CLIMB TO THE CASTLE
September 2024
What’s Inside:
3. From the Director’s Desk
4. What’s Next: Upcoming Races, Camps, Training Projects, & Events
6. An Alpine Summer at Mt. Hood
8. XC Summer Ski School Recap
10. Grasshopper Weekends
12. 2024 Ramps & Tramps
14. NYSEF’s Summer Benefit Luau
16. Fundamentals in Valle Nevado
18. Climb to the Castle 2024
22. Biathlon Summer Recap
24. XC Devo Summer
26. NYSSRA Year End Awards
28. NYSEF Staff & Board of Directors Updates
35. 2024 Grant Recap
36. Welcome Rudi Biesemeyer!
37. News from Northwood School
38. The Road to Paris
41 The Robert Van Etten Scholarship Fund
42. Seasonal Rental: Gore
43 Thank You to NYSEF’s Sponsors
Cover Image: NYSEF’s Will Scanio competes in the 17th Annual Climb to the Castle Rollerski race up Whiteface Mountain on August 11th, 2024.
Photo credit: Nancie Battaglia
From the Director’s Desk
Hello NYSEF Friends & Family,
The first snowflakes of winter have fallen on the summit of Whiteface Mountain Just like that, another season of dryland is in the books for NYSEF coaches, athletes, families, and dedicated fans as we gear up for winter!
We have had an incredibly busy summer Athletes have traveled around the world for training and competition, all the while hosting some amazing programs and projects at home. We saw several weekends of ski jumping competitions, awarded the Grasshopper Cup, and hosted some incredible events, including the 17th edition of the Climb to the Castle, and our Summer Benefit Luau; which raised over $64,000 to support our mission.
We have an exciting fall ahead; Mt Van Hoevenberg will be hosting its first WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, NYSEF athletes will soar through the air at the Flaming Leaves Festival at the Olympic Jumping Complex, our home mountains will host Oktoberfests and Fall Festivals, and our alpine athletes are in Chile once again to gain valuable on-snow experience.
The snow guns will be firing before we know it, so it’s time to get your equipment in order and be ready to rock!
See you out there,
John Norton, Executive Director
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What’s Next: Upcoming Races, Training Projects, & Events
WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Cup - Lake Placid
September 27 - September 29, 2024
Experience all the thrills as three UCI World Cup competitions descend upon the terrain of Mt Van Hoevenberg, Lake Placid, NY, for its inaugural UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup (XCO), UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup (XCC), and UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup (XCM) races. NYSEF will have a tent in the vendor village! Volunteer opportunities with NYSEF and ORDA are available!
Flaming Leaves Festival
October 12 - October 13, 2024
Flaming Leaves combines live entertainment, thrilling competition, captivating vendor booths, and good old family fun Ski Jumpers and Nordic Combined athletes will compete for the USA Nordic National Champion titles. Volunteer opportunities with NYSEF and ORDA are available!
Valle Nevado Fall Training Camp - FIS/U16+
September 12 - September 29, 2024
Pre-season training in Valle Nevado, Chile for NYSEF/Northwood’s fulltime alpine athletes by invitation only
NYSEF/Northwood School Fall Ski Camp - Copper, CO
November 10 - November 25, 2024
Pre-season training at Copper Mountain, CO for U18+ and FIS athletes focusing on SL and GS gate training
NYSEF/Northwood School U16 Prep Camp - Saas-Fee
November 15 - November 29, 2024
Pre-season camp spending 11 days on snow, focusing on SG, GS, and SL fundamentals in Saas-Fee, Switzerland
NYSEF’s Winter Ski & Gear Swap
November 2, 2024 @ The Lake Placid Elementary School
Our Annual Sale is back!! Bring your gear to sell or come buy some lightly used and discounted gear! All winter outdoor gear & accessories are welcome! Items should be 10 years old or newer, and in good condition
DROP OFF: Friday, November 1 - 6 pm-8 pm
SALE: Saturday, November 2 - 9 am-11:30 am
Fall Festival - Belleayre Mountain
October 5-6 & 12-13 - FREE ADMISSION & PARKING
The weekend will be jam-packed with fun-filled activities for the entire family! Sample tons of food & beverages, listen to live music, take in the sights with a fall foliage gondola ride, decorate a pumpkin, and more!
