U14 Alpine Race Team (Age 12 to 13)
U14 Alpine Race Team is for children aged 12 to 13 by December 31, 2023 (Birth year 2011, 2010). Children in the U14 Race Team typically have previous ski racing experiences and are looking to push their level of racing higher. The U14 Race Team will focus on advanced alpine racing skills, race tactics, and continue to master fundamentals in skiing, athletics and independence. U14 athletes are expected to manage their own TeamSnap accounts (read emails and update attendance), manage ski tuning programs, commit to mid-week independent dryland training and show a strong aptitude to independently follow directions in regards to meeting places, executing warm up drills and keeping a ski journal.
Minimum Requirements: Athletes must meet the athletic skill and psychological maturity requirements to participate in this program. NYSSRA and United States Ski and Snowboard (USSS) membership are required. This team requires travel to races outside of Windham. If a family chooses not to travel to a race, there will be no coaching or training provided at Windham over the travel race periods.
Program Dates: The WRF Program runs on Saturdays and Sundays starting from December 9 through March 17, 2024, conditions permitting and includes select holidays. No program on Dec 25 and Jan 1, and half day on Dec 24. All dates and events are listed on the TeamSnap U14 Calendar. Please note that U14s have some post-season races that could potentially keep athletes skiing through the first weekend of April.
Program Duration: Total training time with the team is 5 hours, lunch breaks will be short and times will change week to week based on hill space assignments. How the 5 hours are split will also vary week to week. Some weeks we will have longer morning sessions and other weeks we will be on the hill later. We expect our athletes to consistently make time to free ski with teammates outside of our designated training blocks.
Equipment: GS and SL skis, race boots, poles, hard-ear helmet (nothing mounted on it), goggles required, shin guards and back protectors recommended. Super G skis will be needed for certain training please coordinate with coaches on how best to secure skis for these events.
For more information about equipment: Visit ski equipment page here.
Lunch is not included, children are released on their own to eat and return to the training venue.
U14 Race Team - Daily Training Schedule*
Meeting Place: TBD
Start time: 7:30am
Notes: *Subject to change; changes will be communicated via TeamSnap by Head Coach
Attendance: Athletes are expected to update their attendance in TeamSnap every week. U14 athletes are expected to participate in all standard season races.
Be on time! - If you are early you are on time, if you are on time you are late, do NOT be late.
Questions: Check out our FAQ page, for general information about programs and training days. If you have questions or suggestions, please reach out to Voytek Jackowski, U14 Alpine Race Head Coach via TeamSnap.
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