction of Sara Beam Robbins that puts their experiences as young female skiers in the spotlight.

Advice For Girls is a feature-length ski film showcasing the collective experience of women in the ski industry

Throughout the film, athletes share the lessons they have learned through their experiences and pass advice on to the next generation of female skiers Inspired by the poem "Advice for Girls” written by Addy Jacobsend, who is also a producer on the project, the film features an all-female cast and crew tackling big terrain and even bigger stereotypes

“For me, I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of an allwomen ' s ski film - it means that I get to be me, ” Griffin said “I get to showcase my “chargey” style of big mountain skiing as well as the racer side of me that still loves to crush perfect corduroy.”

Griffin will be seen in the film during the big mountain skiing and cliff-hucking segments, as well as some classic groomer shots. She shared that this project is really important to her because she knows first-hand what it’s like to be a young “skier chick.”

“I know how hard it can be to be yourself and "just-do-you",” she added. “I am proud and stoked to be taking on a role where young skiers may have the chance to look up to me. It's a special place to be in right now and I'm happy and grateful to be a part of it all ”

The team hopes that this film will inspire young girls to show up as their true selves and not let anything stand in their way, La Motte said

“I feel very honored to be a part of such a talented, creative, and intentional team,” she says.

La Motte is a cinematographer for the film and has spent the 22/23 season traveling and filming throughout the Intermountain West. She also credits her experiences as a racer with giving her the mental stamina and determination she has today.

“Mentally, ski racing gave me the drive to overcome challenges, a keen sense for attention to detail, and the determination it takes to bring projects to fruition,” La Motte said.

La Motte now lives, works, and skis out west, but can name plenty of things she misses about skiing the East Coast

“I miss the tight trees of the east,” she said. “Picking lines through tight, gladed terrain is so fun and very unique to the east The technical terrain that exists all over the east turns out some very, very good skiers.”

“If you want to be competitive in ski racing, that doesn't mean that you have to give up freeskiing - ski with your friends, try a 360, try a backflip or rail (with supervision and proper coaching) Try everything you want to; you can only be frustrated with yourself for not trying And if you never try, you never know You can be girly and still be a great athlete/ski racer You can be super strong and still be girly Never ever let anyone tell you you ' re not good enough, and if they do PROVE THEM WRONG. If you want it badly enough, you will find a way. ”

Griffin started skiing at the age of two on the Greatest Vertical East of the Rockies, aka Whiteface Mountain and joined NYSEF at seven “I LOVED the NYSEF program as a kid,” Griffin said “It was the most wonderful thing in the world. I loved the coaches, I loved my friends and I just plain loved skiing - and still do!”

Her love of skiing is obvious; she raced throughout high school at Northwood School, went on to race at St. Lawrence University, then spent three winters coaching U10, U12, and U14s out west. “My racing background and strong fundamental skills have given me the confidence to try lots of new features and terrain styles in big mountain skiing,” she says

She credits the structure NYSEF provides - as well as the lack of it at times - with helping her be who she is, and remembers her NYSEF coaches very fondly. “Pat Larkin, Art Lussi, Kevin Brousseau, and Jimbo all freeskied the pants off us as kids, yes we trained gates but we also freeskied a lot and I know the freeskiing helped me become the skier I am today,” she said.

Griffin, who lives out west but returns home during the summer months to spend time with her family, credits learning how to ski on the East Coast with her mindset that there will never be a bad day skiing because it’s a privilege just to ski.

“My biggest piece of advice is to show up as yourself Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing, focus on what works for you because at the end that’s what’s going to bring you the most success and hopefully make you the happiest. Be true to yourself and make sure you ’ re having fun throughout the process. ”

“Skiing in the west is magical: powder is fantastic, free refills on storm days are unparalleled and sunshine and 32 degrees is incredible,” she adds “[But], I wouldn't be the skier I am today if I didn't have my eastern background, it gives you a bit more grit I think!”

Actually, the entire crew - from the production team to the athletes - features some strong New York State representation. The Advice for Girls team includes Olympians Caroline Claire and Devin Logan from Long Island, athlete, and producer Sierra Schlag whose formative years of skiing were spent at Hunter Mountain, athlete Caroline Brokaw who grew up in Manhattan, and photographer Bianca Germain who grew up in the Albany area.

The team hopes that this film will set the new standard for athlete and creative team compensation

“Our aim is to show women and girls that they are valuable and that their stories are important,” La Motte said “Our goal is to pay everyone involved with this film their day rates and show that undervaluing athletes and creative work is not a viable option for the future of this industry ”

Advice for Girls is raising funds through Kickstarter to help make this project possible: The majority of the proceeds will go to paying the athletes and creators involved and covering production expenses. All funds raised will go directly toward making this film the best that it can possibly be To donate by the fundraising deadline of May 5th, visit: www.kickstarter.com/projects/adviceforgirlsfilm/ advice-for-girls

Alpine Recap: Nationals and CanAm Championships

Four alpine athletes from NYSEF at Whiteface capped off their seasons by competing on a National level. Northwood School's Jackson Magnus, a second-year U14 , competed at CanAm Championships at Mont-Tremblant in Canada from March 30 - April 2nd. Jackson had a solid run of Super G during the event

U16 athletes Cara Dempsey, Julianne Brochu, and Denny Sebek travelled to Mission Ridge, Washington during the first week of April to compete in U16 National Championships Denny placed 4th in the skills quest competition, Julianne was the hard charger in the slalom (moving from start 51 to 13th place!), and Cara placed 16th in slalom. What a great way to end the alpine racing season!