Harvest Fest - Gore Mountain
October 12-13
Enjoy the best views of the fall foliage in the area with Scenic Skyrides, Live Music all weekend, a large craft show featuring local artists & makers, entertainment for the whole family, and lots of fun!
An Alpine Summer at Mount Hood!
by Coach Kate McKenna
Our team departed from the East Coast to meet up with Coach Jimbo out at PDX, greeted by the famous PDX carpet- a staple of all Mount Hood Summer Experiences! We started off camp with a nice cold plunge in the river before getting settled in the house and talking about our plan for the week We kicked off our training in the "Celebrity Lanes" with some slalom fundamentals, working on getting our feet under us after a few months off snow, bringing our fundamentals back, assessing our skiing, and focusing on turn shape as we moved into a full slalom mindset. All athletes were able to focus on their slalom progressions by working on their turn shape, to clearing in proper form - with all athletes clearing beautifully by the end of our block. We saw immense progress on the tasks each athlete worked on, both physically and mentally!
After 4 days of slalom, we moved right along into our GS training block, bringing our fundamentals and turn shape focus onto our longer skis and learning about patience. We had two solid days of GS training before a welldeserved day off! We piled in the van and headed to the coast, stopping at the end of the Lewis and Clark Trail in Seaside Oregon and Cannon Beach for some sunshine and the Pacific Ocean!
Upon returning from our day off, we short-timed it on the Celebrity Lanes, with our GS Skis. While each athlete had specific elements of their skiing to focus on, we worked as a team on being able to time our turns and perfect our turn shape consistently through each run Being that our camp was relatively small, our athletes were able to receive lots of coaching feedback, and lap the singles line when the lines got long! We even saw some highly motivated hikers keep their bodies moving and get some higher altitude training hiking underfoot!
Off the snow, the team enjoyed playing basketball, and soccer, chasing waterfalls, hiking, exploring, and swimming in the rivers and lakes. Our athletes got a chance to explore the famous Government Camp and experience the Hucks Milkshake - a true Mt. Hood staple (now priced at $11 - how times have changed!). Chef Jimbo, Chef Jeff, and Sous Chef Kate provided us all with gourmet meals and birthday cake, and our athletes learned a thing or two about how to fuel their bodies for days on the glacier Overall, our 10 days out west were a wonderful experience for all with great coaching, great memories, and great Mount Hood Experience!
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Summer Ski School
by Head Coach Paul Smith
The NYSEF Junior Race Team "Summer Ski School" Project takes on the premise that our sport, even during competition, should always be viewed through the lens of a learning arena. This year ' s version of our home summer training camp was certainly an example of this. Juniorage skiers from around New York State attended the camp, as well as a guest skier from the Czech Republic Junior National Team living in Ontario, Canada. Athletes coming from different high school teams were able to take with them; examples of key workouts, technical and tactical skills to learn or further develop, and most importantly, the friendship and camaraderie. The NYSEF coaching staff including Maddie Phaneuf, Julianne Stemp, and Colin Delaney assisted with workouts
The week had a slow build leading to the penultimate last day of the camp, which happened to be NYSEF's own 2024 Climb to the Castle uphill Rollerski Race Workouts included a classic rollerski in Wilmington where the focus was on the crucial: double pole technique.
Athletes learned the various gears within the subtechnique - the most important and most used in modern cross country skiing They learned that being fast had as much to do with timing, athleticism, and coordination as raw strength. Another workout was NYSEF's uphill run test. Nicknamed the "High Notch Test" athletes tested themselves in a 10-15 minute uphill running effort on the 'legacy' trails at Mt Van Hoevenberg They were able to compare against previous times including some from top juniors from around the country, our home crew, and one World Cup skier! This test, in particular, is a good marker of aerobic capacity development, our team does this test 2-3 times per year For cross country skiers, this is one of the more important prerequisites for success in the sport Other workouts included a long ridge run along the Jay Mountain spine on a beautiful day, skate rollerski agility at the rollerski track at the jumps, strength in the gym at Northwood School, and a rollerski with a tactical focus on the track at Mt Van Hoevenberg in the pouring rain - making for a fun workout.
