JUNIOR WORLD QUALS ADKTourde
January 2025
What’s Inside:
3. From the Director’s Desk
4. What’s Next: Upcoming Races, Training Projects, & Events
6. ADK Tour de Ski
10 Big Mountain Freeriders
12. Meet Our Staff: Nate Trachte
14 Ski Jumping Junior World Qualifier
18. Soldier Hollow Biathlon Races
20 Saas Fee Camp 2024
24. Colorado U14-U18 Fundamentals
28 Sunday River Camp Recap
30. Holiday XC Adventuring
32. December Alpine Results
34. Tim Reilly Visits Leonhard Stock
36. NYSEF’s Holiday Chairman’s Party
38. News From Northwood School
40. New Masters Programming & Race Series at Whiteface
42. Johannsen’s Last Call
43. Features From Our Partners
45. Thank You to NYSEF’s Sponsors
Cover Image: NYSEF JRT Athlete Daven Linck competes in Race #1 of the ADK Tour de Ski at Mount Van Hoevenberg on 12/15/24.
Photo by Nancie Battaglia
From the Director’s Desk
Dear NYSEF Family,
Happy New Year! We closed 2024 with a successful Chairman’s Holiday Party, raising nearly $60,000 as a result of a generous matching gift by Robin McGraw and the Black Rock Foundation I am incredibly grateful for the continued generosity and commitment of the NYSEF supporters
The start of 2025 has brought the first competitions of the season to our local venues. This past weekend, NYSEF and ORDA hosted ski jumping and nordic combined athletes from around the country where over 70 athletes trained and competed - many for chance to qualify for the Junior World Championships (slated to be held here in February)
Meanwhile, at Gore, where we hosted our first alpine event of the season in December just before Christmas, our cross-country athletes competed at the Gore Nordic Center in the first Mid-Atlantic Junior Nationals Qualifier. U16+ alpine athletes kicked off their NYSSRA season at Belleayre. At Whiteface, we wrapped up a 4 day women ’ s FIS Eastern Cup series and hosted USASA rail jam and slopestyle comps.
In all of these events, our NYSEF athletes are landing results - be it on the podium or pushing up through the standings to personal bests Now that we ’ re fully in the season, please stop by and cheer us on
See you soon,
John Norton, Executive Director
What’s Next: Upcoming Races, Training Projects, & Events
ADK Tour de Ski Race #3
January 11th, 2025 @ Dewey Mountain
Join us for devo through masters-level racing at Dewey!
https://www adktourdeski com/
NYSSRA U16/U18 Giant Slalom x2
January 11-12, 2025 @ Gore Mountain
USASA Snowboard SL/GS
January 11, 2025 @ Belleayre Mountain
The 62nd Annual Hovey Memorial GS
January 12, 2025 @ Whiteface Mountain
CLICK HERE to Register
Ski Jumping K48 Junior Nat. Qualifyer
January 11, 2025 @ Lake Placid Olympic Jumping Complex
FIS-U St. Lawrence University Carnival
January 16-17, 2025 @ Whiteface Mountain
FIS Freestyle Aerials World Cup (Lake Placid)
January 18 - 19, 2025 @ Lake Placid Olympic Jumping Complex
The Freestyle Aerials World Cup returns to Lake Placid!
