Development Team (Age 7 to 10)
Children in this group focus on fundamental skill development as well as athletic and personal growth. Our certified and experienced coaches use various training environments and the latest methodologies to provide the best development opportunities for our athletes. Children in this group are introduced to the sport of ski racing and will participate in the Mini World Cup (MWC) series at Windham. Children are not expected to travel and do not need to be members of U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association and NYSSRA.
Age: 7 to 10 year old by December 31, 2023 for Season 2023-2024. YOB 2013 to 2016.
To learn more about age groups in ski racing, please click here.
Minimum Requirements: Children must ski mostly parallel on intermediate terrain, be able to load, ride, and unload chairlifts safely and independently, and be able to follow instructions from the coaching staff.
Program Dates: Program runs on Saturdays and Sundays starting from December 16 through March 10, 2024, conditions permitting and includes select holidays. No program on Dec 25 and Jan 1.
Program Duration: Total training time with group is 5 hours plus 1 hour lunch break.
Equipment: Skis, boots, poles, helmet, goggles. For more information about equipment, visit ski equipment page here.
Lunch is not included, children are released to parents for lunch.
Development Team - Daily Training Schedule*
Devo A (U10)
Meeting Place: Bottom of D Lift
Morning Session: 8:30am to 11:30am
Afternoon Session: 12:30pm to 2:30pm
Devo B (U8)
Meeting Place: Bottom of D Lift
Morning Session: 8:45am to 11:45am
Afternoon Session: 12:45pm to 2:45pm
Notes: Devo A athletes are allowed to be self-dismissed. Devo B athletes, with permission form signed, are allowed to be self-dismissed after 1/1/2024 *Subject to change; changes will be communicated via TeamSnap by Head Coach
Attendance: Please indicate whether your athlete will attend training sessions on TeamSnap during the season. This helps us better plan and manage our staffing so we can deliver a great program.
Dismissal: Development Team will be dismissed at the bottom of D lift. Athletes will leave their skis on a rack by D lift during the lunch break and meet again at least 5-10 minutes before the afternoon session begins.
- Ages 7 (birth years 2016) will not be self-dismissed until after the holiday week. Self-dismissal will be allowed on an individual basis, and a permission slip must be completed and kept on file. Parents must speak to the athlete and the athlete’s coach to ensure that everyone knows where the child is to meet the parent.
- Ages 8, 9 and 10 may only be self-dismissed after a permission slip is completed and kept on file. Parents must speak to the athlete and the athlete’s coach to ensure that everyone knows where the child is to meet the parent.
Be on time! - you should be at the Meeting Place 5 minutes before session start.
Questions: Check out our FAQ page, for general information about programs and training days. If you have questions or suggestions, please reach out to Joan Oldknow, Development Head Coach via TeamSnap. If you have questions about the development program, please contact us at devadmin@windhammountain.com.
Race Information
Please note this schedule is tentative and subject to change.
How do I register?
- You can register for all of your races at the same time
- www.adminskiracing.com is the entry portal for ALL race registration - including MWC
- Deadline for race registration for all mountains may vary but usually closes the Wednesday before the race
- For Step by Step guide to race registration, please visit our race registration page.
- Arrive early and encourage all of your athletes to arrive early
- Select an area in the base lodge for all of your athletes to congregate together - focus on sportsmanship and representing our mountain
- Encourage athletes to bring water and healthy snack (ask a parent to help organize)
- Be sure all coaches have radios and are well positioned throughout the course.
- Sample recommendation: 2-3 coaches at the start, 1 middle of the course, 1 finish
- Remember that times posted to the scoreboard are provisional. This means that the results are not official until you see the printed or online version.
- Assign a designated meeting time and place for your athletes
- Remind athletes that the start order of 1st run is random and 2nd run will run in reverse order of top 15 or 30 (for scored events) or reverse order (for Kandahar) - depending on what the jury decides. Also share with all athletes the ruling of the jury at the Captains Meeting on how DSQs will work. Most U14 and younger races will allow all athletes to take a 2nd run with DSQs running in bid order after all other racers have gone through. However, sometimes the jury will choose to eliminate this 2nd run for DSQs should the day be running out of sun light.
- The course will be open for inspection after the Chief of Race, TD and REF have signed off on the course set and officially opened the course for inspection.
- All racers should inspect with their coaches. Typically inspection can be done by side slipping through the course. However, if the jury has any concerns about the durability of the snow they may request at the Captains Meeting that all athletes slip outside of the course. Please be sure to know these rules and instruct all of your athletes appropriately.
- After inspection be sure to instruct all of your athletes to be at the start with plenty of time to be relaxed and get ready for their start.
- After the first run, a coach from a visiting mountain selected during the Captains Meeting will reset the course on the same hill as first run.
- Typically the reset will take about 15-30 minutes and inspection will open after the Chief of Race, REF and TD have signed off.
- Again, the top 15/30 will run in reverse order for second run (for scored events) and then in time order from there, with all DSQs following at the end in bib order (if permitted).
- *** It is the coaches obligation to check the DSQ list once it is posted on the score board after 1st run. There is a 15 minute protest period after the list has been posted in which a cash amount (typically $50-$100) needs to be posted to the jury and the athlete is afforded due process to protest their DSQ. Once the protest period ends, there is no recourse. *** Note that the TD, COR and REF will do their best to get the DSQs posted about 10 minutes after 1st run is completed.
- All athletes will inspect 2nd run with their coaches and head to the start for the 2nd run.
- The awards ceremony takes places as soon as possible after the completion of the race. Irrespective of whether your racer has achieved a place on the podium, it shows good sportsmanship and team support for all athletes to stay and attend the ceremony to recognize and show respect for the successful athletes and the race organizers.
- All coaches should review the rules for the type of race (SL, GS, SG, DH, etc.) race in the current Alpine Competition Guide - this can be found on the US Ski & Snowboard website.
- All coaches who are assigned to inspecting the course with athletes and taking part in the race are required to be USSA registered coaches and must already have completed the 'Fast Start' online course.
- Technical Delegate: represents US Ski & Snowboard and is the Chairman of the Race Jury
- Chief of Race: responsible for making sure everyone on the hill is communicating, keeping the race safe
- Chief of Course: responsible for keeping the race course safe and fair - typically thinking about snow conditions, b-netting and so forth
- Referee: Selected at the Captains Meeting as the person to represent the athletes in the race. This person must be from a visiting mountain and is expected to review the course set to ensure it is safe and fair for the level of athletes in the competition.
- Chief of Timing and Calculations
- Chief Gate Judge: Coordinates the reports of all gate judges, who stand alongside the course to ensure racers navigate the course correctly.
- Race Administrator: prepares all entries and complies results
- Start Referee
- Finish Referee
- Gate judge
- Bib Collection
- Hand timer
- Scoreboard
- Announcers
- Lunch/healthy snack organizers
- Coat Collection/Delivery