Between workouts, there was plenty of opportunity to cool off and explore the various swimming holes around Lake Placid The Inn at Whiteface provided the perfect hub for proper ski camp life. Meals were as much about listening to directions from the head chef (myself) "The Bear" directing sous chef cooking crews, than the actual eating part Downtime between workouts was filled either watching summer Olympians live competing in Paris, or playing ping pong tournaments. It was determined that our sport of skiing is slightly less niche than Olympic breakdancing in Australia... What a relief!
With another one in the books, now is the time to think about the winter iteration of "SummerSkiSchool" Around the holidays perhaps? Stay tuned for more.
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Grasshopper Weekends
Each summer, NYSEF’s Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Staff hosts a series of weekend training projects, called “Grasshopper Weekends”, targeted at youth ski jumpers from across the Eastern Region. As the only location on the East Coast that allows summer jumping on all five of its training hills, NYSEF’s home venue at the Olympic Jumping Complex is a hallowed ground for Eastern jumpers, where training weekends are extremely sought-after.
This summer, Grasshopper Weekends took place in June, July, and August, with athletes traveling from Andover Outing Club, Harris Hill Nordic, Ford Sayre, Salisbury Winter Sports Association, and other clubs from across the Northeast to train on the HS10, HS20, K48, and HS90 hills. Each weekend kicked off on Thursday afternoon with group games, dynamic warmups, and a few hours of jumping. Athletes had two jumping sessions each Friday; one in the morning, and one in the afternoon, with lunch and fun activities scattered between
On Saturdays, jumpers trained during the morning sessions, and competed in a jumping competition during the afternoon session. Each Grasshopper weekend ended with one last jumping session on Sunday morning before athletes loaded into cars to head back to their respective clubs and home hills
Between jumping sessions, athletes participated in a myriad of activities. During NYSEF’s June grasshopper weekend, athletes were introduced to rollerskiing and had the opportunity to compete in nordic combined-style racing and jumping. In both July and August sessions, athletes had a chance to hike some local trails, swim in the freestyle pools, and ride the SkyFlyer Zipline
After the final weekend in August, scores from the competitions were tallied to name overall Grasshopper Cup podiums. Congratulations to the winners and all of the participants - we can’t wait for next summer!
Grasshopper Cup Overall Results:
Girls: 1 Leila Fey 2 Islay Sheil 3 Ava Joyal
Boys: 1 Wyeth Taylor 2 Greg Bertasso 3 Tim Tourville
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Ramps & Tramps
NYSEF Freeride returned to the Olympic Jumping Complex in Lake Placid with an air-compressed Ramp & Tramps schedule this summer season
Head Coach Jackson Deeney opened up training at the Jumping Complex on July 5th, and with that came amazing weather for the season! Plenty of sunshine and hot summer days had athletes excited to practice their maneuvers off the ramp and into the pool.
Athletes had the pleasure of performing their best tricks during NYSEF’s Summer Benefit Luau, with two incredible guest appearances by Coaches Gavin Fritz and Jackson Deeney.
When September rolled around, we welcomed the Northwood Freestyle team back to the site to continue training into the fall and to the close out of the season on October 1st.
“This summer proved to be one for the books. We had several of our weekend athletes make an appearance and attend consistently. It was enriching to see these young spirits take advantage of their “backyard” and work on developing their fundamentals I can’t express how excited I am to see them back on the snow! It has also been exciting welcoming back the Northwood School Freestyle team. The athletes and I are thrilled to be getting back in action and working hard to get a jump on the Winter to make it so def!” Said Freeski Head Coach Jackson Deeney
Freeski and Snowboard Program Director, Mike Kirchner also had this to add “Jackson’s golden locks harken back up to the good old days of classic rock but as a coach, he’s up to date. That’s why NYSEF’s current crop of freeskiers think he’s so def.”
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NYSEF Thanks You!
Mahalo! Thank you all for coming out and supporting our NYSEF athletes and community during this year ' s Hawaiian-themed Summer Benefit.
Together, we raised over $64,000 to support NYSEF athletes across three mountains, multiple venues, and several disciplines. We enjoyed seeing ski jumpers soar and freestyle athletes in action. We celebrated our athlete’s achievements and honored long-time volunteers and staff
NYSEF's chefs Tim Dulka, Ian Swirsky, Tony Nickinello, Barb Wagner, Francisco “Chico” Braun, and Rowen Dulka cooked up some amazing Hawaiian food, and it was served by our athlete volunteers who looked very festive in their Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts. Thank you all for coming out decked to the nines ready to support and celebrate our NYSEF community!
