Double Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, Colo.) and Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim (Torrence, Calif.), who each dominated their competition this past season, are nominated for the 2019 ESPY Awards. 

Shiffrin is fresh off a record-smashing 2019 season, making history with a whopping 17 FIS Ski World Cup victories, four World Cup titles and three World Championship medals - two golds and one bronze - including becoming the only athlete in the history of ski racing to win four successive World Championship gold medals in a single discipline (slalom). With what is her best season yet (at a mere 24-years-old), she established herself among the upper echelon of athletes as arguably the most dominant athlete in the world. Shiffrin joins three powerhouse female athletes in the "Best Female Athlete" category: soccer star Alex Morgan, gymnast Simon Biles and basketball player Breanne Stewart. 

Kim cleaned house at the 2018 ESPYS, winning the Best Female Athlete, Best Female Action Sports Athlete and Best Female U.S. Olympic Athlete awards. She dominated her competition this past season, winning her first halfpipe World Championships title in Park City, Utah, and walking away with an 83% winning percentage on the season. Kim is up for Best Female Action Sports Athlete, joining skier Kelly Sildaru, snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and surfer Stephanie Gilmore. 

The award show gathers top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The 27th ESPYS will be hosted by Tracy Morgan and will broadcast live on ABC Wednesday, July 10, at 8 p.m. ET from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.

Voting for the awards is open at www.espn.com/espys, and fans can vote multiple times - so vote for your favorite U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete, and then vote again and again. And again. 

Approximately 100 of the top U.S. junior freeski and snowboard athletes took to the amazing spring conditions at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California and Timberline Lodge and Ski Area on Mt. Hood, Ore. from June 6-15 for Project Gold, where the country’s top coaches and world-class terrain offered the perfect atmosphere for progression and good times. U.S. Snowboard and Freeski Project Gold Camp bring together the top young skiers and riders in the country for a progressive talent development camp. Project Gold athletes are selected from the Revolution Tour, Hole Shot, Race to the Cup and USASA Nationals. The camp bridges the gap between regional competitors and Olympic level programs.

Spearheaded by former U.S. Snowboard and U.S. Freeski Sport Development Manager, Abbi Nyberg, Project Gold was started in 2006. Starting as just a halfpipe focussed camp, today Project Gold serves as a critical element to the freeski and snowboard development pipeline for slopestyle, halfpipe, and big air as well as the largest snowboardcross camp of the year for U.S. riders.

“Project Gold provides an opportunity for future U.S. Olympians to ski and ride for a week with the full national team staff at Mammoth," said U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Head Freeski and Snowboard Coach Mike Jankowski. “It’s a great opportunity for the coaches and athletes to start making connections that will last throughout their careers.”

At Timberline, the U.S. snowboardcross staff is keeping a close eye on the future.

“Project Gold is a great chance for myself and the other World Cup coaches to get to know and work with the next generation of rippers,” said U.S. Snowboardcross Head Coach Peter Foley.  “It’s cool to see the next generation’s enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge. In addition, it’s amazing to watch them improve from one day to the next. This comes at the time of year when we can really concentrate on technique without the pressure of racing and that’s very valuable for allowing the athletes to get into the right headspace to make big changes.”

Not only do U.S. junior athletes get to experience working with U.S. National Team coaches at official U.S. Ski & Snowboard training sites, but they also get to experience the benefits of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard High Performance staff, including experts in strength training, flexibility, nutrition, and recovery. Project Gold is truly a dream come true for young skiers and riders who wish to compete at the highest level of their sport.

Project Gold is a one-of-a-the kind experience that can offer a very positive trajectory for young athletes. By giving youth skiers and riders a chance to work with the best of the best at two of the best ski areas in the country, it conveys a message that reaching the top is very much attainable. This year, Hunter Carey (Winter Park, Colo.) was nominated to the U.S. Freeski Halfpipe Rookie Team and his success was no accident. Alongside a serious amount of hard work, Carey’s progression can be linked directly to Project Gold.

"Project Gold was instrumental for Hunter's skiing progression,” said Hunter’s father Tom Carey. “Hunter was tapped for Project Gold at age 13 after his first podium finish at USASA Nationals in 2016. The Unbound Terrain Parks at Mammoth Mountain, Hunter’s club and the U.S. Freeski Team coaches all work in harmony to help the athletes learn new tricks in a fun and supportive environment. Hunter's nomination to the U.S. Freeski Rookie Team this season can be traced back to the progress he made at Project Gold camps each spring and the synergies with other athletes and coaches forged in this camp environment."

