Sibling rivalry can be onerous for even the most
loving families. But for every Cain and Abel, there’s an
equally compelling Venus and Serena, Eli and Peyton,
or — since this is ski racing — Ivica and Janica.
The halfway point of the 2011 NCAA ski season has
come and gone, and the University of Vermont — the
nation’s most dominant team — incredibly boasts 11 dif-
ferent skiers who’ve won Eastern Intercollegiate Ski As-
sociation (EISA) races. More incredible still, though, is
that six of those athletes come from three sets of siblings
who’ve done most of the winning: nordic racers Scott
and Caitlin Patterson, hailing from Alaska; Canadian al-
piners Meg and Kate Ryley; and Vermonters Tim and
Robby Kelley, sons of U.S. Ski Team and Catamount
great Lindy Cochran Kelley.
It’s a sibling cocktail that could spell disaster for a less-
er group. But these Cats are all good — and, in fact, are
thriving because of it.
Robby Kelley was sixth at the Colby slalom that big bro Tim won.
Talking pinky toes, tactics and un-tuned trainers with
NCAA skiing’s fastest siblings at powerhouse Vermont
BY BRYCE HUBNER
All in the Family
Alpine Sibs
“I think that the competition is very strong and very
healthy between our siblings,” says UVM alpine coach
and program director Bill Reichelt. “We obviously have
other guys and girls on the team who are fast, but in
training it consistently seems like there’s nothing more
motivating than getting beat by your sibling. At the
same time, come race day, there’s this mentality of,
‘If I can’t win, I want my brother or sister to win.’ The
Kelleys and the Ryleys have also flip-flopped this year
with top results, so it kind of evens the power scale, if
you will.”
Tim Kelley, a 24-year-old U.S. Ski Team alum who’s
four years older than Robby, echoes Reichelt’s senti-
ments — but can’t help poking a bit of fun at his little
brother along the way.
“I think the most positive thing is that if one of us doesn’t
have a good day and the other does, you still have a
reason to be excited and happy,” Tim Kelley says. “It’s