Your generosity ensures that NYSEF continues to thrive As we look forward to another season on snow, please consider making a financial contribution to support NYSEF's mission. What you donate today will directly support NYSEF's young athletes this coming season
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Fundamentals in Valle Nevado
On August 9th, a group of over a dozen NYSEF coaches and athletes gathered at JFK Airport to depart for Valle Nevado, Chile, where they would spend fourteen days together training for the 2024/2025 alpine season at NYSEF’s August Fundamentals Camp Athletes assembled from Whiteface and Belleayre’s U14 and U16 programs, and were led by Whiteface’s Head U16 Coach Jimbo Johnston as well as Kevin Van Blarcum, and Kristen Wilson The focus of this camp was to reinforce the fundamentals of free skiing and transfer that knowledge into gate training. Athletes were able to train in both slalom and giant slalom, as well as experience some freeskiing in the Chilean Mountains.
Camp training days consisted of warmup drills and gate training in the mornings, followed by mountain-free skiing after lunch After skiing, the group participated in cool-down yoga with Coach Kristen, team meetings, dinner, video review, and tuning. Athletes trained five days of GS, and five days of Slalom and skied over to LaParva ski resort on their day off “The athletes showed great improvements and worked hard every day All in all a very successful camp, ” said Coach Jimbo Johnston.
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Climb to the Castle
On the morning of Sunday, August 11th, approximately 40 athletes toed the starting lines on the Whiteface Veteran’s Memorial Highway at NYSEF and NENSA’s 17th Annual Climb to the Castle rollerski race This year ’ s race took place a little over a month earlier than normal, offering racers a crisp summer morning of uphill skiing, with both long and short course options.
The Climb to the Castle is one of the oldest rollerskiing races in the country, as well as one of the most challenging. Racers must ski uphill over an average 9% grade up New York State’s 5th highest peakWhiteface Mountain The long course is just over 5 miles, with the short course measuring in at 5 kilometers.
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This year ’ s race saw some exciting competition, with impressive finishes from some of NYSEF’s athletes and alumni, as well as athletes from local clubs, colleges, and as far away as Ottawa The women ’ s long-course competition was won by Canadian biathlete Shiloh Rousseau, with Ford Sayre’s Mariah Cleveland taking home the ladies’ short-course win.
The youngest skier in the competition was NYSEF’s very own Will Scanio, who at just 10 years old, completed the short course in a time of 52 minutes and 28 seconds. Not to be outdone, Will’s older brother Andrew, a NYSEF alum and St. Michael’s College sophomore, won the Men’s Open Skate division in 45 21, besting the second-place finisher by over 18 seconds In the Men’s short course, NYSEF’s Will Preece placed third.
A special thank you to ORDA for toll road access and medical staffing, as well as all our race volunteers, and spectators who made this such a fantastic event! NYSEF and NENSA look forward to hosting next year ’ s Climb to the Castle, which will be the 18th edition of the historic and grueling race up Whiteface
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Men’s Open
Masters Men
Short Course Men
Junior Men
1 Andrew Scanio
2 Edward Southward
3. Matthew McIntosh
Women’s Open
1. Shilo Rousseau
2. Anna Heffernan-Wilker
1 Eric Lavigne
2 Tim Van Orden
3. Francis Michaud
Masters Women
1. Rosalie Wilson
1 Jorgen Pirrung
2 Alessandro Bucci
3. William Preece
Short Course Women
1. Mariah Cleveland
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3. Mary Harrington
1 Andrew Scanio
2 Matthew McIntosh
3. David Northcott
Junior Women
1. Mary Harrington
2. Anna Jaklova
3. Beth McIntosh
CLIMB CASTLE TO THE
Biathlon Summer Recap
From Head Coach Maddie Phaneuf
The NYSEF Biathlon crew had a busy and fun summer of training here in Lake Placid We spent the majority of the summer staying local and working on the fundamentals of shooting to be prepared and ready to tackle the fall and winter training before the race season. The highlight of the summer was the US Biathlon Summer Championships across the lake in Jericho, VT. Our athletes executed their races well, had a blast while doing so, and got to catch up with their friends from other biathlon teams. A few podium finishes were just a bonus; shoutout to River Gray, Jenna Stainken, and Abigail Van Dorn for their accomplishments!