Carey is not the only athlete to benefit from Project Gold. The opportunities it has created for up and coming junior athletes is undeniable.

2018 PyeongChang Olympic snowboard halfpipe bronze medalist Arielle Gold (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) felt she benefited not only from working with Olympic caliber coaches but also riding with her peers.

“I think the biggest opportunity that Project Gold created for me was a place to not only ride with some of the best developing snowboarders in the country but to also be coached by arguably the best coaches in the world,” said Gold. “At the time, many of the younger female snowboarders who I absolutely loved to ride with lived in different parts of the country, so I rarely saw them during the competitive season. Project Gold gave us all an opportunity to come together and ride as a group, catering to a level of progression (and fun) that was unparalleled when I was that age.”

Gold also touched on the quality of training venues available to her at such a young age.

“Many athletes at the developmental level in competitive snowboarding often have limited access to adequate training venues, if they have access to any whatsoever,” she said. "Every year that I attended, Project Gold created an incredible venue for all of us to ride together allowing us to learn tricks and progress in a way that likely would not have been possible otherwise. I can still remember how excited I got every year when I had the opportunity to ride in front of the U.S. Team coaches. It felt like it was my chance to prove myself as a potential candidate for the future, which pushed me to work harder than I ever have before.

U.S. Freeski Halfpipe Pro Team member Hunter Hess (Bend, Ore.) felt Project Gold was the catalyst to his blossoming freeski career. As a Rookie this season, Hess earned his first ever FIS World Cup podium in Secret Garden, China with a third-place finish. His performance throughout the 2018/19 season earned him a spot on the Pro Team this coming season.

“Gold opened up doors for me,” said Hess. “It was my first camp with the U.S. Team. I think seeing that you could be apart of an organization like U.S. Ski & Snowboard makes you want it more. In the long run, it was really the first opportunity I had to prove that I could compete at that level one day. My favorite part was being able to learn so much. It's at the perfect time of year to try the tricks you have been thinking of all season. I always learned the most I did all year at Gold. It helped me go into the next season strong and confident.”

For some athletes, Project Gold served as a significant motivator for aspiring young athletes throughout the season. In addition, Project Gold also served as a platform to build great relationships. This was the case for U.S. Freeski Slopestyle Pro Team member and 2018-19 FIS Freeski Slopestyle Crystal Globe Winner Mac Forehand (Winhall, Vt.) who now is skiing alongside the same guys he attended Project Gold Camp with. You could say that U.S. Freeski Pro Slopestyle Team Coach Dave Euler had an all-star Project Gold class while coaching at camp including U.S. Freeski Team members Forehand, Richard Thomas (Orono, Minn.), Hunter Henderson (Madbury, N.H.), Kiernan Fagan (Brownfield, Maine), Deven Fagan (Brownfield, Maine), Cody Laplante (Truckee, Calif.), and Connor Ladd (Lakewood, Colo.).

“Going to Gold was my goal for the end of the season when I was 13,” said Forehand. “All I wanted was to be invited to this camp that I’ve heard so much about. At first I only knew Hunter and sort of knew the Fagan brothers but never met Cody or Dicky (Richard Thomas) before. The whole week at camp we skied and had a ton of fun staying together. Now I get to call all these guys my friends and teammates. Every year Gold Camp would be the highlight of the spring. I would get so much out of the one week we were able to meet most of the goals I set for myself.”

According to U.S. Snowboardcross Pro Team rider Jake Vedder (Pickney, Mich.) a four-time Project Gold athlete, the snowboardcross experience has always been something to look forward to.

“When the U.S. Snowboard Team gave me a chance to come to Project Gold when I was 13, it was truly a turning point in my career. At a young age, I was able to ride with some of the best riders in the world and I really opened my eyes to what being on the national team looks like. Fast forward a few years and I have made the national team and I am encouraging today’s junior athletes to attend Project Gold because it really did help shape my career as a professional snowboardcross rider.”

Project Gold will not be the last you see of these young skiers and riders. Keep an eye out for competitors to climb the ranks through FIS Nor-Am, Rev Tour and USASA events. Further down the line like Gold, Hess, Vedder, and Forehand, it’s inevitable that many Project Gold athletes will be the leaders of these sports at the elite international level of competition.
 

