Photograph Credit score: Tucker Marshall
Woolson Returns to Lead Dartmouth Males’s Alpine Staff
Dartmouth has introduced one in all its personal again to guide the Huge Inexperienced’s males’s alpine ski staff. Thomas Woolson, a two-time NCAA All-American and former staff captain, returns to Hanover as the brand new head males’s coach. The transfer marks a full-circle second for Woolson, whose journey from student-athlete to teach has spanned each degree of the game.
“I used to be instantly excited when the chance arose,” Woolson mentioned. “Dartmouth Faculty and Dartmouth snowboarding have performed such a significant function in my life and in shaping who I’m right now, each as an individual and as a coach.”
Most not too long ago, Woolson coached with the Stifel U.S. Ski Staff girls’s tech group. The expertise strengthened his capability to adapt to particular person athletes and strengthened his perception in athlete-first programming.
Coming Residence to Dartmouth
Woolson didn’t count on to go away the U.S. Ski Staff. However when Dartmouth opened the pinnacle teaching place, the choice rapidly grew to become clear.
“In all probability no different job in ski racing may have pulled me away,” he mentioned. “However this one is completely different.”
He sees this function not simply as a job, however as a return to this system that formed him.
“I’ve at all times considered Dartmouth as my ski staff,” he mentioned. “I couldn’t flip down the possibility to guide it.”
Teaching With Objective
As head coach, Woolson plans to concentrate on doing the little issues proper—serving to student-athletes navigate the calls for of lecturers, coaching and life.
“I need to construct a powerful basis and ensure athletes really feel each hour they put into snowboarding offers again what they want,” he mentioned.
Effectivity, readability, and consistency are central to his method. He additionally holds himself to the identical customary—minimizing wasted time and maximizing goal.
Why NCAA Snowboarding Issues
Woolson sees school snowboarding as an important a part of athlete improvement. Past ability development, it restores pleasure and teamwork to an often-isolating sport.
“Faculty snowboarding brings enjoyable and fervour again into the game,” he mentioned. “And it offers athletes a help construction that goes past snowboarding.”
He mentioned the NCAA format prepares athletes for high-performance environments, serving to them develop as opponents and as individuals. His time at Dartmouth, coaching alongside teammates from completely different techniques, formed the best way he now leads.
The EISA Benefit
As an EISA product, Woolson appreciates how the Japanese circuit opens doorways for creating U.S. athletes. He credit his personal path—incomes carnival factors in his junior 12 months and later turning into an All-American—as proof that Japanese applications give late bloomers an opportunity.
With robust surfaces and venues like Burke, Stowe, and Sugarloaf, the area additionally gives constant, high-quality racing.
A Distinctive Program Construction
Dartmouth is among the solely NCAA groups with separate males’s and girls’s alpine coaches. Woolson sees this as a strategic benefit.
“I can focus solely on the boys’s staff and their wants,” he mentioned. “And John Dwyer does the identical for the ladies.”
This cut up permits for tailor-made coaching, focused race prep, and extra particular person consideration. When the groups align, they’ll work facet by facet. When schedules differ, they’ll pivot independently with out compromising high quality.
“We put on the identical inexperienced and symbolize the identical college,” he mentioned. “And we help one another as a united program.”
Constructed Via Expertise
Woolson’s teaching path spans membership, academy, unbiased, and nationwide staff roles. He has labored with skiers from junior ranges to Olympians—together with athletes from Greece, the U.S. and Canada.
“Every degree taught me one thing new about athlete improvement,” he mentioned. “And each skier is completely different. Teaching must mirror that.”
His work with athletes like Tricia Mangan and Stef Fleckenstein helped put together him to handle individualized applications and perceive the off-snow calls for that elite athletes face.
Studying From Friends
Whereas teaching for Staff Greece, Woolson labored alongside fellow NCAA alums Sandy Vietze and Gaby Coulet. Their shared expertise in school snowboarding—and completely different teaching paths—fostered inventive collaboration.
“We made selections as a staff,” he mentioned. “And watching Sandy and Gabi coach AJ Ginnis to a World Championship and World Cup podium gave me confidence in our strategies.”
Recruiting With Intention
Dartmouth can’t supply athletic scholarships, however Woolson views that as a problem, not a barrier. He highlights this system’s educational excellence, need-based assist, entry to coaching, and proximity to top-tier race venues.
“Dartmouth has produced World Cup and Olympic athletes,” he mentioned. “And we do it whereas holding athletes to a excessive educational customary.”
He needs recruits to see Dartmouth not simply as a spot to ski, however as a launchpad to the following degree—be it NorAm titles, Europa Cup begins, or World Cup factors.
Woolson additionally factors to this system’s broader impression.
“I got here in unranked and left as a two-time captain,” he mentioned. “Not each story ends in World Cup factors—however each athlete right here can construct one thing significant.”
What Comes Subsequent
As Woolson returns to Hanover, he brings a transparent mission: assist athletes maximize their school snowboarding potential and put together them for no matter comes subsequent.
“We provide a world-class schooling, a tight-knit staff tradition, and a confirmed path to success,” he mentioned. “Dartmouth snowboarding has a proud legacy. I’m proud to be a part of it once more.”
Dartmouth Faculty Ski Staff Coaches – Alpine & Program OverviewCompiled with data from Peter Dodge. Observe: Dartmouth was all-male till 1972The girls initially skied in a separate league; Dartmouth girls joined the NCAA Mixed Championships in 1983.
