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Dear Vermont Academy at Mount Snow Families and Friends,
Happy 2024!
It’s been a great start to the year, and the Vermont Academy at Mount Snow athletes and staff are all busy with school work and daily training and conditioning. We hope you were able to join us for some fantastic skiing, riding, and training at Mount Snow this holiday period. The weather has turned colder, and our home mountain continues to blast snow from the best snowmaking system in the Northeast. We expect the real cold weather and snow will be here soon!
The Vermont Academy at Mount Snow program has truly become a reality. The three sessions we offer, WildCat, NightCat, and DayCat have been taken full advantage of. We've had several Vermont Academy students join us at the Matterhorn for the full immersion WildCat session, where they live here for the full winter trimester and receive on-snow training six days a week. NightCats have been enjoying their partial immersion experience as they board with us each weekend. Other VA student athletes have been bused to campus to join the coaches four days a week in the DayCat program.
We are back to training again at the Matterhorn after a short break for the holidays and the busy competition season is ahead with many races and events where all our student athletes will hope to shine!
Warmly,
Peter Stokloza
Director of Vermont Academy at Mount Snow
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Alpine News
We ran a successful Alpine camp in December and welcomed skiers from several mountains in the East, as well as some of our own VA at MS Jumpstart athletes. The camp had athletes working on skiing and racing fundamentals, running training courses and gates, and skill building. Thank you to the mountain’s management for all the support of our programs!
Over the holiday break, the VA at MS Alpine racers trained hard in the rain and snow and most competed at the end of the week in the U14 skills event. The competition was won by VA at MS athlete Annamae Oakley and Jumpstart athlete Max Carton!
On New Year's Eve the athletes competed in the Holiday Race, many first and top five placements were achieved. The U16s and above were racing at Proctor Academy (NH) and Berkshire East Mountain Resort (MA) with some great runs and races by the crew. Wonderful job to all the coaches and athletes for a great week of training and racing!
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Alpine campers and coaches the week before Christmas. | U14 racers at the awards ceremony for the U14 SVC Dual event. | |
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Snowboard News
DayCat athlete Elizabeth Thompson competed and won her first rail USASA jam at Loon Mountain (NH) in December. Her friend and VA at MS rider Mia Gardella placed 2nd in the same contest. We're looking forward to watching these two push each other throughout the year!
Chase Murison, a first-year in the Jumpstart program, placed 3rd at his first-ever USASA rail jam comp. As more of the VA at MS riders start arriving in the coming months we are excited for our team to continue to gel and have fun.
| Jumpstarters Sadie Wheeler and Ainsley Petraska have fun with Coach Jake at Waterville Valley Resort (NH) after a rail jam. | |
Elizabeth and Mia on the podium at Loon Mountain. Congratulations! | |
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Freeski News
The Freeski team has been hard at work developing new competition runs and polishing diverse tricks on the incredible terrain parks provided by Carinthia Parks at Mount Snow this season. The 50-foot jump on the Gulch trail has been a big hit with the team and everyone is feeling thankful to have a perfect kicker to dial in directional rotations on a variety of axes. The team loves it, and they are progressing by each run.
USASA competition season is right around the corner, and the Freeski team will be ready! The first rail jam competition of the season for the Southern Vermont series is this weekend at Stratton Mountain (VT). It is a great spectator event for anyone who wants to show support for VA at MS athletes.
VA at MS Freeski coaches would like to give a special shout-out to Jumpstart athlete Luciano Insana for landing his first flip on snow last week–a huge accomplishment that was followed immediately by a first-place prize at the Grommet Jam at Carinthia. Way to go Luciano!
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VA at Mount Snow Freeski athlete Luciano on top of the podium! | |
Enjoying our favorite meal (so far). | Jackson takes over the kitchen on his first night. | |
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Life at the Matterhorn
Life is good at the Matterhorn! Everyone is back to a busy routine of mountain sports, in-house training on the trampoline, classes, school work, the bikes, yoga classes, and more. There is much to be thankful for. Students enjoyed our favorite dinner on the first night back: pot roast with vegetables and a homemade salad. Brett Sewing, our chef, is thankful for the great meals we receive from Chef Jason and the VA SAGE Dining food service team. Helen, our new house manager and lead dorm parent, is thankful for the dorm parent team of Jake, Lisel, and Ian, who make sure everyone is well-fed, participating in community service, and have lights out by 10pm.
Student-athletes spend much of their free time sharing videos of their daily training. A couple of students have learned to play cribbage, and they are always looking for a coach to supervise them on the trampoline.
We also welcome back our academic teaching faculty, who return from the holiday break with lots of energy to provide our student-athletes with the best education possible.
With great support from the Vermont Academy teachers, maintenance staff, and administrators, we at the Matterhorn continue to create a caring environment for all of our VA at MS students, teachers, and staff.
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Save These Dates!
February 10 - Ski & Snowboard Day at Mount Snow Après-ski at VA at Mount Snow
Join us on Saturday, February 10, as members of the Vermont Academy and Mount Snow Academy communities come together for a day of skiing and snowboarding at Mount Snow before gathering at Vermont Academy at Mount Snow’s Matterhorn building (248 Vermont Route 100, Mt Snow, VT) for a special après-ski from 4:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Whether you’ve taken to the mountain or joined just for the après, this is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a delicious dinner while mingling with friends new and old. Attendees will also have an opportunity to hear about the vision for Vermont Academy at Mount Snow from Head of School Dr. Jennifer L. Zaccara and from Peter Stokloza, director of Vermont Academy at Mount Snow, about the sports on snow season.
If you have an Epic pass, please plan to use this for your day of skiing or snowboarding. Otherwise, please plan to purchase lift tickets directly through the mountain. Lodging may be secured on a first-come, first-served basis through the Vermont Academy room block at the Mountaineer Inn.
Learn more about this event and register to attend here.
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February 24 - Pawprints & Powder: Vermont Academy at Mount Snow's Annual Benefit
Join us Saturday, February 24 for Pawprints & Powder - our annual benefit event at our campus in West Dover from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Learn about the exciting vision Vermont Academy has for the offerings in West Dover, connect with mountain-lifestyle families who are involved in the programs offered at Mount Snow, and help support our program enhancements and scholarships.
The event will feature live music and a live auction with big ticket items such as vacation homes and tickets to sporting events. Bites and beverages will be served.
During the week leading up to the event, an online auction will be available with many desirable items from local businesses and our family and alumni. The online auction will end during the live event, so if there is something you want to win, bid early and bid high! Prizes may be picked up at the end of the event or during the following week.
Tickets are limited to only 100 people, so do purchase yours soon if you plan on attending.
Purchase tickets here.
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A Vermont Academy Minute
This weekend over at Vermont Academy, the 24 Hour Play Festival is taking place. This beloved VA tradition has students and faculty write, direct, and perform a short play all within a 24-hour period! Stay tuned for photos of this year's performances on VA's social media pages (linked at the bottom of this newsletter).
Did you know that Vermont Academy is proud to host the oldest Winter Carnival in the country--founded by former VA faculty member and assistant headmaster James P. Taylor in 1909. Held each year in February, the Winter Carnival tradition includes favorite events such as ski jumping, tandem skiing, dodge ball, and broomball. This year's Winter Carnival will be held from February 15-18. We hope you can stop by and join us or follow along on social media.
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Support Vermont Academy at Mount Snow's Annual Fund | | | | |