Click here for more information
U16 RPS Speed Project
January 21-23, 2025 @ Whiteface Mountain
Clarkson Carnival
January 24-25, 2025 @ Whiteface Mountain
Eastern Open FIS Giant Slalom x2
January 24-25, 2025 @ Gore Mountain
ADK Tour de Ski Race #4
10 AM January 25th @ James C. Frenette Recreational Trails
Join us for devo through masters-level racing in Tupper Lake! https://www.adktourdeski.com/
USCSA Alpine & Freeride Carnival Weekend
January 25-26, 2025 @ Belleayre Mountain
Empire State Winter Games
January 31 - February 2, 2025 @ Whiteface Mountain
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
USCSA McBrine GS/SL
February 1 - 2, 2025 @ Gore Mountain
NYSSRA U14 Super G Project
February 2 - 4, 2025 @ Belleayre Mountain
2025 American Downhiller PARA Speed Project
February 3 - 5, 2025 @ Gore Mountain
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
Canadian GS/SG Race Series
February 5 - 7, 2025 @ Whiteface Mountain
Men’s FIS Eastern Cup
February 8 - 11, 2025 @ Whiteface Mountain
USASA Skicross/Boardercross
February 8 - 9, 2025 @ Belleayre Mountain
USASA ADK Slopestyle
February 8 - 9, 2025 @ Gore Mountain
FIS World Cup Ski Jumping
February 6 - 9, 2025 @ Lake Placid Olympic Jumping Complex
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
N Y S E F
ADK Tour de Ski Series Begins
The Adirondack Tour de Ski kicked off on Sunday, December 15th at Mount Van Hoevenberg with the venue hosting its first cross country ski races of the season. The Tour de Ski was founded last year by members of the local community to showcase all of the amazing trail systems that are available in the Lake Placid and Saranac Lake region, as well as bring together local and out of town racers for a fun-filled, diverse race series. Led by NYSEF, the Tour will host six different races this year on various weekends, showcasing different racing formats at each different venue, and is open to all ages and abilities from kindergarten through masters!
Members of the NYSEF community showed up in force at the first event, with athletes from the devo race team, skimeisters, and junior race team as well as alumni, parents, and coaches all toeing the line to test their grit in distances ranging from 200 meters to 10 kilometers.
Congratulations to NYSEF’s youth finishers @ Race #1:
Lollipoppers: Nell W.
Grade 3 & 4:
Pippa D.
Nadia G.
Phoenix C
Willow H.
Juliet W.
Maya S
Grade 5 & 6:
Leo L.
Lewis H.
Leela V
Cooper V.
Grade 7 & 8:
Will P.
Shane C.
Henry H
Ryan M.
Congratulations to NYSEF’s alumni, parent, & coach finishers @ Race #1!
Alumni
Andrew Scanio - 2nd Place
overall (Men’s 10k)
Elizabeth Izzo - 2nd Place
Overall (Women’s 10k)
NYSEF Parents
Sean Mannion (10k)
Stephen Hann (10k)
Jeff Erenstone (5k)
Chris Fey (5k)
Michele Mannion (5k)
Debbie Erenstone (5k)
Molly Hann (5k)
Sara Cook (5k)
NYSEF Coaches
Colin Delaney (10k)
Matt Cook (10k)
Chris Rose (10k)
Congratulations to NYSEF’s Junior Race Team Race #1 Podiums!
Women’s 5k Skate
1. Kai M.
3. Holly E.
4. Leila F.
5 Bella W
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Men’s 5k Skate
1.Forrest S.
2. Max F.
3. Liam S.
4 Connor M
5. Jack K.
Men’s 10k Skate
1. Daven L.
5 Duncan V D
The second event of the series took place on Sunday, December 29th at Scott’s Cobble Nordic Center in Lake Placid and consisted of a skiathlon style races for all ages and abilities. Congratulations to NYSEF’s Finishers!
Race #2 Youth Finishers:
Grade 3 & 4:
Leo L.
Lewis H
Pippa D.
Grade 5 & 6:
Henry H.
Leela V.
Cooper V
Grade 7 & 8:
Will P.
Congratulations to NYSEF’s alumni, parent, & coach finishers @ Race #2!
Alumni
Shane MacDowell (1st - 10k)
Elizabeth Izzo (2nd - 10k)
NYSEF Parents
Stephen Hann (10k)
Molly Hann (5k)
NYSEF Coaches
Chris Rose (10k)
Big Mountain Freeriders
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If you ’ re in tune with NYSEF happenings you may have heard that the Freeride program has been rebranded this season as the Freeski/Snowboard Team. That’s in large part to the conflictingly-named latest addition to the competitive disciplines we support - “Freeride”. Freeride, or big mountain skiing and riding, is the up and coming sport that involves judged runs on natural, ungroomed terrain.