Chloe Kim (Torrence, Calif.), who dominated the competition this past season, winning her first halfpipe World Championships title in Park City, Utah, and Lindsey Vonn (Vail, Colo.) lead the list of four U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes nominated for the 2019 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sport Awards.

Vonn, who retired from competition following her downhill bronze medal performance at the 2019 World Championships, joins Kim in the “Favorite Female Athlete” category, along with soccer star Alex Morgan; tennis players Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams; and gymnast Simone Biles.

Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, Colo.) and Vonn are both nominated in the “Need For Speed” category along with NASCAR stars Joey Logano and Kyle Busch; swimmer Katie Ledecky; and Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton. Vonn won the “Need For Speed” category at the 2018 Kids' Choice Awards.

Kim and two-time Olympic gold medalist Jamie Anderson (South Lake Tahoe, Calif.) are both nominated in the “Favorite Action Sports Star” category along with skateboarders Nyja Huston and Brighton Zeuner; rock climber Alex Honnold; and surfer John John Florence.

Voting for the awards is open at www.kcs2019.com and on the Screens Up App, and fans can vote multiple times - so vote for your favorite U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete, and then vote again and again. And again. 

The awards will be presented on July 11 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. The ceremony will be aired Aug. 10 on Nickelodeon. Former NFL defensive lineman-turned-TV host Michael Strahan will return to host the event.

Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California’s Eastern Sierra has been an official training site for U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes for almost a decade, dating back to 2010. However, that is not where the history begins for what has been an undoubtedly fruitful partnership.

The U.S. Snowboard Team has been utilizing Mammoth’s amazing terrain and facilities since early 2001, when halfpipe coach Pete del Giudice took Ross Powers (Bennington, Vt.) and Kelly Clark (Mt. Snow, Vt.) to Mammoth to train prior to the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games. Clearly, there was something to this strategy as both Powers and Clark went on to win halfpipe Olympic gold medals.

This year, the tradition continued with three weeks of spring training camp at Mammoth from May 12-June 2, where U.S. freeskiers and snowboarders took to the slopes for what turned out to be more of a winter camp.

“Mammoth camp delivered again with tons of fun and progression,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Head Freeski and Snowboard Coach Mike Jankowski. “Although the weather wasn’t always perfect, the team made the most of riding the full mountain. In addition to the airbags and training zone on chair five, the public parks and top to bottom laps were incredible.”

For the freeskiers, the athletes did not have many sunny jumping days to dial in the big tricks, but this could very well have been a blessing in disguise. As Jankowski mentioned when referring to coaching strategy, “If athletes are developing trust with their coaches, fundamentals or foundation skills in order to bring new tricks to snow eventually, that’s success!” Although the freeskiers may not have pushed the envelope by getting repetitions with some of their more progressive tricks, they did lay out a game plan for the remainder of off-season training camps at Mt. Hood, Ore., July 4-19 and Saas-Fee, Switzerland, October 3-25.

“The whole crew has a bunch of new stuff they want to try when the conditions are right,” said U.S. Freeski Slopestyle Pro Team Coach Skogen Sprang.

Despite mother nature challenging U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and coaches, the U.S. Freeski Team was still able to milk every bit of productivity out of their time on snow.

“Mammoth Unbound did a great job with the park,” said Sprang. “Main Park was still so good due to the huge winter, so we sessioned rails and fast laps over there most of the time. Also, a few quality powder runs were had off the top which was pretty wild for May. In addition, we welcomed new members to the Pro Team including Mac Forehand (Winhall, Vt.) and Kiernan Fagan (Brownfield, Maine) as well as Rookie Team members Devin Fagan (Brownfield, Maine) and Richard Thomas (Orono, Minn.), who is back on snow after a weird, drawn-out injury.”

Highlights from camp for the freeskiers include 2018-19 FIS Slopestyle Crystal Globe winner Forehand securing his grasp on the switch right double cork 1260 as well as the women’s rookie freeskiers dialing many new combinations on the rails. Overall, the camp resulted in great mileage and team building, setting themselves up for success leading into the remainder of the team’s off-season.

U.S. Freeski Pro Team member and two-time Olympic medalist Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) was very happy with the resources available to athletes at Mammoth spring camp. 

