LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland (March 11) – After a successful 18 years of coaching with the U.S. Alpine Ski Team, women’s speed Head Coach Chip White will step aside following the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup Finals this week. During his tenure, the women’s speed program produced an impressive 122 World Cup podiums, 13 World Cup titles, 10 World Championship medals and six Olympic medals. Most noteably, White led all six members of his World Cup team to the podium during the 2013 season. He has been named the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) International Alpine Coach of the year on numerous occasians and was a 2012 finalist for the U.S. Olympic Committee’s (USOC) highest coaching honor.
HIGHLIGHTS
- After 18 years of coaching with the U.S. Ski Team’s women’s speed program, Head Coach Chip White is stepping aside following the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup Finals.
- During his tenure, the women’s speed team rose to become one of the Best in the World garnering 122 World Cup downhill and super G podiums, including 56 victories.
- Many of those results came over the last six years while coaching Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO), Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA), Stacey Cook (Mammoth Mountain, CA), Leanne Smith (N. Conway, NH), Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, CO) and Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR).
- Since the 1996/97 season, the team also built an impressive World Cup title and major championship portfolio in speed events, including:
· 13 World Cup titles (all Vonn)
- 6 straight DH ('08-'13)
- 4 straight SG ('09-'12)
- 3 straight SC ('10-'12)
· 10 World Championships medals
- Vonn (2011 – DH silver; 2009 – DH/SG gold; 2007 DH/SG – silver)
- Mancuso (2013 – SG bronze; 2011 – SG silver; 2007 – SC bronze; 2005 – SG
bronze)
- Hillary Lindh (1997 – DH gold)
· 6 Olympic medals
- Vonn (2010 – DH gold, SG bronze)
- Mancuso (2014 – SC bronze, 2010 – DH silver, SC silver)
- Picabo Street (1998 SG gold)
- A resident of Mammoth Lakes, CA for the past 35 years, White was welcomed into the U.S. Ski Team family in 1990 as a project coach with the men's speed team.
- He joined the women's speed program in 1996, spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach, and was promoted to women's speed Head Coach after the 2010 Olympic season.
- White has been named the USSA International Alpine Coach of the year on numerous occasians and was a 2012 finalist for the USOC's highest coaching honor.
QUOTES
Chip White
It’s not always just about the podiums, although those are nice touches. But to see the athletes have the quarter-drops, so to speak, and they go, ‘Oh, I get it. When an athlete feels that they can’t do something and then realizes that they actually can, it’s icredibly rewarding for a coach.
It’s a small community in World Cup ski racing when you look at the big picture. And I didn’t realize that until quite a bit later into my career — how unique it is, how few people are lucky enough to have experienced this. I feel very fortunate to have been a part of this team.
This transition will be difficult. I feel camaraderie and a kinship to everybody that I ever coached. Watching them grow as people, not only as athletes — that part I think is really rewarding to see.
Stacey Cook
More than anything, Chip has brought an incredible amount of passion to coaching this team. He’s created one of the most successful speed teams the U.S. has ever had and that will be remembered by everyone, but we’ll remember him as a guy who would give the world for us to achieve our dreams.
Lindsey Vonn
Chip has been the heart of the women's speed team for as long as I can remember. He cares about all of us like a family and it will be hard to see him go. I'm thankful for everything he has done for us and I wish him all the best in the future.
Julia Mancuso
He’s been coaching the speed team since I started racing Europa Cup as a little kid. He’s been such a positive and solid figure for all those years. Chip has incredible passion for coaching and that shows through in his style. He kept things simple and provided an environment for us to believe in our abilities.
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