June Newsletter
NYSEF Summer Fun
Wow! Is it really July already?! You'd think the summer months would be pretty quiet for a snow sports organization, but it's been quite the opposite here at NYSEF. As the saying goes, time flies when you ' re having fun!
It's been an awfully fun month of June for the NYSEF community. Alpine athletes have been on snow in both Copper, Colorado, and Mammoth, California, while our freeride athletes are enjoying the opening of the ramps at the pool at the Olympic Jump Complex. Nordic athletes are back on the hills at the OJC and roller loops at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, and enjoying hiking in the Adirondacks
We hosted our 25th Annual Golf Open at the Lake Placid Club on Sunday, June 11th, where we raised nearly $15,000 for NYSEF On the same day, our Nordic staff and athletes volunteered their time and efforts at the Lake Placid Marathon, where they staffed two different aid stations for competing athletes
As the days get shorter, we'll shift our focus to preseason conditioning with more on-snow and dryland opportunities Summer programming is ramping up, and our office staff is hard at work building out winter programming registration and planning our summersend 50th Anniversary Benefit event at the Olympic Jumping Complex in Lake Placid
Hope to see you there!
John Norton Executive Director
What's Next: Summer Festivities
NYSEF Annual Summer Benefit
Saturday, August 19, 2023
Lake Placid Olympic Jumping Complex
Save the Date! We can't wait to celebrate 50 years of NYSEF with you this summer with food, drinks, live music, and more!
Register Online Now:
https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/NewYorkSkiEducatinFoundati/LPBenefit23.ht ml
NYSEF Annual Summer Auction
We will once again be hosting our online Summer Silent Auction! Stay tuned for more info soon, and let us know if you have any items you'd like to auction off to support NYSEF! Contact Tiffany - tiffanyve@nysef.org
IronKids Fun Run & Dip n' Dash hosted by NYSEF
Friday, July 21, 2023
Mirror Lake Beach
We are proud to be the hosts of this year ' s Ironman Lake Placid IronKids Fun Run and Dip n ' Dash for athletes 17 and under Come on out to the Mirror Lake Beach on Ironman Friday and support NYSEF by participating, or cheering on the athletes!
Volunteer Opportunities!
Ironman Lake Placid Aid Stations
Sunday, July 23, 2023
TBD
Please join us to help hydrate athletes and cheer on family and friends in the community during the marathon portion of Ironman Lake Placid!
Contact Tiffany to sign up: tiffanyve@nysef.org
June
2023
June in Copper
Alpine Athletes on Snow in Colorado
This month, a group of NYSEF FIS and U16 alpine athletes traveled with FIS Head Coaches Jeremy "Worm" Transue and Seppi Stiegler to Copper Mountain in Colorado for an on-snow training camp.
Training began with four days of giant slalom on hard snow with fast conditions. Day one of skiing was on "Copperopolis", with two different GS environments; a rhythmical 27-meter course, followed by a smaller 23meter constraint course to help force a positive body position. The following two days were on "Andy's", where athletes and coaches focused on "The Wall" drill emphasizing the apex of each turn and rolling strong into the top of the turn. Day four saw the return of the competition clock. Women's Coach Transue said, "This training block has been great and every athlete can be proud of these first four days".
In addition to on-snow training sessions, athletes participated in afternoon dryland each day Sessions consisted of pickleball, speedball, core work, pool workouts, and a hike up Mayflower Gulch.
June 2023
Day five of camp was a day off from skiing. Athletes had the opportunity to travel to Vail, Colorado to watch the GoPro Mountain Games - a five-day long festival of adventure sports and music. The team got to enjoy watching whitewater kayaking, acrobatics, and dog dock diving among other things!
"Block Two" of Copper Camp included slalom-specific training on the snow Each day had multiple different environments consisting of picket fence drills, where athletes worked on movement on flatter terrain with quick feet and a dynamic weight transfer. Coaches set rhythm courses, brush courses, and tall pole full length courses with timing
In the evenings there were heated games of kickball, thrilling rallies of pickleball, jigsaw puzzles, pizza parties, and a birthday celebration (Happy Birthday Mala!). But in what may be the most hair-raising moment of camp, athletes braved Worm's cooking on spaghetti night Luckily the survival rate was 100%.
After dropping half the group off for early flights out of Denver, the remaining athletes killed time before their own travel by visiting the Denver Zoo and playing a few rounds at Top Golf. Golf recruiters on-site recommend that our athletes stick with skiing for the time being
"This is the best June camp that I have ever been a part of! The skiing was fantastic, the weather held out, and the athletes were respectful, motivated, and a true pleasure to work with. Thank you athletes for your hard work - keep that hard work going in the gym through the summer months! Thank you parents for encouraging and supporting your child’s passion!" - Coach Jeremy Transue
June 2023
Thank You to our NYSEF Golf Open Sponsors!