Founded in 1996, the International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association (IFSA Freeride) is the organizing body for the sport in the US focused on the junior and qualifier levels which feed the Freeride World Tour, overseen by the International Ski Federation (FIS).
This November it was announced that the first FIS Freeride World Championship will be held in Andorra in February 2026 Ultimately, the goal is the sport’s inclusion at the 2030 Winter Olympics in France.
This coming March, Whiteface and Gore Mountains will be hosting Junior and Qualifier events for skiers and riders for the first time, opening up a pipeline for NYSEF athletes to explore and grow within this discipline. To that end, our first group of U15 freeskiers have begun training under the tutelage of NYSEF alum, Nate Trachte The introduction to the sport begins with the U12’s - who can compete in non-scored divisions at junior events. Moving up to U15’s and eventually U19’s - athletes are scored and carry a cumulative point profile which enables them to move up through the ranks and potentially qualify for the 2025 Freeride Junior Championships, being held this year at Kirkwood in April
“The plan to support this program is much the same as for our other disciplines: first, encourage young athletes to develop their fundamentals within our traditional programming (Introduction to competitive skiing and snowboarding) There, they can build their skills, casually test the competitive waters, and get a
IFSA 2* Schedule:
Jay Peak Vol 1: Sunday January 26
Smugglers Notch: Sunday February 2
Mad River: Friday February 7
Whiteface: Saturday March 8
Gore: Sunday March 9
N Y S E F
Meet Our Staff:
Nate Trachte
Last season, alumni Nate Trachte returned to NYSEF to assist with coaching U14 alpine ski racing at Whiteface Mountain. This season, he is leading NYSEF’s new Big Mountain Freeriders to new heights!
What is your personal background in skiing?
I grew up skiing at Whiteface with NYSEF and attended National Sports Academy in Lake Placid as an alpine ski racer. After graduating from NSA in 2012 I moved to Durango, Colorado where I fell in love with backcountry skiing in the San Juan Mountains. For more than a decade now I have been freeride skiing in the backcountry and at resorts all over North America; in the Adirondacks, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Colorado, Washington, British Columbia, Alaska and more
What is the overall goal of the program this year?
The goal for the program this year is to establish freeride as a viable option for NYSEF athletes interested in competitive big mountain freeride skiing I'm working to give athletes an opportunity to develop the technical skills necessary to confidently navigate complex natural terrain with style and compete at a high level I want to build a supportive environment on the hill that lets these athletes try new things, fail, learn, and grow.
What are you most excited about for this season with this group of athletes? This group came in with a solid foundation of skills they learned in their previous NYSEF program disciplines. We have a mix of former alpine and freestyle athletes looking to apply those skills to big mountain terrain. I want to give these athletes an outlet to express themselves through their skiing and push their limits They have been turning heads all over the mountain and I'm excited to bring them to competitions around the east coast to see how we stack up against some of the best young skiers in the region.
How do you hope that this program grows and develops in the future? What are some of your goals?
I hope this program grows to include multiple age categories as well as snowboard athletes in the next couple of seasons I would like to organize training camps to broaden athletes' perspectives and introduce them to other mountain ranges around the world. We are having conversations about weaving in backcountry ski touring opportunities both in the Adirondacks and elsewhere, which would go a long way towards developing well rounded big mountain athletes.
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Shines
at Junior World Qualifiers
On the first weekend of December, Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs, CO played host to the Winter Start competition which acted as both a U S Cup and Junior World Championship qualifier for nordic combined and ski jumping athletes. Both NYSEF’s ski jumping and nordic combined teams traveled West to compete in the two-day event.
Ski Jumping: Henry L took the win both days and has a 60 point lead in the Junior Worlds Team standings. On Saturday Max F., Jack K., and Eli L. all finished in the top 12. On Sunday Jack got 5th, and Eli 6th.