"Over the years, U.S. Ski & Snowboard has continued to step up their game," said Goepper. "Support for the athletes, amazing training camps like Mammoth, and quality coaching staff are just a few of ways the organization is improving. I think U.S. Ski & Snowboard really has a finger on the pulse of what the athletes want and need to succeed."

For the snowboarders, the camp took on a very similar tone.

“Year after year Mammoth has delivered amazing spring camps with beautiful sunny weather and a progressive park which equates to a collection of new tricks for our team,” said U.S. Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air Pro Team Coach Mike Ramirez. “This year mother nature decided to extend the heavy winter Mammoth has had and combine that with some spring storms throughout our stay. We got hit with snow, rain, wind and even some lightning, but despite this, the crew made the most of the clear weather windows and got some tricks dialed in.”

As Mammoth Spring Camp was the first time out for many of the rookies, U.S. Snowboard National Development Coach for Slopestyle and Big Air Nichole Mason focussed on team building.

“It is the first camp of the summer with our new Rookie Team athletes,” said Mason. “Making sure they are integrated and comfortable is a big deal for their performance and first interactions with the existing team members and pro team athletes.”

U.S. Snowboard Rookie Team slopestyle athlete Nora Healey (Plymouth, N.H.) got back on snow for the first time since her ACL tear.

“After a year away from the team rehabbing my knee it was awesome to get back on snow and ride with the team,” said Healey. “It was a nostalgic feeling. I was so happy to be experiencing being back on snow with all the coaches and knowing that I could finally jump again. Being away for over a year from the sport, I was more than mentally ready to get airborne, but it was a little intimidating hitting that first jump. I was thinking in my mind, ‘will my knee be OK with the impact?’ or ‘will it hurt?’ My favorite part about camp was just seeing all of my team members again and getting to shred without any restrictions!”

In addition, new U.S. Snowboard Rookie Slopestyle Team member Addie Gardner (Riegelsville, Penn.), who claimed the 2018-19 Nor-Am overall title and earned a FIS World Cup spot for the upcoming season, immediately added value to the team dynamic.

“She truly shines with her rail tricks and it was really cool watching the other girls feed off of that and push each other to become better in their weak areas,” said Mason.

For the pros, Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.) and Judd Henkes (La Jolla, Calif.), who were number one and two respectively in the 2018-19 FIS World Cup slopestyle standings, could not be ignored throughout camp.

“Everyone on the team learned some new rail tricks and Judd Henkes (La Jolla, Calif.) and Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.) showed off their jump dominance by each putting on a display on different days getting the spin cycle using all four directions,” said Ramirez. In addition, Sean FitzSimons (Hood River, Ore.), who was no slouch at Saas-Fee Camp last year, continued to make the most of every moment at training camp.”

“Graduating from the rookie team, Sean FitzSimons showed why he earned his spot onto the pro team,” said Ramirez. “He worked hard through some progressions and stomped a new trick as soon as the sun popped.”

For the halfpipe riders, camp offered significant progression including Pro Team members Chase Josey (Hailey, Idaho) learning a switch alley-oop double backside rodeo, Ryan Wachendorfer (Edwards, Colo.) learning a switch double backflip, Toby Miller (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) adding an arsenal of new grabs to his front double cork 1440 and Chase Blackwell (Longmont, Colo.) dialing in his frontside 1260. Lastly, veteran Taylor Gold (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) was able to find the rotation on a Michalchuck 1080 into the airbag. If Gold can bring this trick to snow, it would be the first rider to ever land it in the halfpipe.

Mammoth Spring Camp is just the beginning for U.S. Freeski and Snowboard athletes this off-season. Athletes are looking down the barrel of an aggressive training schedule that includes time in the gym, utilizing the state of the art airbag jump at Utah’s Olympic Park, and more on snow camps to prepare for the 2019-20 competition season.

“We look forward to another week ahead at Mammoth for Project Gold where we have potential future U.S. Olympians coming out for a week with the full national team staff,” said Jankowski.  “It’s a great opportunity for the coaches and athletes to start making connections that will last for quite some time.

“Next up, we head to another of our key Official Training Partner venues, Timberline on Mt. Hood, Ore. to train at Windells and High Cascade Camps. This is always a classic highlight of the U.S. Teams’ summer plans. The overall vibe is easy going, while at the same time allowing for forgiving conditions, airbags, skateboarding and other training opportunities that give everyone the chance to add to their bag of tricks.”