Biesemeyer ADK Building, Black Rock/McGraw Foundation, Burnham Benefit Advisors, Craigwood Golf Course, Global UW, Gore Mountain Lodge/Beck’s Tavern, Hyde Fuel, Hyde Mobile, Lake Placid Family Dental, Lake Placid Ski Club, Long Run Wealth Advisors, Loremans, Malone Golf Club, Merrill L Thomas Inc, North Woods Engineering, Reliable Racing, S. Curtis Hayes, Saranac Lake Golf Club, The Cottage and Mirror Lake Inn & Spa, The Crowne Plaza Lake Placid, The Four Seasons Apartments, The Lussi Family, The Physicians and Surgeons of LP Sports Medicine, Twitchell Sportswear, Whiteface Golf Club
Upcoming NYSEF Programming:
Skimeister Adventure Series (Lake Placid/Wilmington/Saranac Lake):
NYSEF is excited to offer a new training opportunity for athletes ages 9-13 This summer, we are hosting The Skimeister Summer Series; a three-session, three-day weekend series throughout July and August which will provide athletes of all disciplines the opportunity to train within a broader NYSEF team. Each day there will also be sport-specific time to target athletes' development in their respective disciplines. Learning important skills such as balance, agility, coordination, and strength will complement many outdoor adventures; improving endurance, stamina, and fitness in a fun and fastpaced summer weekend series Overnight accommodations and meals are NOT provided
Dates: 7/7-7/9, 7/14-7/16, 8/25-8/27
Cost: $250/camp, $600/all camps
Registration: https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/378641
Grasshopper Jump Camps (Lake Placid):
Grasshopper camps are for athletes ages 6-14 training on the K10/K20 hills, with some opportunity to move up to the K48 We will focus on both off-hill and on-hill skills and activities Athletes not enrolled in a NYSEF summer jumping program are expected to bring their own equipment, and rentals available for a fee.
Dates: 7/27-7/30, 8/24-8/27
Cost: $275/camp (Equipment Rental: $30)
Registration: https://go teamsnap com/forms/376233
Lindsey Van Ladies Jump Camp (Lake Placid):
NYSEF Ski Jumping Staff and Special Guest Olympian Lindsey Van welcome all female ski jumpers with 2+ years of experience jumping K20 or larger for a three-day development camp at the Lake Placid Olympic Jumping Complex!
Dates: July 13, 2023 - July 16, 2023
Cost: $325 (Equipment Rental: $30)
Registration: https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/376233
Norway Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined Project (U12+):
NYSEF is arranging our second annual training trip to Norway at three different locations for approximately a two-week period of ski jump training as well as a first-hand look at some of Norway’s most famous ski jumping facilities including the world-renowned Oslo Holmenkollen, the largest ski flying hill in the world at Vikersund, and the Olympic Ski Jumps at Lillehammer where NYSEF World Cup athlete Tate Frantz now resides and trains.
Dates: August 4-17, 2023
Cost: Preliminary estimate $2,500 - $3000 + airfare
Email colind@nysef,org for more info
On-Snow Alpine Training at Big Snow (U12/U14):
Focusing on the U12-U14 age group Late-summer and fall overnight trips to Big Snow in New Jersey will provide on-snow training opportunities for development alpine athletes to refine their skills, get time in their boots, and gain an edge on the competition
Dates: July 25-26, August 22-23,
Tentative Dates: September 23-24, October 21-22 (subject to change)
Cost: $350 includes coaching, lodging & lift ticket ($200 local/no lodging)
Registration: https://go teamsnap com/forms/380835
June 2023
Alumni Spotlight
Rod Blackhurst: NYSEF to Netflix
Photo: Adam McDaid
NYSEF Gore Alumn now Emmy-Nominated Producer
On Rod Blackhurst’s IMDB page, under the Trivia section, it says he “ was a successful alpine ski racer until 1997 ” That’s not how Rod remembers it
“Let’s be honest, I wasn’t a great racer, ” he says. “I was a pretty good skier but was never a competitive person ”
Blackhurst, a NYSEF Gore alpine athlete from the late 1980s until he officially retired in 1997, is now an Emmy and Critics’ Choice nominated director and producer with Netflix He’s best known for his Netflix documentary Amanda Knox, and the recent crime thriller, Blood for Dust, starring Kit Harington, Josh Lucas, Scoot McNairy, and Stephen Dorff.
Nashville has been his home for the past seven years, but Rod grew up in North River, on the back side of Gore Mountain, and began ski racing with NYSEF when he was six years old
After graduating from Colgate University in 2002 with a degree in French Literature, Blackhurst spent a few years making ski films in Northern California before joining the clothing company Orage as a team manager.
“I made it to the top of the ski filmmaker heap quickly and had a few great years working with some free skiing legends like JP Auclair (rest in peace), TJ Schiller, and Matt Sterbenz,” he says. “There’s no denying that years of disciplined ski racing is what allowed me to keep up with these guys as we traveled and skied around Europe and North America ”
June 2023
Blackhurst fondly remembers his coaches Rich Burnley, Mark Richards, Mitch Huff, and John Przekop, though readily admits there were so many at NYSEF that coached him over the years it’s hard to remember everyone ’ s name. He does, however, remember the impact the whole NYSEF experience had on him
“I just loved the community and some of my fondest memories were adventuring around ski areas after races were over or meeting other racers from all over New England,” he says.
