USSA

Steamboat Named USSA Club of the Year

by
USSA
2017-05-02 09:47
 

PARK CITY, UT (May 2, 2017) – The Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC) has been named the 2017 Club of the Year by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association. This is the fourth time the club has achieved the honor. SSWSC will be will be formally recognized at the Chairman’s Awards Dinner on May 11 during the annual USSA Congress in Park City.

USSA Gold Club certified Stratton Mountain School is receiving Cross Country Club of the Year, Buffalo Ski Club is receiving Freestyle Club of the Year and Team Park City United is receiving Freeskiing Club of the Year.

In addition to receiving the overall USSA Club of the Year award, the USSA Gold Club certified SSWSC is also being awarded Club of the Year in alpine, ski jumping/nordic combined and snowboarding.

The Steamboat club received the very first USSA Club of the Year award in 1998 and most recently won the honor in 2007.

“We are humbled and honored to receive these awards from the USSA," said SSWSC Executive Director Jim Boyne. "They are a testament to the terrific work that our team has accomplished and their commitment and passion to helping our athletes achieve their goals. Our staff, volunteer coaches, athletes, parents, community supporters and venue partners can all be proud of our collective success.”  

The SSWSC seeks to “Create Champions, on and off the Mountain” and provides training and youth development to approximately 1,000 athletes every year in the sports of alpine, cross country, freeskiing, freestyle, nordic combined, ski jumping, snowboard, telemark and other areas. Serving tens of thousands of youth for more than a century, the club is one of the oldest and most successful in North America, producing 88 Olympians with 151 Olympic appearances. More information is available online at SSWSC.org.

“Strong support of athletes, and overall sport and club development, fuels the success of our top USSA clubs,” said USSA Club Development Manager Ellen Adams. “This year’s honorees for Club of the Year have demonstrated their commitment to these elements and, as a result, have seen strong athletic and organizational performance at every level. We congratulate this year’s winners on their achievements.”

The Club of the Year awards are presented to USSA member clubs in each sport that have distinguished themselves in providing direction to young athletes through high-level competition programs resulting in athletic success. Selection is managed by the USSA athletic management team with voting carried out by the USSA awards committee. Additional information on the USSA awards process can be found at ussa.org.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The USSA has recognized four member clubs as 2017 USSA Clubs of the Year.
  • Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club has been awarded overall Club of the Year as well as the Alpine, Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined and Snowboarding Club of the Year. It was the fourth time Steamboat has been honored with the award.
  • Stratton Mountain School has been awarded Cross Country Club of the Year
  • Buffalo Ski Club has been awarded Freestyle Club of the Year.
  • Team Park City United has been awarded Freeskiing Club of the Year.
  • Club of the Year awards are presented to clubs who have distinguished themselves in providing direction to young athletes through high-level competition programs resulting in athletic success.
  • Club of the Year recipients will be formally recognized at the Chairman’s Awards Dinner on May 11 during the annual USSA Congress.

 

QUOTES

Jim Boyne, Executive Director, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
We are humbled and honored to receive these awards from the USSA. They are a testament to the terrific work that our team has accomplished and their commitment and passion to helping our athletes achieve their goals. Our staff, volunteer coaches, athletes, parents, community supporters and venue partners can all be proud of our collective success.

Ellen Adams, Club Development Manager, USSA
Strong support of athletes and sport development fuels the success of our top USSA clubs. This year’s honorees for Club of the Year have demonstrated their commitment to these elements and, as a results, have seen strong athletic results at every level. We congratulate this year’s winners on their achievements.

 

2017 CLUB OF THE YEAR AWARDS
USSA Club of the Year - Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club

The Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club was honored for an unprecedented fourth time as USSA Club of the Year. Recognized in the alpine, snowboarding and ski jumping/nordic combined Club of the Year categories, SSWSC has seen athletic success across a multitude of its programs this season. As a gold certified USSA club, SSWSC has worked continuously to improve its programs and implement best practices. SSWSC has received the Club of the Year award three times prior, in 2007, 2004 and 1998.

Alpine Club of the Year - Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
The SSWSC alpine program demonstrated tremendous growth and performance over the past season. Under the leadership of Adam Chadbourne and a group of highly accomplished and dedicated coaches, SSWSC athletes achieved success at every level. Additionally, SSWSC hosted innovative events including skills competitions, unique dual formats and a memorable U14 Regional Championship held during exceptionally challenging conditions. The culture of determination and teamwork is pervasive throughout the SSWSC program, undoubtedly contributing to their continued accomplishments.

Cross Country Club of the Year - Stratton Mountain School
Stratton Mountain School athletes saw success at the national and international level this season. Currently, half of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team athletes are from SMS. At the 2017 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Jessie Diggins claimed two medals, a silver in the freestyle sprint and a bronze in the team classic sprint. Diggins also represented SMS at the 2017 U.S. National Championships, taking home the sprint title and a win in the 30k. SMS athletes Erika Flowers and Katherine Odgen also podiumed at Nationals, and SMS won the mixed gender relay. Four SMS athletes participated in the 2017 FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships and landed seven top-10 finishes, including bronze medals from Ogden and Julia Kern.

Freeskiing Club of the Year - Team Park City United
Team Park City United, under the leadership of Chris (“Hatch”) Haslock, fielded 21 athletes at the 2017 Junior National Championships, landing 34 podiums and winning 15 age groups across halfpipe, slopestyle and big air. It had podium finishes at multiple Revolution Tour stops and fielded athletes in all four groups at USASA Nationals. U.S. Freeskiing member and Team Park City United alum Alex Hall made his first X Games appearance. The club had a fantastic season from a skills development standpoint, with impressive results from athletes just starting park and pipe all the way up to its elite athletes.

Freestyle Club of the Year - Buffalo Ski Club
Buffalo Ski Club has grown from a handful of athletes to over 30 between its non-competitive club development program and its competitive program. Through fundraising, the club has re-purposed two main runs this year and created infrastructure including dedicated snowmaking, a mogul course and an aerials site. Buffalo Ski Club now hosts an annual moguls event in addition to an aerials event. It has athletes ranked in the top 10 in all three freestyle disciplines, and 10 of its athletes qualified and were invited to compete at 2017 Junior National Championships.

Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined Club of the Year - Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
SSWSC currently has three ski jumping coaches who are Level 100 certified. Under the leadership of Todd Wilson, SSWSC set a new internal record for athletes in its ski jumping and nordic combined program, making it one of the largest clubs in the country. SSWSC qualified three athletes for the 2017 FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships and took home six titles at the 2017 Junior National Championships.

Snowboarding Club of the Year - Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
Under the leadership of Tori Koski, SSWSC’s snowboarding program has achieved tremendous success on the local, regional, national and international stages spanning slopestyle, halfpipe, snowboardcross and racing. The program’s commitment to its athletes has resulted in a strong, motivated and successful snowboarding community. Together with the Steamboat Ski Area, the SSWSC pitched in to keep the halfpipe open. Koski and her staff worked with the City of Steamboat Springs to revamp and enhance its terrain park, improving training opportunities for SSWSC athletes while also providing enhanced access to the community.

 


 


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