STORIES FROM MAMMOTH CAMP
Coaching Strategy Unveiled: Mammoth Spring Camp
U.S. Ski & Snowboard Rookies Get Acclimated At Mammoth

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U.S. Ski & Snowboard went behind the scenes of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard spring training camp in Mammoth Mountain, California to see what coaching strategy and goal setting is all about. Now, we turn the page and look through the lens of our U.S. Rookie Team athletes.

U.S. Freeski Rookie Team athletes Hunter Carey (Winter Park, Colo.) and Hanna Faulhaber (Carbondale, Colo.) as well as U.S. Snowboard Rookie Team Athletes Tessa Maud (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Addie Gardner (Riegelsville, Penn.) were kind enough to share their thoughts on Mammoth Spring Camp amidst a busy training schedule. As new members of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, there are new emotions and expectations that each athlete must manage while on snow at camp.

However, before athletes headed to Mammoth, an official training site for U.S. Ski & Snowboard, they discovered they made the U.S. Freeski & Snowboard Team and their reactions were priceless.

“I was super excited when I first got the call,” said Faulhaber. “I immediately started to think about all the cool and different opportunities that this nomination opens up for me.”

For Gardner, it was a special moment for the whole family.

“I was beyond excited,” she said. “I think my parents were initially more excited than me! I worked very hard this past season and it was amazing to see it pay off through my team nomination.”

Making the team is just the beginning of what will be a very exciting ride for these new U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes. Almost immediately following the nomination announcement, U.S. Rookie Team athletes were invited to Mammoth Spring Training Camp where they are introduced to coaches and teammates, many of which are revered by the new young skiers and riders.  

“Bobby Brown (Denver, Colo.) was someone I always looked up to,” said Carey. “He used to make Youtube videos of his normal ski days and it just looked so fun. Bobby was a major influence that made me to ski the rest of my life.”

Brown, an alumnus, and legend of the U.S. Freeski Team, recently stepped back from competition, but his influence lives on through the new young athletes of the U.S. Freeski Rookie Team. Carey was not the only one influenced by U.S. Ski & Snowboard Pro Athletes.

“Growing up I would always watch the X Games and any other event that I could find that included the halfpipe,” said Faulhaber. “The two main skiers that I would watch during these events were Torin Yater-Wallace (Basalt, Colo.) and Maddie Bowman (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.). It is such a cool experience at Mammoth Spring Camp to not only have great coaches but also ski with people that you have looked up to for your whole life.”

Riders on the U.S. Snowboard Pro Team have also left a lasting impression with the Rookies.

“Jamie Anderson has dominated the sport for so long and I always look forward to watching her creative approach in contests,” said Gardner. “I never thought the day would come where I would be riding and training with her. It’s crazy! When I am riding with the pros it seems like no big deal at the moment, but once I stop and think, I can’t help but smile and think about how lucky I am to be here with the best in the world.”

Returning U.S. Snowboard Rookie Team member Maud is still in awe of the riders she gets to share the slopes with day in day out at Mammoth Spring Camp.

“I have always looked up to Maddie Mastro, Chase Blackwell, and Ryan Wachendorfer,” she said. “Maddie has been a huge inspiration and a great big sister to me. Chase and Ryan are super cool and I think they have great style as well. Kelly Clark is another person I look up to. She has had such a huge influence in women's snowboarding and she gives back to the sport by supporting up and coming athletes. Growing up, I looked up to all of the people that are now my teammates. It is very surreal.”

Carey, Faulhaber, Gardner, and Maud share a similar excitement for the new opportunities granted by earning their spot on the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Rookie Teams. Despite some challenging weather with over 30 inches of snow in May at Mammoth, the young skiers and riders continue to make the most of every opportunity.

“Mammoth has been pretty snowy, but we have had good days and it has been really fun,” said Carey.” I have been hitting the airbags a lot which is really helpful for learning new tricks. Also, participating in activities on and off the hill with the pros is a really crazy feeling.”

Faulhaber also has been making the most of her time at Mammoth camp.

“My experience with the team at Mammoth has been amazing,” she said. “There are many things that I loved about the trip to Mammoth. Everybody on the team is super supportive of each other and the camp was very well organized. I’m excited I was able to learn some new tricks while I was there.”

Gardner’s highlight of Camp thus far has been taking advantage of the world-class terrain at Mammoth’s Unbound Terrain Park.