“There’s no denying that years of disciplined ski racing is what allowed me to keep up with these guys as we traveled and skied around Europe and North America.”
While his trips back to North River to visit his family are fewer and farther between than he would like, he does keep up with what’s going on around town.
“I actually get a bit of news from my folks who still live in North River and ski at Gore as they run into families and former racers at the mountain,” he says
Learn more about Rod: www.rodblackhurst.com
June 2023
Join
This year marks NYSEF's 50th Anniversary and to celebrate, we ' re planning an extra special Golden Anniversary Summer Benefit for August 19th at the Olympic Jumping Complex in Lake Placid from 6pm to 10pm. Registration is now open.
Please join us for this special evening, featuring great food, live music, a silent auction, an awards ceremony, and special programming honoring 50 years of incredible stories and moments.
We can't wait to share this special celebration with you!
Register Online Today!
https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/NewYorkSkiEducatinFoundati/LPBenefi t23 html
us
for NYSEF's 50th Anniversary Celebration!
June 2023 Celebrating50Years! Send us your old NYSEF photos! media@nyseforg
NYSEF Adds Skimeister Program for 23/24 Winter Season
Most members of the NYSEF community affiliate the word "skimeister" with our end-ofseason, just-for-fun competition at Whiteface consisting of alpine and skier-cross or moguls races. But what does "skimeister" really mean?
A "Skimeister", or "Master of Skiing" is someone who excels in every aspect of skiing. Traditional skimeister competitions - which were popular over 100 years ago in Europe and the United States - consisted of a cross-country ski race, a downhill ski race, and ski jumping (often on alpine equipment) The champion was determined by a scoring system that would combine competitive components from each discipline to achieve a final score. Those athletes with the aerobic endurance of a good cross-country skier, the anaerobic power and precision of a good downhiller, and the fearlessness of a good ski jumper were named true Skimeisters!
It's no question that NYSEF exists in a perfect climate for athletes to become masters of skiing The Catskill and Adirondack winters provide endless opportunities for locals to cross-country, downhill, and backcountry ski. Newly revamped jumping facilities in Lake Placid have resulted in ski jumpers flocking to the area to train and compete, while ORDA venues provide some of New York State's best racing and training terrain for alpine, cross country, and freeride athletes
With so many training opportunities available to athletes in our area, most have to make the choice early between cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, freeride, or ski jumping competitively. This summer, however, NYSEF was awarded grants from the Killington World Cup Foundation and the Cloudsplitter Foundation to start a new Skimeister Program, which will begin accepting new athletes for the 2023/2024 winter season beginning next month.
NYSEF's Skimeister Program will be for athletes ages 7 to 9 who are interested in all types of competitive skiing. Winter programming will involve alpine and freeride training at Whiteface Mountain, ski jumping at the Olympic Jumping Complex, and cross-country skiing and biathlon training at Mt Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, New York. Athletes will get an introduction to competition in each type of skiing with NYSEF's qualified coaching staff from each discipline.
The Skimeister Program is kicking things off this summer with NYSEF's new Skimeister Summer Adventure Series; a three-session, three-day weekend series of programming throughout July and August that will provide athletes of all disciplines, ages 9-13, the opportunity to train within broader NYSEF team.
The series begins on Friday, July 7th, with the first session based out of Whiteface Mountain. Athletes who attend will learn important skills such as balance, agility, coordination, and strength through activities such as hiking, mountain biking, trail running, paddling, and team games.
June 2023
Each session will also have built-in sport-specific time, where athletes will break into groups with coaching staff to train skills unique to their discipline This includes rollerskiing for nordic athletes, range time for biathletes, and balance work on bikes and ropes courses for alpine and freeride athletes. All participants will also have the opportunity to try other disciplines, and should emerge from each session a more well-rounded athlete
Stay tuned for more information about NYSEF's Winter Skimeister Program in the coming months! Registration is now LIVE online for the Skimeister Summer Adventure Series! Visit https://www nysef org/wp-content/uploads/sites/352/2023/06/SkimeisterAdventure-Series-2023.pdf for more information and registration details.
Support NYSEF at the Kelly Brush Ride
NYSEF is once again participating virtually in this year ’ s Kelly Brush Ride on September 9, 2023 Please help us reach our goal of raising $1,000 for this amazing foundation. Join our team, make a donation, grab your friends, and head out on a ride for a good cause! The Kelly Brush Foundation strives to inspire and empower people with spinal cord injuries to live active and engaged lives! The foundation helps people discover adaptive sports and recreation, hosts camps to immerse people in sports and community, and most importantly, provides hundreds of grants per year to organizations like NYSEF!
Donate Here: https://kbf.akaraisin.com/2023kellybrushr ide/nysef
