CARRABASSETT VALLEY – From a small A-frame at the bottom of Barker Mountain in Newry to the top post with the U.S. Men’s Ski Team, Sasha Rearick has come a long way in little over a decade.

The 1995 Gould Academy graduate is presiding over his first U.S. Alpine Championships as the men’s alpine coach, and while a week spent at Sugarloaf is as close as he has been to Gould and Sunday River in awhile, he couldn’t avoid the influence his time spent in Western Maine has had on his coaching career if he tried.

“What I learned there is what it takes to work hard and to enjoy the sport,” he said. “You’ve got to enjoy it, skiing in Maine every day.”

Rearick, who attended Gould for two years, credits the coaching staff at the Bethel private school with inspiring him to get into coaching. One in particular, Tim LaVallee, also the former Director of On-Snow Programs at the school, recognized and nurtured his coaching and leadership skills early.

“Coach LaVallee is probably one of the main reasons that I got into coaching,” Rearick said following Tuesday’s men’s giant slalom U.S. championship. “I was OK at ski racing, but I wasn’t that good. He saw potential in me and actually paid for me to go to coaches education while I was a student there.”

His experiences outside of the ski program have also helped shape Rearick’s coaching philosophy.

“We did stuff outside of the classroom. The Four Point Program – we camped every weekend. Mr. (John) Wight – Sr. and Jr., Lauren Head – they took us camping, canoeing,” he said. “Those outdoor activities were what I thrived on. I think I learned a lot about myself during that time.

“They got us out, working as a team, creating a group environment. That’s what I’ve tried to do as a coach, create a positive environment within a group,” he added. “Gould is the place I saw that done. That was Gould itself.”

Rearick, who grew up in Connecticut, was named successor to the retiring Phil McNichol last Saturday. He has been a member of the U.S. Ski Team’s coaching staff since 2002, and most recently was the men’s slalom and giant slalom coach.

He inherits a team now focused on preparing for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, B.C., after a remarkable year that saw the departure of two-time World Cup combined champion Bode Miller, and Ted Ligety become just the third American male to win the World Cup GS championship.

“The team is in a great place. There are some phenomenal athletes,” he said. “The staff in place is really good. This past year, the staff worked together tighter than we’ve ever worked before.”

“I don’t plan to change a lot. I plan to keep the energy going,” he added.

Speed Bump

Despite the clear blue skies at Sugarloaf on Tuesday, Bump Heldman saw a lot of gray area when it came to his performance at this year’s National championships.

“It’s been so-so. Not spectacular, but not terrible,” the Auburn skier said. “I gained some good confidence.”

Heldman, a member of the U.S. Development Team, took an early spill in Saturday’s slalom, finished 30th in Sunday’s super-G, then placed 13th in the downhill on Monday, his best finish in three Nationals.

He wrapped up his week with the giant slalom on Tuesday and duplicated his 19th-place finish at last year’s National championships in Alaska.

After a cautious first run (1:06.44) that had him in 23rd place, Heldman said he got a little too aggressive on the second run.

“I blew it down bottom,” Heldman said following his second run. “I had a great run going and just couldn’t keep it.”

He was able to keep it long enough to turn in the 13th best time in the afternoon session (1:01.71).

Next up for the Gould Academy graduate is the NorAm Eastern Cup Finals at Sugarbush, Vt., later this week, then possibly a spring series in either Colorado or California in April. Then he’ll trade in his ski poles for baseball bats.

“I think I’ll play some Twilight (League),” said Heldman, 19, who starred for the New Auburn American Legion team the last couple of summers. “It’s a wood-bat league, so I’m really excited for that.”