Nordic Combined: Max finished 3rd in the 10k and 2nd in 5k. Jack got 5th in the second Nordic combined Junior World Qualifier.
The second Junior World Champs qualifying event took place at our home jumps in Lake Placid from Friday, January 5th - Sunday, January 6th on the HS100 as well as on the Olympic Trails at Mount Van Hoevenberg. Athletes competed over the two days for coveted spots on the Junior World Championships Team, which will be named later this month
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NYSEF’s Kai McKinnon skied her way to victory in Nordic Combined on the first day of competition, after placing second during the jumping round with a score of 92.5. On day two, she placed second by only 4 seconds, after skiing back from a 1:24 deficit, with a jumping score of 80.5 on the HS100. On the men ’ s side, Duncan Van Dorn was NYSEF’s top finisher, placing 6th on Saturday, and 4th on Sunday.
In ski jumping, NYSEF’s Henry Loher stole the show on Saturday, with a HS100 hill record jump of 105 meters in the second round, landing him in first place with 255.8 points. Teammate Eli Larkin placed 4th with 214.5 points, recording a jump of 95 meters in the second round of jumping. On the womens side, Kai McKinnon placed third with 166 5 points
On Sunday, Loher once again took the victory on the men ’ s side with jumps of 96.5 and 98 meters, scoring 273.5 points on the day. NYSEF’s next best finisher was Mitchell Penning in 7th (186 5) On the women ’ s side, McKinnon took 5th
Junior World Championships will take place from February 11- February 16th, 2025 at the Lake Placid Olympic Jumping Complex and Mount Van Hoevenberg
Soldier Hollow Biathlon
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A few members of NYSEF’s Junior Biathlon Team traveled out to Soldier Hollow, Utah for the US Biathlon Youth and Junior Nationals / YJWCH Trials event over the Holiday break accompanied by Head Coach Maddie Phaneuf
Abby V. and Jenna S, as well as NYSEF alum River G. competed against the top youth and junior biathletes in the country at the former 2002 Olympic site over the three day competition.
“We saw some tough competitions with a variety of weather conditions; snow/rain, warm and slushy, and ending with a bluebird day! All in all our athletes raced their hearts out and gave it their all.” said Phanuef
On day 1, our NYSEF girls were among some of the only competitors with a clean shooting bout (meaning they hit all 5 of their targets) and placed 10th and 16th respectively.
On day 2, Jenna S tied with the best shooting of the day in the women ’ s youth category, with only 3 misses over 20 shots! Abby V. placed 11th and Jenna S. placed 14th.
On the third and final day of competition, Abby had her best shooting of the week with only 2 misses out of 10 shots and skyrocketed her way into 5th place with some speedy skiing, with Jenna landing in 15th!
“All in all it was a great opportunity for our team to get together with the best biathletes in the country to kick off the race season and the new year!” said Phaneuf “We may not have made any international teams this time around, but I know the athletes learned a lot and are eager to get some more racing in this winter.” J a n u a r y 2 0 2 5
Saas Fee ‘24
Nineteen U16 alpine athletes and five coaches spent their Thanksgiving and the days surrounding it in the Swiss Alps, soaking in the sunshine at elevation, and getting some high quality training runs before the season began back at home. The group spent six days training on their giant slalom skis, and six on their slalom skis.
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“Conditions were midwinter by Eastern standards with soft and variable snow throughout the camp. Hotel Europa was a great Hotel to base out of with modern rooms and a large garage for tuning ” said Whiteface U16 Head Coach Jimbo Johnston
In their time off snow, athletes focused on their schoolwork, with support from Northwood School’s Carrie Wardlaw They also had time to do some dryland training, hiking, study hall, video, tuning, and wandering around the village of SaasFee, which sits on a plateau over 5,000ft high in the Swiss Alps. Meals consisted of European staples of fresh meats and cheeses for breakfast and German fare for dinner
“During our time is Saas Fee, we spent a lot of time working on basic fundamentals while also working on our skills in gates. The snow was amazing and the views at the top were second to none our hotel was approximately 1 mile from the base of the tram making for a great warm up and cool down each day. We started the session with only a little bit of snow in the village but by the end we had gotten 2 or 3 big snow storms (this made for some great sledding!) Don’t worry we also managed to maintain high quality academics while there thanks to the help of Carrie!”
