The Detroit Mountain Alpine Racing Team celebrated a strong racing season in 2019, and hope for similar success in the 2020 competitive season, which started in January. (Submitted Photo)
Learning the slopes Kids in Detroit Mountain’s fast-growing alpine racing program ‘live and breathe’ skiing BY VICKI GERDES | VGERDES@DLNEWSPAPERS.COM
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he alpine ski racing program at Detroit Mountain Recreation Area is thriving. Now in its fifth year and open to local youth between the ages of 6 and 18, the program has grown from a membership of just 16 kids to more than 116, according to Alpine Ski Racing Head Coach Jennifer Smith. “We had about 16 to 18 kids that first year,” she recalled, adding that a lot of those early participants were the children of Detroit Mountain staff members. “The next year, we grew to about 40 kids, and it’s been steadily growing every year since.” Practices for the 2019-2020 season started Dec. 1. “We have four different program levels, which is new this year,” said Detroit Mountain Trails Boss Tony Schmitz, who is also the administrator for the alpine ski racing program. Those four levels are: Little Rippers, Rising Stars, Big Blue and Travel Team.
The first two levels are for skiers who have strong basic skiing skills but have never really raced before. They practice once a week, on Sunday afternoons. Skiers at both levels are encouraged to participate in scheduled home races, and the Rising Stars have an additional 2 or 3 race opportunities during the season. Big Blue, meanwhile, is the core development program, offering practices on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons with a focus on developing fundamental racing skills using free skiing and technical drills. Participants get an introduction to both slalom- and giant slalom-style racing, and have opportunities to race 5 or 6 times over the course of the season. The most advanced skiers are on the Travel Team, also known as the D-Team, which is designed for serious skiers who are looking for a more intensive training schedule, with practices held three times per week and 10 to 12 racing opportunities available. D-Team members take part in
two different racing leagues: The Northland Junior Race Series and the Midwest Snowsports Development League. The race season runs from January through the first week of March. Detroit Mountain is hosting two races this season; other races will be held at Afton Alps, Lutsen, Giant’s Ridge, Mount Ski Gull, Mont du Lac, Powder Ridge and Wild Mountain. The Detroit Mountain ski racing program has proved so popular, Schmitz said, that all available slots for the current season, “are pretty much filled, at all levels.” “The kids in the program advance really quickly,” he added. “It’s exciting to see the progression, especially for the kids in their fourth year.” Most of the kids in the ski racing program are at Detroit Mountain, “just about every day we’re open,” he noted. “They just live and breathe it (downhill skiing).” SKIING continued on page 14
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