“My favorite part of the camp has been the terrain parks,” she said. “Mammoth always has great features up. Not only do I get to ride, but I love watching my teammates throw down on the jumps.”

Maud claims Mammoth has her home mountain and has not wasted any time taking advantage of all the mountain has to offer. From riding terrain that fosters progression to ripping powder when the opportunity presents itself, Mammoth has continued to deliver for this hometown rider.

“Mammoth camp has been good so far,” she said. “I was glad to get a trick back that I had difficulty with this past season. Also, it has just been great to be back at my home mountain and even sneaking in a few powder runs in May!”

Its clear athletes are definitely enjoying U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Mammoth Spring Camp. However, the reality is there is work to be done. In the words of Head Freeski and Snowboard Coach Mike Jankowski, “camp is about a lot of relationship building, goal setting, and discovering how we are going to get there. It’s not just about the goal, but about the path.” The Rookies of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Rookie Team definitely are on the right path with clear goals and all the resources necessary to help them reach them.

Carey, Faulhaber, Gardner, and Maud all share similar goals of progressing, being a supportive teammate, locking in solid results throughout the season, and ultimately competing in their sports largest events such as X Games, Dew Tour, and the Olympics. However, U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes are encouraged not just to be successful athletes, but also learn the tools to succeed in life. After only one year with the U.S. Snowboard Rookie Team, Maud has a strong grasp on the big picture.

“I have been doing online school for three years and I love it, she said. “Right now I am trying to complete my sophomore year. School has definitely taught me time management. I had to learn to travel and compete while being a full-time high school student. In addition to succeeding in competition, I also want to inspire others to become more involved with the sport of snowboarding. I want young girls to consider snowboarding as a sport, and not just something to do on a vacation. Eventually, I want to go to college and study business, and one day work in the snowboard industry creating gear that is not only stylish but functional and environmentally friendly.”

Maud alongside Carey, Gardner, and Faulhaber are great examples of what it means to be a U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete. It’s not just about being the best you can be on snow, but also as a teammate, a person, and a member of the freeski and snowboard community. The Rookie Team class of 2019-20 encompasses all these values and only will continue to grow. Keep an eye on these athletes alongside the rest of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Rookie Team this season and you will not be disappointed. This includes the remainder of Mammoth Spring Camp where every day has offered a list of new achievements and milestones.

Mammoth Spring Training Camp will continue through June 2 as members of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Teams cycle through for their fair share of training. Be sure to follow all the Mammoth Camp highlights at the accounts below.

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While many of us are swapping skis and snowboards for bikes and beaches, the athletes of the U.S. Snowboard and Freeski Teams are firing on all cylinders at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California’s Eastern Sierra. As an official training site of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Mammoth Mountain has opened their doors to 57 U.S. Team athletes and 20 staff, including coaches, trainers, and videographers for Mammoth Spring Training Camp.

Members of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Pro and Rookie Teams are swarming to the acclaimed Unbound Terrain Park for three weeks of full-tilt training. With world-class terrain, amazing conditions following an 700+ inch snowfall season and consistent May snow to replenish, U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and coaches have quite the formula for success.

However, it’s not all that simple. Coaches and athletes must work together in order to take full advantage of these critical weeks on snow. Athletes lapping the park and pipe is not the only thing going down over the course of camp. There are strategic plans in place that are unique to each athlete and coach and are being executed as we speak. The pathway to the top is riddled with challenges and having a well thought out process to get an athlete to reach their potential is imperative. We recently caught up with U.S. Snowboard and Freeski Head Coach Mike Jankowski in hopes he could lift the veil on his approach to coaching at Mammoth Spring Camp without giving away too many secrets to success. Jankowski has coached for 15 years with U.S. Ski & Snowboard in multiple capacities and his tacit knowledge is second to none.

One very interesting point that came from conversations with Jankowski was the idea of timing. Much like a business, sustainable growth is key, even with athletes of this caliber. If an athlete tries to progress too fast, or without a plan, results could reach diminishing returns. As Mammoth Spring Camp is the first camp of the 2019-20 season following U.S. Freeski and Snowboard team nominations, there are different goals than you might see at camps closer the heart of competition season.

