Most of us are aware of the in-depth training that ski racers get in academies such as CVA, at top ski colleges and on the U.S. Ski Team. Now a program at Mount Abram is aimed at bringing that level of coaching to Maine’s high school ski teams.

Imagine high school athletes benefiting from clinics with three highly experienced coaches. That’s what has come together for the Mount Abram program, which started last weekend with a clinic for coaches and team leaders.

Heading up the program is Mark Thibodeau, Mount Abram race director for the past five years. He also coached the Leavitt alpine team for 12 years, winning four state titles. His boss, new Mount Abram owner Matt Hancock, isn’t known for ski racing, but that’s only because his winter focus in high school and college was basketball.

After captaining the Lake Region High School team to the 1985 State Class B Championship, he went on to Colby, earning three All-American selections and other awards. Since then, he has coached over 300 basketball games at various levels, and he applies those skills to coaching skiers.

Tom “Coach” Reynolds is a legend to skiers, coaches and instructors. He wrote two books on coaching, coached U.S. Team skiers, served twice as president of the U.S. Ski Coaches Association, which he helped found, and developed many professional coaches through his Ski Industry Program at the University of Maine at Farmington.

Bob Harkins has done it all, starting as a ski patrolman at Sunday River. He became a PSIA certified ski instructor, coached racing at Gould, served as head coach of the Alpental Ski Foundation and moved on to serve eight years with the U.S. ski team in various positions. Returning to Sunday River as vice president of Skiing Services, he developed the Perfect Turn program of ski teaching.

Tim LaVallee started coaching immediately after graduating from college and has been at it ever since, coaching with the U.S. Ski Team, the University of Colorado and Bates College. Working with Harkins on the Sunday River side, he developed and ran the Gould Sunday River competition programs.

Scott Stone followed successful ski racing career in high school and college with a turn to coaching. He demonstrated his leadership abilities when he captained the Plymouth State ski team in his senior year, and that has continued as he coached at Gould Academy. He is fully licensed and accredited as a USSA alpine official and has achieved the highest level of technical delegate status.

Both Reynolds and LaVallee have been inducted into the Maine Ski Hall of Fame. Listing all of the qualifications of this team would take all of this week’s space and then some.

So why was the program started?

“I have a real passion for competitive sports, in particular youth athletics which played a key role in making me what I am,” said Hancock. “I have a real desire to pass along those lessons and opportunities, and I also happen to own a ski resort. It’s kind of like a Reese’s Peanut Butter cup, putting two great things together. I want to make Mt. Abram a special place to race.”

Mark Thibodeau, who as Mount Abram’s race director, gathered the team of coaches to present the new program. The first weekend brought out 32 coaches and team leaders who eagerly soaked up presentations on “Maximizing Your Relationship with the Mountain” (Matt Hancock), “Right Stuff for the High School Athlete,” (Tim Lavallee) “Slalom and Giant Slalom Tactics” (Bob Harkins), “Getting the Most out of your on Hill Training Time” (Thibodeau), and Equipment and Ski Tuning (Scott Stone).

And that was only up until 1 p.m. on the first day.

Thibodeau said: “The positive response from the coaches shows the need for such a program.”

He also pointed out how the high school racing schedule gives the competitors a short season because everything is geared to the state finals during February vacation.

To help the high school skier reach their potential, Mount Abram has designed Home Based Team Training. The area has made a major commitment, devoting a large space in the basement for racing.

As Hancock said: “The kids need a place to stash their gear, congregate and receive critiques.”

They purchased new fan guns to assure plenty of snow on the race trail. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights are reserved for high school racing. The T-bar will run, allowing them to get in plenty of hill time. Saturday mornings, the T-bar will run an hour before the mountain opens to the public so the kids can get in training time without infringing on the recreational skiers.

There will be season-long programs for high school skiers and other programs for middle school skiers. The details of the various racing programs are far too expansive to cover in this space, but you can find them at www.mtabram.com or by calling Mark Thibodeau at 207-577-2551.

This is much needed opportunity for our high school skiers who have to face a short season, buy their own equipment (unlike football players whose gear is supplied by the school) for $1,000 plus, and have to travel to the mountains to compete.

The one thing I heard from both Hancock and Thibodeau was a devotion to high school athletes. At the same time, Mt Abram is improving things for the recreational skiers so look for better conditions and a better experience in the base lodge.

For Mark and his race programs, he summed it up this way, “You can accomplish a lot when the owner’s in your corner.”

Dave Irons is a freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.