Photos by US Biathlon (Sara Donatello)
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DEVO Summer
First DEVO Summer Project in Years a Huge SuccessDespite Hurricane Beryl!
By Coach Julianne Stemp
From July 9th to 12th, our Development Youth Team (DEVO) skiers kicked off their summer training with an unforgettable cross-country ski project This was the first DEVO summer project hosted by NYSEF in many years, and we were thrilled to welcome both local and out-ofregion athletes.
Even as Hurricane Beryl swept through, our athletes powered through the extreme heat, humidity, wind, and rain, showing incredible resilience and determination. Whether staying overnight at the Inn at Whiteface or attending as day athletes, these young skiers embraced the challenge and rose to the occasion!
The project featured double training sessions each day, hosted at a variety of venues and locations in and around Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Paul Smiths. Our athletes worked hard through strength and dryland training, rollerskiing at the Visitor’s Interpretive Center and on roads throughout Lake Placid, as well as training at Mt. Van Hoevenberg's Biathlon Center and the Olympic Jumping Complex Trampoline and Aerial facility. Our High Peaks access was restricted due to the storm, and mountain biking was curtailed – but the swimming and ice cream stops along the way kept the fun going!
Despite the challenging weather, the athletes remained focused and engaged, and we are so proud of their progress It’s been amazing to watch their skills develop and team build, and we can’t wait to see how they apply what they’ve learned as the winter season quickly approaches.
A huge thank you to our junior team athletes who joined us for an evening barbeque offering our younger athletes the opportunity to challenge the juniors in some heated ping-pong and spike ball games, feast on a good old-fashioned summer BBQ, as well as host a full team athlete question/answer panel discussion guiding our younger athletes as they age through the NYSEF program and beyond in the sports of cross-country skiing, biathlon and nordic combined.
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Dave Wenn
NYSSRA Coach of the Year
NYSEF’s own Dave Wenn was honored with the 2024 NYSSRA Coach of the Year Award. This award is given to a coach who, “through dedication to athletes, perseverance, and an ongoing interest in coaches' education, has demonstrated excellence in coaching alpine ski racing in New York ”
“As Head U12 and Return to Snow (RTS) coach, Dave is an integral part of the program, ” said John Norton, NYSEF Executive Director. “He has helped several U16-FIS athletes come back from injury - physically and mentally Additionally, he's the most passionate coach I've ever had the chance to work with. He represents a long history of ski teaching and coaching rivaled by few ”
Additionally, several NYSEF athletes were celebrated during our annual Summer Benefit on August 17th:
NYSSRA Council Cup Award to the Mountain Council - passed to the winning council at U14 State Championships
Hudson Marshall - U16 Horst Weber Award from the New York State Ski Racing Association
Anja Roberston - Sports Page U16 State Champion, the Hal Evans Award, and the Drexler Memorial Award from the New York State Ski Racing Association
Marcos Alvarez - Sports Page U16 State Champion award from the New York State Ski Racing Association
Poppy Hamilton - Don Cushing U14 Skimeister/State Champion Award for her results during the U14 State Championships from the New York State Ski Racing Association
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NYSEF Staffing Updates for the 2024/2025 Winter Season:
Belleayre Mountain:
We have some exciting news to share! After 6 years at the helm of NYSEFBelleayre, Jim Catalano is handing the reins to JJ Pavese and Jason Barcoff, who will take over as Program Director and Head Coach, respectively, this coming season
Jim isn’t going far, as he will fill a new Coaches Development Coordinator role and will continue assisting with major events. His new role in Coaches Development will ensure new and returning coaches receive exceptional training and support as they join and grow with the NYSEF community.
