It’s “go time” at Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV)! The “pay-off” for all of the hard work put in by SSCV athletes in the off season both on snow and in conditioning is showcased at competitions all over the state and around the world.

Preparation

This effort can take many forms. For SSCV part-time athletes it includes staying active in play, organized sports and, for many, a summer on-snow camp. For SSCV full-time athletes it includes one or more spring, summer and/or fall on-snow camps along with strength training and conditioning sessions. For SSCV full- and part-time acrobatic sports athletes, it also includes spring, summer and/or fall trampoline and water ramp camps. All athletes focus on a healthy life style with proper rest, nutrition and hydration.

More importantly, the preparation for the competition season requires athletes to stay on top of their academics and continue this work ethic throughout the season. Academic success requires a continued focus on the development of life skills, including time management and organization and the development of the determination and resilience needed to deal productively with the high points and disappointments that any given academic, training or competition day can bring.

The Whole Person

SSCV’s coaching, conditioning, peak performance (the mental aspects of the sport), and VSSA academic coaching staffs are focused on developing the whole person. There is such synergy between what is going on in any aspect of an individual’s life that if focus is lost in one area, it is truly at the expense of the other areas.

SSCV staff spend time getting to know all aspects of their athletes’ lives. They focus on developing SSCV’s core values of character, courage and commitment through the vehicle of competitive snowsports to enable these athletes to succeed in life, long beyond their days at SSCV.

The everyday improvements and achievements of our athletes in all elements of their lives are recognized and celebrated by SSCV. Far more important than the outcome is learning the process of pursuing excellence that can be applied universally to all aspects of life. It is by celebrating the effort that individuals can achieve their personal bests and take themselves to the next level.

SSCV’s November C3 (Character, Courage and Commitment) Award Winners

Ski & Snowboard Club Vail is proud to honor November’s C3 Award winners who personify SSCV’s core values of character, courage and commitment-athlete Katie Hancock and Freeski Program Director Elana Chase. I also want to recognize SSCV’s November C3 Athlete Award nominees-Collin Wilson, Tucker Thomas, Tyler Robison and Inge Vandenberg. Each nominee’s actions are extraordinary and display their character, courage and commitment.

Katie Hancock joined SSCV as a full-time athlete in August of this year, moving here from Texas to live with a host family, enroll in the 11th grade at Vail Ski & Snowboard Academy (VSSA) and pursue her love of competitive snowboarding.

New to the SSCV Snowboard Team, Katie demonstrates strong Character by going out of her way for her teammates. Although Katie may not yet be the strongest in the freestyle world, she displays Courage by constantly pushing herself to learn. Katie’s level of Commitment is most noteworthy. She has achieved the Venturing Silver, the highest award within Venturing. She runs Area 2 within the Southern Region for Boy Scouts of America, and is employed by UNICEF as a U-report Global Support Team member. Her commitment to these organizations is impressive while all the while attending VSSA and training with SSCV. This is a lot to balance and Katie has been able to handle it all very well!

As the person nominating Elana Chase for her award shared, “[Elana] has a strong character, holds herself to a high standard and always gives 100%. She practices what she preaches to the athletes and is a great example to them. She has more courage than anyone I know. She is not afraid to take on any task, large or small. And she stays the course until the job is done.”

“Elana’s commitment to SSCV and her athletes is unmatched. Individually, she will do anything for a deserving athlete. On a club level, she has the athlete’s best interest at heart. She takes great pride in SSCV and works hard every day to make sure the kids uphold their commitment to their club and themselves.”

Being a coach or program director is not a typical job. Responsibilities extend well beyond the daily conduct of training and making team travel arrangements. While at a training camp in Tignes, France, the recent terrorist attack in Paris unfolded shocking the world. Immediately, her concern for her athletes’ safety and communications with their parents took on another dimension. Crisis communication protocols were activated and much needed reassurances provided to the parents and the SSCV community.

We are excited to start another snowsports competition season at SSCV filled with many opportunities to learn life lessons “For the Kids”. We hope you can join us at Vail Mountain or on the Nordic Trails at Maloit Park in Minturn to witness all that our young athletes are learning! Go to www.skiclubvail.org under the Events/Competition Schedule tab for details.