The newly revamped Black Mountain Race Program offers the chance to learn from Olympians and state champions. Our tradition of racing goes to the next level.
The Race Program will be directed by Mark Thibodeau, four-time Maine state champion coach and former Maine Coach of the Year. Three-time Olympian, World Championships Silver Medalist and World Cup winner, Julie Parisien, will bring her international experience to the slopes of Black Mountain as program coach. Also joining the Race Program is Tim LaVallee, four-time Maine state champ, New England champ and former United States Ski Team coach. Parisien and LaVallee are both members of the Maine Ski Hall of Fame, making Black Mountain’s Race Program one of the most experienced and decorated programs in New England.
The Race Program is geared for the junior skier, grades 3-12, who already knows how to ski and is looking to improve his/her turning skills and learn to race. For as long as Black Mountain has existed, our area has had very talented skiers who have progressed from learning to ski to winning Alpine races. Many have carried the sport into college racing and have made lifelong friendships in the sport.
The Race Program features three levels: Mountain Kids, Mountain Schussers and Black & Blue Gate Smashers. Each level is geared to a specific age group and focuses on building specific skills.
Kids ages 8-11 will learn and grow as Mountain Kids. The Mountain Kids Program will develop skills that promote further interest in the sport of Alpine ski racing with an emphasis on having fun. The goal with the Mountain Kids Program is to help give kids the tools they need to develop their racing skills in order to become successful ski racers. Emphasis will be on developing balance, good technical skiing and race tactics.
Mountain Schussers, for ages 12-13, takes kids’ skiing to the next level. The Mountain Schussers Program builds on the Mountain Kids Program by continuing to develop basic ski racing skills. Kids continue to develop versatility, spontaneity, good technique and tactics. They will begin to train in conjunction with the needs of higher-performance athletics. The Mountain Schussers will be introduced to a higher level of gate training and ski racing competition with the program still focused on developing solid ski techniques.
Ages 14-18 are ready for high performance and that is just what Black & Blue Gate Smashers delivers. The group will take on a specialized approach for training that will develop higher degrees of physical, mental, technical and tactical preparation. This program is designed to work in conjunction with the athlete’s high school home program preparing them for regional and state competitions. Our goal is to support and supplement the athlete’s home program coach and training. To provide the greatest opportunity for improvement and success, athletes accepted into this program are expected to make a commitment to their training program. We will stimulate athletes to aim for high-performance skiing.
For further information and registration, please visit www.skiblackmountain.org/race.html or call 364-8977.
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