JJ has been a part of the NYSEF-Belleayre program since the inaugural 20182019 season Working alongside Jim, he has assisted the administrative team and helped overall program growth for the past six seasons. His early skiing and coaching career started at Holiday Mountain back in 2006 where he helped rebuild the Ski Club program and began collecting experience as an official Now an Alpine TD, he serves on the NYSSRA Alpine Officials Committee and assists with education and credentialing for new coaches as they pursue higher levels of certification. JJ has recently moved full-time to Highmount, NY where he operates a Site Development and Aerial Imaging business
Jason began his snowsport career in 1993 at Sterling Forest Ski Center. He has coached for several years in various positions at Sterling, Hunter, and Windham as well as Belleayre this past season He served as a member of the US Ski and Snowboard Eastern Children’s Committee and is an active TD/official within NYSSRA. He currently works in product development in the cycling industry and is the Executive Consultant for Masterfit’s Cycle Division product and educational projects
Other notable staffing appointments include Kate McKenna taking on the Head U16 Coach role Kate has served as the Head U10/U12 Coach for four seasons and is eager to take on the lead role with the older athletes. Kevin Van Blarcum will maintain his role as Head U14 Coach, Will Warfield will take over as Head U10/12 Coach, and Matt Leifeld will remain in his post as Head Freestyle/ Snowboard Coach Tara Hulse will maintain her role of Program Administratorthe glue that keeps it all together.
Whiteface Mountain
NYSEF is excited to announce the addition of Pavla Berry to NYSEF’s U16
Alpine Coaching staff Berry, a former coach for NYSEF-Gore, has coached in the West Mountain program for the last three seasons A successful ski racer and former member of the Czech National Ski Team, Berry was named Czech National Champion in Slalom as a J3 and raced in two World Junior Championships and three World University Games. She attended Sierra Nevada College where she raced and helped her team win the USCSA Nationals three years.
In addition to Berry, NYSEF has appointed James (Jimbo) Johnston as its Head U16 Coach and Mike Mezzetti as the Head U14 Coach of its Whiteface Mountain program
Jimbo has been a staple in the NYSEF organization for over three decades Many of you know that he brings a
a wealth of experience as an athlete and coach He also has an unmatched passion for skiing and ski racing. As a coach of many successful national and collegiate level athletes - including alums Andrew Weibrecht and Tommy Biesemeyer - Jimbo will take the U16s forward with continuity, experience, and renewed energy
Jimbo leaves the U14 program in the talented hands of Mike Mezzetti, who has been working as a ski racing coach for more than 20 years at a variety of levels, Mike brings a fresh and fun perspective to the U14 group. In addition to being a ski coach, Mezzetti boasts a Level 2 Goalkeeping Diploma from United Soccer Coaches, the world’s largest soccer coaches organization Most recently, Mike worked with the U16s in the Whiteface program.
Jeremy “Worm” Transue and Seppi Steigler, Head Women’s and Men’s FIS coaches, respectively, will continue to lead the programs at the U18+ level. Coaches David Wenn and Beatty Schlueter will continue to lead the U12 and U10 programs. Their leadership, in conjunction with Jimbo and Mike, will strengthen the program ' s commitment to driving excellence and sportsmanship by creating a sustainable athlete development pipeline.
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Administrative Staff:
Jamie Welsh is returning to NYSEF after 15 years working as an administrator, coach, and teacher in independent and public schools He will be serving as NYSEF’s Special Projects and Operations Manager. Jamie served as Dean of Academics at Cardigan Mountain School from 2019-2023 and as a coach, department chair, teacher, and director of faculty growth at Northwood School from 2009-2019. During his time at Northwood, Jamie earned a Master's in Education from the University of Pennsylvania in 2018.
Jamie began his career in education and coaching at NYSEF during the 20082009 season where he served as an assistant J3 coach and on the race crew. Jamie brings experience in academic leadership and strategic work to the program and is looking forward to using those skills to further NYSEF's mission
"The club's growth and sustained commitment to excellence is something that I am looking forward to being a part of and am excited to help shape as the club moves forward and continues to grow. "
Jamie, his wife Gracey, and their two daughters live in Wilmington.
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NYSEF’s Board of Directors: w Members!
Dr. Martin Ferrillo
“Marty” is a musculoskeletal doctor specializing in both pain management and non-operative orthopedics He and his wife, Dr. Radka Dooley, own and operate the Albany and Saratoga Centers for Pain Management (ASCPM), with practices spanning from Albany to Lake George. Dr. Ferrillo is also an adjunct professor at Albany Medical College and serves as the Medical Director of the Northway Surgery and Pain Center in Clifton Park, NY, a multispecialty surgery center.
Marty learned to ski at Gore Mountain as a boy. He and Radka established a ski camp in North Creek shortly after moving to Saratoga Springs from New York City in 2006. Their two children have participated in numerous NYSEF ski programs, including NYSEF Gore, NYSEF Winter Term, and NYSEF Whiteface. Currently, both children are NYSEF/Northwood studentathletes. “Aston and Lola love it there!”