“Everything is about periodization and making sure you are doing the right thing at the right time,” said Jankowski. “This Mammoth Spring Camp has a particular set of goals that would be much different than you would see at a camp in October. In Mammoth, we want to first wrap up the previous year of competition. We want to ensure everything that’s happened has been addressed and that we have learned from all our past experiences. We do answer the questions, what have we done well and what could we do better? To address this, we encourage a lot of coach to athlete meetings to make sure everyone is feeling good. Also, this first camp sets the foundation moving forward. What are the rules of the road with each individual athlete? It’s not a one size fits all, it’s a lot of relationship building, goal setting, and discovering how we are going to get there. It’s not just about the goal, but about the path.”

2018 Junior World Champion and Dew Tour bronze medalist Toby Miller (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) shared his insight on his personal experiences thus far at camp.

“Working with Rick Shimpeno, Ricky Bower, and JJ Thomas is incredible,” said Miller. “Before every camp, we sit down and discuss my short and long term off-season goals which will lead me into the competitive season. After discussing those goals we form a plan of attack on how we are going to turn those goals into reality. I would say the biggest and most important thing we all have is mutual trust. If they tell me it’s time to try a trick, I know I can trust their judgment. If I say I’m gonna try a new trick, they trust that I am ready. We understand each other well and it makes our relationship very productive. We all have such an amazing relationship which I believe is very important when it comes to coaches and athletes. I feel very fortunate to be able to travel around the world with such an amazing and talented group of coaches!”

Miller touched on the importance of setting both short and long term goals. According to Jankowski, understanding how goals can differ between athletes is critical for success. Therefore, how each coach tracks progress must be catered to the individual.

“Not everyone is going to be able to get new tricks on snow right away,” said Jankowski. “If some athletes don’t learn any new tricks at camp, it doesn’t mean they were unsuccessful. If they are developing trust with their coaches, fundamentals or foundation skills in order to bring new tricks to snow eventually, that’s success! Also, developing trust in their teammates and getting the culture dialed in is also a success at camp. These elements are huge to their long term development. It’s important to have a balanced view of the short and long term when evaluating an athlete's progress.”

If setting personal plans and timelines for each athlete of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Team wasn’t a big enough challenge, there are also other variables at play.. Coaches and athletes face a huge gap in experience and age within the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Teams. As an illustration, 27-year-old U.S. Freeski Pro Team member and Olympic Gold medalist Joss Christensen (Park City, Utah) will be skiing alongside 16-year-old U.S. Freeski Rookie Team member Hunter Henderson (Madbury, N.H.). 29-year-old U.S Snowboard Pro Team member and double Olympic gold medalist Jamie Anderson (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.) will be sharing lift rides with 17-year old U.S. Freeski Rookie Team member Addie Gardner (Riegelsville, Penn.).

“There are multiple dynamics to consider," said Jankowski. “There is the pro-to-rookie relationship. Not only do we strive for pros to offer feedback to younger athletes, but by the end of camp, we also hope rookies feel comfortable going to the pros for advice. Taking it one layer deeper, there are even veteran rookie athletes welcoming new rookies onto the team and bringing them under their wing a bit. Then there is the athlete to coach relationship which is key. It’s all of these interactions that make for a productive 360-degree relationship.”

Dialing in culture, building relationships, and setting specific plans for each athlete are all major critical success factors when evaluating a training camp. However, athletes and coaches can not execute these plans without proper resources. That is where Mammoth Mountain comes in and continuously delivers. There are numerous elements to what makes the U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Mammoth partnership critical to athlete success.

“The massive amount of snow is, of course, a huge help,” said Jankowski. “It’s one of the snowiest places in North America and the fact they are building what we want to progress safely and quickly is invaluable to our program. For example, having the airbags on the snow in multiple scenarios is crucial. There’s a landing airbag for the jump and there are two airbags for the landing of the halfpipe. All the on-snow venues are simply incredible. Off snow, Mammoth also provides a ton of value. We have a great set up in the lodges and we are able to all stay together as a team. We eat together,  conduct video review, and continue to build culture. This is very important to building momentum that will carry us through the season. It really is the whole Mammoth Package that makes it special. We don’t have to worry about all the nuts and bolts, It’s truly a plug and play.”

Mammoth Spring Training Camp will continue through June 2nd as members of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Teams cycle through for their fair share of training. Be sure to follow all the Mammoth Camp highlights at the accounts below.