Riley Ward, Northwood School
"Saas Fee was a great way to start the season. A very relaxed atmosphere with a back to snow fundamentals based training progression consisting a mix of free skiing, drills, and gate training".
Head Coach Jimbo Johnston
“The U16 group is back in Lake Placid after a successful on and off snow experience in Saas Fee. Each day consisted of time on the hill, free time and at least two hours of academic time We were lucky enough to stay in the Hotel Europa and basically had the entire place to ourselves. We utilized two “quiet” study hall rooms and one larger community room for group work if needed. The student athletes were in contact with their teachers each day, as well as having math Zoom tutoring sessions We continued working through the Thanksgiving holiday ensuring they were caught up with their classmates when we returned. As the academic coordinator I was very impressed with the work ethic and diligence to doing school work while we were there Each student’s teachers were also very communicative with me whether they were from the public schools, winter term, or Northwood School .We have worked hard to ensure the academic component is aligned with the ski component and this trip was a huge success!”
Carrie Wardlaw, Northwood School
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Colorado FUNdamentals
NYSEF Alpine athletes ranging from the U12 though U18 age groups once again traveled to Summit County in Colorado on Thanksgiving Day to kick off their season on snow at NYSEF’s Annual Colorado Fundamentals Training Session This year the trip was lead by Gore Head Alpine Coach John Morgan and Whiteface U14 Head Coach Mike Mezzetti, with academic support from Olivia Transue, Associate Director of NYSEF’s Winter Term.
After an easy travel day highlighted by half-empty planes, the group spent their first three days on snow at Arapahoe Basin, where athletes experienced “blue skies, perfect packed powder, smiles, and shortness of breath from the altitude”, according to Coach John Morgan “In my opinion, A Basin was the best snow we had all trip! The kids got to ski knee deep powder once they opened up more trails. On average we skied about 24/25 miles per day” said Coach Mezzetti.
The group spent the following five days at Copper Mountain on their GS skis, freeskiing and training alongside many World Cup athletes and legends. Copper is a popular fall training location for both speed and tech events for World Cup level ski racers, and our NYSEF group was there at just the right time, as athletes prepared for the Beaver Creek World Cup. On December 3rd, the group got to meet, talk, and take photos with Lindsey Vonn as she prepared for her World Cup comeback In the following days they got the opportunity to ski with New York native Tricia Mangan as well.
On their final day in Colorado, the group attended the Beaver Creek World Cup; an event that most said was the highlight of their whole trip. “We attended the Men's World Cup SG at Beaver Creek. An absolutely fantastic day was had by all! Some of our athletes were able to get race bibs and many pictures with the racers The smiles on our young athletes was a site to be seen. ” said Morgan.
During their time off the hill, athletes focused on recovery as well as keeping up on their school work Each evening ended with study hall sessions, led by Winter Term’s Olivia Transue.
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“The kids worked hard both on and off the hill. They kept up with their academics, while being outside of the classroom. Completing tests, readings, homework etc All athletes took part in a 2 hour study hall, after skiing, which then lead into their house dinner.” said Transue
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Although they spent most of their time skiing and doing schoolwork, the group was able to sneak away for a few fun side trips They visited the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass at 11,990 feet of elevation, took afternoon shopping trips to Breckenridge, and cooked team dinners together in their condos, highlighted by the stellar cooking of girls U14 athletes Evelyn Palma and Mia Mezzetti.
The group returned home in the first week of December with altitude trained lungs and legs, boosted fundamental skills, and ready to take on the competition this racing season!
Fun Days at Sunday River!