Marty has an affinity for all things technical and mechanical, including sailing, flying, and automobile racing and restoration. He has served as a trustee on the board of the Saratoga Automobile Museum for many years. He and his favorite “ski partner,” Radka, can typically be found at Whiteface or Gore Mountain on winter weekends. He looks forward to his active role with NYSEF, an organization that has greatly shaped his family’s life.
Kim Waters
Hi, I’m Kim Waters, a self-proclaimed education veteran with 15 years of wrangling students and a recent adventure in tech marketing, where I’ve been trying to make tech jargon sound exciting (spoiler alert: it’s a work in progress). My unique blend of skills and insights has made me a valued contributor in both fields, where I excel in bridging the gap between innovative technology and effective communication strategies
Outside of my professional life, when I’m not deciphering tech buzzwords or trying to avoid awkward Zoom calls, I am deeply committed to developing and empowering young women through my extensive coaching and college recruiting work. I have dedicated 20+ years to coaching women ' s lacrosse at the collegiate, club, high school, and town recreational levels My involvement the sport and dedication to nurturing female student-athletes has been a passion for many years.
I also moonlight as a community enthusiast in Saratoga. I’ve been a proactive community leader, where I have actively participated in several committees and nonprofit organizations. A former member of The Melanie Foundation Saratoga Palio Half Marathon and 5K committee, emeritus board member of the Saratoga Youth Lacrosse Association (SYLA), and most recently involved with The Dake Foundation for Children for eleven years focused on providing opportunities to children with disabilities to enjoy more independence, inclusion, and fun.
Family is everything to me and my husband Chad. We have two incredibly talented and smart daughters. Both have been NYSEF ski racers and now compete as NCAA Division I women ’ s lacrosse athletes.
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Greg Fisher
Greg Fisher grew up in Madrid, NY on a working dairy farm Greg and his family came to Lake Placid at a young age to attend annual functions hosted by Henry Uihlein at Heaven Hill Farm. During these trips, Greg’s family stayed at the Lake Placid Club and he learned to ski at Mt. Whitney. Greg is a graduate of Clarkson University and holds a Master of Science in Teaching from Potsdam State University. His love for skiing, hiking, mt biking and boating developed through these visits and ultimately led him to move to the Adirondacks. He lives in Lake Placid fulltime and teaches 3rd grade at Lake Placid Elementary School.
Greg has coached for NYSEF at Whiteface for more than two decades and has enjoyed sharing his passion for skiing with many young athletes. As a coach, Greg strives to cultivate a love for the sport, develop foundational skills, build confidence, and foster lifelong friendships He looks forward to being involved at the board level and helping to continue to support the NYSEF program.
Thank You to Our Long-Serving Board Members!
Thank you to Howie Silverstein, Kevin Brady, Dr. Richard Smith, and Bill Kloc for your dedicated years of service to the NYSEF Board of Directors
Thank You!
Thank you to grant-giving organizations who gave to NYSEF this year!
Community Foundation for the Gore Mountain Region: $2,500
These funds will be awarded to NYSEF-Gore athletes to offset enrollment costs and race or travel fees
Lake Placid Education Fund: $2,000
These funds will be used to support the purchase of a SmartBoard and art supplies for NYSEF’s Winter Term program
Johnsburg Bed Tax: $11,330
These funds will be used to support the purchase of a multi-use shed for the NYSEF Gore program.
Kelly Brush Foundation: $8,000 matching grant
These funds will be used to purchase BNet for our alpine training and race courses.
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Welcome Rudi Abbe Biesemeyer!
Congratulations to Claire and Tommy Biesemeyer on the birth of their daughter, Rudi Abbe Biesemeyer!!!
Rudi was born on July 16th, 2024, and should be skiing Skyward by the end of this season.
News from Northwood School
Northwood School’s Snowsports Team returned to campus during the first week of September. This year, we have 46 student-athletes - the largest team in Northwood School’s history!
On the first day of dryland training, our team kicked things off with an epic teambuilding exercise. Athletes were grouped into small teams and tasked with carrying heavy sandbags up and down Cobble Hill - a 2-mile trek! The challenge forced our athletes to strategize, communicate, and work together, creating camaraderie and trust among the group. We are excited for a successful year ahead!