FOLLOW MAMMOTH SPRING CAMP
Facebook
@MammothMountain
@MammothUnbound
@USSkiandSnowboard

Instagram
@MammothMountain
@MammothUnbound
@USFreeskiTeam
@USSnowboardTeam

Twitter
@MammothMountain
@MammothUnbound
@USSkiTeam

Hashtag
#MammothCamp
 

As a very successful competition season comes to a close, U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes take to the off-season, each with their own unique programs. In a three-part series, we caught up with Olympian and X Games freeski gold medalist Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.) and teammates Toby Miller (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) and Hailey Langland (San Clemente, Calif.) from the U.S. Snowboard Pro Team to find out how they will mentally and physically regroup for the season to come. Whether battling back from injuries, an inevitable part of performing at the highest level of action sports, or tackling hobbies that are simply impossible to participate in when traveling across the world to compete, every rider has a different outlook on what is the most beneficial approach to their time off snow.

To close out the series, we have, Hailey Langland who takes us through her plans for the summer ahead.

U.S. Snowboard Pro Team – Hailey Langland

Despite recovering from a shoulder injury, Langland was still able to achieve a milestone that most freeski and snowboard athletes only dream of, an X Games medal. Her smart riding, smooth style and effortless landings earned Langland her third X Games podium with a silver medal in January 2019. Immediately following the competition, a thrilled Langland shared her thoughts on her success.

“I kept forgetting that I was still coming back from an from injury. The only thing I wanted to do was have fun and get some old tricks back on a course that I really liked. I ended up having the best practice I had had in a long time and went on to land both of my first two runs. I was so overjoyed. I realized we are at X Games and we can’t really leave anything behind. With all the girls throwing down, I decided to step up my run and it paid off miraculously. I accomplished way more than I thought I would accomplish, so I am extremely happy.”

As Langland mentioned and much like Voisin, she is also focused on rehabbing throughout her summer from an injury suffered in the Tahoe backcountry which required a Bankart and Hill-Sachs repair on her right shoulder, but that will not slow her down at all. She still plans on embracing her time off snow to the best of her ability. A typical Summer where Langland is healthy would look a bit different and would be full of activities.

“When I'm home in the off-season, I always try to go outside for at least a few hours,” said Langland. Whether I walk, bike, or surf. Spending time outside in the sun is very important to me.”

However, she may just be able to sneak in that valuable time in the sun before the snow starts falling again and her window closes.

“Unfortunately, this summer I will spend most of it rehabbing my shoulder again,” she said. “But I am planning on snowboarding down in New Zealand in August, and hopefully get to do some surf trips before the summer is over.”

There’s no doubt that Langland’s thirst to get back on snow and in the water will fuel her rehab. Langland’s love for surfing is more than just recreational, it’s about the challenge and the variables you need to overcome.

“I love to surf,” she said. “I'll go everyday if I can. I love it so much because of how challenging it is after snowboarding all winter long. they're so many different aspects to it. Not only do you have to be physically strong to do it, but you also have to think about wave selection.”

In this off-season series, we discovered many differences between Miller, Voisin, and Langland. However, one thing that remained true for all three U.S. Ski & Snowboard stars is the fact that spending time with loved one’s reigns supreme. For anyone that believes professional athletes are in the clouds or lose touch with the important things in life, think twice, as these athletes have their priorities straight.

“My first priority is always to spend time at home with my family and friends,” Langland said. “When you are competing all winter, it’s so refreshing to spend time with the people you love.”

Don’t miss your opportunity to follow Langland through her year-round snowboarding journey on social media (see accounts below). She will be working hard with goals to both enjoy the end of her summer, but also get back on snow in shape and ready to ride come the start of the competition season. With Langland finding success in the midst of her rehab, we can only imagine what she’s capable of when she is at 100%!

That’s our insight into what one of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s premier athletes will be up to this summer. If you aren’t already following Maggie Voisin and Toby Miller, check out the links and follow their adventures throughout the off-season.

HAILEY LANGLAND ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: @langlandhailey
Instagram: @haileylangland
Twitter: @yung_hails

TOBY MILLER ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: @TobyMillerReal
Instagram:  @tobymiller
Twitter: @itstobymiller

Part 2: Off-Season With Toby Miller

MAGGIE VOISIN ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: @maggiervoisin
Instagram: @maggie_voisin
Twitter: @maggie_voisin

Part 1: Off-Season With Maggie Voisin