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Sunday River Ski Camp: Resilience and Preparation for the Season Ahead
Despite less than ideal weather conditions, the NYSEF Sunday River Training Project proved to be an invaluable experience for our athletes, equipping them with skills and insights to carry into this season. From mental and dryland training exercises to drills focusing on core earlyseason fundamentals like stance and balance, the experience offered something for everyone
Each day began with a hearty breakfast at the historic Bethel Inn before we loaded up the vans and headed to the mountain We were hoping the day would go as any normal training day would, but each day held a different challenge.
Although we faced challenges such as wind holds and unpredictable conditions, we approached them with a positive mindset and the understanding that adaptability is a key part of success.
When lifts were on hold, we didn't let the downtime dampen our day. Instead we saw it as an opportunity to lead our athletes through mental and physical warm-ups This shift in perspective is crucial: preparation is everything, whether it's on snow or off. We took advantage of these moments to reinforce the importance of staying positive, adapting to unexpected challenges, and being prepared to perform at a moment's notice.
At the end of the day, dinner at the Bethel Inn was the one constant we had, snow and lifts were all up in the air Regardless, each athlete performed to the best of their ability and there was no mention of the difficulties we saw each day. It is astonishing the impact we can have on each other if we stay positive through coping and adapting phases
Despite the challenges, the NYSEF Sunday River Ski Training Project reinforced the importance of resilience, adaptability, and preparation. Our athletes embraced every setback as an opportunity to grow, demonstrating a positive mindset and readiness to perform. These lessons will undoubtedly carry them through the season, ready to overcome whatever comes their way.
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Holiday XC Adventuring!
NYSEF’s Devo XC Team celebrated the Holiday week and the Winter Solstice at their final practice before Christmas, on Saturday December 21st. The team braved the fierce cold and sub-zero wind chills to go on a backcountry skiing adventure with coaches Julianne Stemp, Maddie Phaneuf, and Scotty McClelland
The group began their adventure at Mount Van Hoevenberg, looping through the groomed trails before connecting via the backcountry to trails at Cascade Ski Center, ultimately finishing their journey at Scott’s Cobble Nordic Center.
“We celebrated the Winter Solstice, thanked Ullr, the snow god for providing a white holiday season, and enjoyed each other’s company for a 7+ (over 2 hour) ski in the woods!” said Phaneuf.
The trip was highlighted by the coaches’ festive holiday attire, featuring Coach Scotty as Santa (fanny pack belly included)
On Saturday December 28th, NYSEF’s Skimeister group took their skinny skis to Whiteface Mountain, where they embarked on a backcountry xc adventure up the back side of the mountain, skiing up (and down!) the Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway
The group skied approximately 2.2 miles up the toll road to a rest area near the pump house, gaining nearly 850 feet in elevation as they climbed. Skiers took breaks along the way to take in the views, fuel up with snacks, pet some dogs, and talk about their holiday break away from school, and all the fun they had with family and freinds!
Once the group reached the pump house, they were rewarded with hot chocolate, bacon, pb&j, and some cookies provided by coaches Matt Cook and Kaileigh Moore. The best reward was the ski down, though - 2.2 miles of pure downhill fun in perfect conditions!