- Tommy Biesemeyer, Olympian, Director of Skiing Northwood School
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The Road to Paris
Long-time NYSEF Supporter Robin McGraw Reflects on his time at the Paris Olympic Games
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He ski raced in elementary school but wore hockey skates more than alpine skis as a young athlete But for Robin McGraw, supporting NYSEF’s mission to provide opportunities to young athletes pursuing their dreams, is a calling
“Certainly the main reason we support NYSEF is to help those that need it have the chance to be on a team doing a sport they love,” McGraw said of his and his wife Buzz’s charitable giving through the Donald C McGraw Foundation and Black Rock Foundation
Photo at left: McGraw pictured with NBC’s Today Show Co-Anchor Hoda Kotb
For McGraw, a lifelong skier, fencing was and continues to be a ruling passion. It's a sport that took him to Paris to train in the late 1970s and back again this summer as Ambassador-at-Large for the USA Fencing Foundation, where he serves as the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees McGraw’s time in Paris was focused on raising funds to support the U.S. fencing athletes. But that’s not all he did.
For 10 days, McGraw rubbed elbows with celebrities and watched myriad competitions, including the women ’ s gymnastics events.
“We got to watch Simone Biles in person and that was great,” he said McGraw got into the sport of Fencing while a student at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Eventually, he made the U.S. National Fencing Team and spent the late 1970s training in Paris as the only American at the Institut National des Sports et du L’Education Physique. By 1978, McGraw joined the Ecole des Armes to become a Fencing Master. Weekends were spent traveling and competing with the French National Team S e pt e m be r 2 0 2 4
With his eye on making the 1980 Olympic team for the games in Moscow, McGraw was close to realizing his dream of competing at the highest level of sport Devastatingly, international politics intervened The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and, after the Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, President Jimmy Carter urged Western countries to boycott the games. McGraw found out he had been named as an alternate for the U S Fencing team but never got the chance to compete on the Olympic stage.
In 1982, he retired from competitive fencing and focused on other sports Four decades would pass before he fully found his way back to it again “It was great to be back in the Olympic movement,” McGraw said. “So much of my career has been about helping mold the character of young athletes that fencing demands ”
While McGraw enjoyed his time in Paris and looks forward to supporting the next generation of fencing athletes, supporting NYSEF’s athletes continues to be a priority “We can all help support these young skiers as they pursue their dreams,” McGraw said. “I’m glad to have a part in helping those dreams become a reality.”
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The Robert Van Etten Scholarship Fund
Robert “Rob” Van Etten was a talented student-athlete who competed at the high school and collegiate levels in both ski racing and soccer. A graduate of Monticello High School and St. Lawrence University, Rob qualified for and competed in the 1979 NCAA Ski Championships Rob embodied the qualities of a model student-athlete by maintaining a fit and healthy lifestyle while earning the respect and admiration of his teammates and competitors alike. As someone who always remained positive and supportive of others amidst the challenges of sport, Rob’s spirit lives on through this scholarship fund.
The Robert Van Etten Scholarship Fund was created by Rob’s family in his memory The fund supports aspiring, hard-working athletes competing at a high level with funding to offset their expenses. The fund will award two $2,000 merit-based scholarships annually to male or female athletes of any snowsport or discipline anticipating increased or unbudgeted expenses to assist with enrollment fees or travel/competition.
A reminder to our enrolled athletes and families that applications are due for all of NYSEF’s scholarship opportunities on September 30th, 2024 More information on our scholarships, along with applications can be found at https://www.nysef.org/scholarships/
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Seasonal Rental Available
Home available for rent from Thanksgiving 2024 through the closing day at Gore Mountain 2025 Rental includes snow and trash removal, two bedrooms, a gas fireplace in the living room, a wellequipped kitchen, an outside porch, wood wood-burning fireplace, an outdoor firepit, 2 bathrooms, wifi, & large screen TVs in the living room and bedroom. Housekeeping is available for an extra fee.
Located in Chestertown, approximately 20 minutes from Gore Mountain
Contact Sharon Taylor at 518-791-6487 and reference NYSEF.
Thank You!
Thank you to our sponsors: Merrill L Thomas, Long Run Wealth, Lake Placid Family Dental, Black Rock Foundation, Sports Insurance and the Donald C. McGraw Foundation.
