tain setting. Open to student-athletes aged 13 and older, SVSA
combines the strength of Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation
training and coaching with Community School’s rigorous aca-
demic program, scheduling flexibility, and both boarding and day
student options. Small class sizes and close student-teacher re-
lationships afford us the opportunity to really know our students
and allow us to provide our student-athletes with the individual-
ized attention they require to succeed both on the hill and in the
classroom. Students graduate from our programs as confident,
accomplished, and resourceful young adults who attend the top
colleges and universities in the country and lead meaningful,
purposeful lives.
Head Coaches: SVSA athletes train with the Sun Valley Ski Ed-
ucation Foundation ( svsef.org). Executive Director: Don Wise-
man; alpine program director: Ruben Macaya; cross country
program director; Rick Kapala, freestyle program director: Andy
Ware; snowboard program director: Andy Gilbert.
Coaching Staff: FIS Coaching Staff: Pat Savaria, Nate
Schwing, Erika Hogan, Carl Rixon, and Galen Webster; J3 head
coach: Scott McGrew; cross country coaching staff: Chris Mal-
lory and Ashley McQueen; freestyle skiing staff: Joey Cordeau,
Chris Rybak, Clint Lightner, Josh Zuck, Christine Cordeau, Ben
Verge and Kurtis Fieguth; snowboarding staff: Josh Keefer, Ja-
cob Tyler and Jon French.
Notable Alumni: Picabo Street (SVSEF), Megan Gerety,
Christin Cooper, Reggie Crist, Zach Crist, Morgan Arritola, Wyatt
Bunce, Langley McNeal (Community School and SVSEF).
Training Facilities: Sun Valley ski resort’s world-famous ter-
rain provides our athletes with every type of training imaginable.
Alpine athletes can expect to train on steeps, flats and terrain
chosen for both technical and speed practice. The SVSA Resi-
dence Hall is just across the street from our training hill, Sun
Valley’s Bald Mountain. Cross country athletes have a dedicated
training facility just a few miles north of town, and train on more
than 200 kilometers of world-class trails. Freestyle skiers have
their own competitions moguls course to train on while slope-
style, halfpipe, and boardercross skiers and snowboarders will
practice their big-air and tricks on three terrain parks and the
new 18-foot halfpipe.
Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy
Box 329 Minturn, CO 81657
970-328-2832
skiclubvail.org
Admissions, vssa@gmail.com
Founded: 2007
Sports Offered: Alpine, freeride, freestyle, nordic, snowboard
Grades: 5 – 12
Program Length: August to June, Eagle County School Dis-
trict public school
Application Period: November – March
Staff/Student Ratio: Classes 1: 14; coaching 1: 8
Cost: Public school, computer required, school fees $600
Scholarships: N/A
Headmaster: Geoff Grimmer
Academic Strengths and Overview: Rigorous, flexible, indi-
vidualized, technological. VSSA is the only public ski academy
in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Club Vail athletic program fees
apply. It was founded in 2007, and graduates are pursuing their
athletic careers as members of the U.S. Alpine Ski Team, U.S.
Snowboard Team, U.S. Freestyle Teams, and NCAA college
programs. College placement includes University of Colorado,
Denver University, Middlebury, Harvard and Dartmouth.
Head Coaches: Ben Boyd, Brady McNeill, Dan Stripp, Dan
Weiland, Elana Chase, JC Cole, Rika Moore
Coaching Staff: Visit skiclubvail.org
Notable Alumni: Abby Ghent, Faye Gulini, Heidi Kloser, Will
Gregorak, Paula Moltzan, Katherine Irwin Training Facilities:
Vail, Beaver Creek
Waterville Valley Academy
PO Box 270, Waterville Valley, NH 03215
603-236-4246 (t) 603-236-9906 (f)
gowva.org
contact_us@gowva.org
Founded: 1972
Sports Offered: Alpine, freestyle, and snowboard
Grades: 6 – 12 and PG
Program Length: 5 months. Other options also available.
Application Period: Open enrollment
Staff/Student Ratio: 1:1 or 1: 2
Cost: Please refer to website
Scholarships: Available, must apply.
Headmaster: Robert Sampson
Academic Strengths: Small teacher-to-student ratio with aca-
demics based on sending school curriculum
Head Coaches: Alpine: Tom Barbeau, freestyle: Nick Preston,
snowboard: Peter Thorndike Coaching Staff: Freestyle: Dan
Shuffleton, Greg Ruppel and Wes Preston; snowboard: Greg
Maxwell; alpine: Fred Turton, Jason Guilbert, Troy Watts, Steph
Darling, Craig Leaman, Peter Anderson and Gary Blake
Notable Alumni: Pat Moore, Hannah Kearney, Chas Gulde-
mond, Dylan Ferguson, Greg Maxwell, Chemmy Alcott, Abigail
Fucigna, Alex Fucigna, Nick Baker, Wes Preston, Tim Hum-
phrey
Training Facilities: On-snow venues at Waterville Valley Re-
sort , dryland training at White Mountain Athletic club, our indoor
trampoline facility, and new year-round Phil’s Hill Airbag Training
Center.
Overview: Waterville Valley Academy (WVA) is a five month
snowsports and academic academy located in Waterville Valley,
N.H. designed for full time student athletes in grades 6-12 who
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