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December Alpine Results
FIS Women
Sunday River (12/7 - 12/8)
Slalom #1:
Leanne A - 2nd U18, 18th Overall
Elleanore P. - 3rd U18, 23rd Overall
Slalom #2:
Julianne B - 2nd U18, 17th Overall
FIS Women
Val St. Come (12/14 - 12/15)
Slalom #1:
Leanne A - 2nd U18, 3rd Overall
Sydney K - PR point score (78 94)
Slalom #2:
Julianne B. - 2nd U18, 2nd Overall
Leanne A - 3rd U18
Cara D. - 4th U18
YSEF alum) - 1st Overall
Stratton (12/19 - 12/22)
Slalom #1:
Julianne B. - 2nd U18, 11th Overall
Leanne A. - 3rd U18, 14th Overall
Slalom #2:
Julianne B - 1st U18, 7th Overall
Giant Slalom #2:
Julianne B 1st U18 6th Overall
Men:
Charlie F. - 1st U16, 3rd Overall
Emmett F. - 2nd U16, 5th Overall
Tim Reilly Visits 1980 Downhill Gold Medalist, Leonhard Stock
In October NYSEF friend and supporter Tim Reilly had the opportunity to stay at Leonhard Stock’s hotel in the Austrian village of Finkenberg, located at the entrance of the Tux Valley. Stock, the surprise winner of the 1980 men ’ s downhill, now owns and operates the Olympia Relax Hotel Leonhard Stock
Stock’s Olympic victory in Lake Placid came as a surprise because he was named to the team as an alternate due to the depth of the Austrian roster Stock capitalized on strong training runs, earning a spot in the field, and then being the fastest skier on race day. Stock went on to compete in the 1988 and 1992 Olympic games before retiring from competition. He was a three time winner on the World Cup during his long career at Laax (SUI) in 1989, Val d’Isere (FRA) in 1990, and Val Gardena (ITA) in 1992. Over his career Stock also recorded 25 podiums.
L Stock, 1980 Olympic Downhill
Tim presented Stock with an original panel from the 1980 games and a Cloudspin trail sign donated by our partners at ORDA to be housed in his trophy room.
Reilly also brought Stock a letter from Executive Director, John Norton and current board member and two-time Olympic medalist, Andrew Weibrecht. The letter and visit were incredibly well received by Stock. He hopes to return to Lake Placid and visit NYSEF in the future. Thank you Tim for making this happen and creating this great connection to our Olympic legacy and history.
CLICK HERE to watch Stock’s Gold Medal wining downhill run from the 1980 Games, and see if you ’ re able to identify the Whiteface trails!
Holiday Chairman’s Party A Success
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The 2024 edition of NYSEF’s annual Chairman’s Party returned to Mt Van Hoevenberg for the third year on Sunday, December 29th. It was a great evening to support the current and future athletes of the NYSEF program. While the turnout was less than years past, the atmosphere was festive and the energy of the event was great.
NYSEF alumni, Hannah Doan and Lowell Bailey, core members of the local band Big Slyde were joined by fellow NYSEF alum, Owen Reilly, providing great music for this year ’ s event. Recipients of Dare 2 Dream scholarships helped to also make the evening a success by volunteering and recognizing the importance of giving back their time
Each year Dare to 2 Dream scholarship recipients receive funds that help them continue chasing their snow sports goals. Dare 2 Dream funds support athletes in all of our disciplines and at each of our venues.
We are grateful for our supporters, our partners, and our families that made this night a success and continue to recognize the value of our efforts to support athletes. We are appreciative of our Board of Directors, ORDA, and our volunteers that helped make the night happen Finally, we’d like to extend a special thank you the Donald C McGraw and Black Rock Foundations on behalf of Robin McGraw for their generous supporting contributions helping to make this event very successful.
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News from Northwood School
Happy New Year! As we march into 2025, we are excited to start the year with determination and focus. At Northwood, we are dedicated to providing our student-athletes with a gold-standard level of support as they balance the demands of academics and athletics
Each of our Snowsports teams is supported by a Team Dean, whose role is to oversee the academic and social progress of the student-athletes on their team The Team Dean collaborates closely with teachers, NYSEF coaches, advisors, and the Dean of Academic Affairs to monitor progress, evaluate needs, and implement individualized support plans as needed.
This collaborative approach ensures that the Northwood Ski Team members can pursue their athletic goals without compromising their academic and athletic success. We look forward to highlighting our success and continuing to build our positive culture Looking ahead, if you are interested in learning more about Northwood School, please follow the steps below. The first deadline to apply is February 1, 2025.
Tommy Biesemeyer, Olympian, Director of Skiing Northwood School
Northwood School Application Process:
Step 1: Complete the inquiry form (Northwood School): CLICK HERE
Step 2: Complete the online application (Gateway to Prep School): CLICK HERE
Step 3: If you wish to apply for financial aid, complete the application: CLICK HERE
Step 4: Schedule an admission interview. This can be done virtually if you cannot get to campus (Contact Elenor Mandigo, mandigoe@northwoodschool org)
Northwood School is a coeducational, independent boarding school in Lake Placid, New York offering a trimester-based college preparatory curriculum for students in grades 9 through 12, plus a post-graduate year. Through Northwood School and NYSEF’s long-standing partnership, we share experienced coaching staff and work together on dryland programs and on-snow training camps. NYSEF also provides the Northwood Ski Team with lodge facilities and training opportunities at the venues in partnership with the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) Learn more at northwoodschool org and on Instagram @northwoodnysef
Whiteface Launches New “Master’s Lite” Program
NYSEF is proud to launch a new program for our parents, family, and friends at Whiteface Mountain - “Master’s Lite” This program is intended to be an introduction to competitive skiing for ages 21+ and will include the following:
Introduction to a variety of competition skills and disciplines including the FUNdamentals of ski racing in a welcoming environment
Meets on Saturdays starting January 11th and ending March 22nd. Participants must have a minimum of intermediate ability to enroll.
Lift access is not included with this program
Emphasis on the fundamentals of ski racing technique. Progression to include:
Balanced stance with focus on ankle flexion
Outside ski dominance
Creating angulation
Upper body discipline
Includes GS brush/gate and SL brush environments SL protection not required
Typical daily schedule:
9:15 meet at NYSEF Building
9:30 head to lift
11:15 break/snack/coffee
1:30 wrap up, back to the NYSEF Building.
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Ski Racing Parent Education: How do races work? Where do I stand to watch? How do I interact with my kids during races? How do I approach the coaches/administration? We’ll look into these questions and much more including how seeding / points systems work, LTAD training systems, high school and college racing options as well as a ski tuning workshop!
Cost: $895 (lift pass not included)
Contact John Norton (johnn@nysef.org) or Beatty Schlueter (beatty@nysef.org) with any questions CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Johannsen’s Last Call
Congratulations to Skimeisters Coach Matt Cook, who for the 5th year in a row, was the first person to complete the Johannsen’s Last Call ski route! The “JLC” is a DIY backcountry ski route that covers over 28 miles of terrain through the high peaks of the Adirondacks including Wright Peak, Mount Marcy, Mr. Van, Whale’s Tail, and the Avalanche Pass ski trails.
Matt set out around 5am, and completed the grueling ski after dark despite low snow conditions, a broken ski pole, and miles of breaking trail. To read more about the JLC, click on the photo of Matt below at Cascade Welcome Center (where the route concludes)
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Featured Listing:
Click to View: Merrill L Thomas Vista Views
$595/night plus taxes/fees, 4 beds, 3 5 baths, sleeps 8, no pets
For more information, Contact Merrill L. Thomas, Inc.
Belleayre Mountain Lodging Partnership for NYSEF Families
NYSEF and the Catskill Seasons Inn are partnering to bring to families fun and reasonably priced accommodations within 10 minutes of Belleayre Mountain.
NYSEF families will receive 10% off our published rates with extra amenities, and flexible check-in and check-out times.
The Catskill Seasons Inn features a pub with a family-friendly menu, a game room for skiers and their families to relax after a successful day on the slopes, and space for tuning skis. Rooms have been recently updated and many of them have kitchenettes, NYSEF families can check in as early as noon and check out as late as 7 p.m.
Rooms are on a first-come, first-served basis so if you want to secure yours for the season now, visit: www catskillseasonsinn com/NYSEF/
Use the code “NYSEF2024” at checkout to receive your discount.
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Thank You!
Thank you to our sponsors: Merrill L Thomas, Long Run Wealth, Black Rock Foundation, Sports Insurance, and the Donald C. McGraw Foundation.
