Featured Picture: USCSA RMC Ladies’s Workforce. Credit score: Katie Brust
Press launch and pictures offered by: Jay Moyer USCSA
On September 4th, 2024, america Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Affiliation (USCSA) was excited to announce the election of a number of new members to its Board of Administrators. Additionally they unveiled the winners of a number of 2023-2024 annual awards, together with Coach of the 12 months, Volunteer of the 12 months, Convention Coordinator of the 12 months, the Legacy of Service Award, and the Holger Petersen Volunteer Award.
Coach of the 12 months
The USCSA Coach of the 12 months is offered to the coach who, through the previous season, has exemplified the qualities of an important coach in each sense of the place. For 2024, the USCSA Coach of the 12 months was awarded to Aaron Maas, Head Coach for Lees-McRae School’s (LMC) Ski and Snowboard Groups.
Coach Maas has led the LMU Bobcat Ski and Snowboard Groups since 2015. Since taking the top teaching job, LMC’s groups have seen constant success on the convention, regional, and nationwide ranges, having gained USCSA Nationwide Championships a number of instances throughout his tenure. Throughout this time, he has additionally grown the groups from a 4 member membership group to a varsity degree program that’s formidable in each occasion they enter.
“I couldn’t be extra thrilled to be this yr’s Coach of the 12 months award recipient,” mentioned coach Maas. “There are a lot of coaches deserving of this honor, so to be the one chosen amongst such a powerful area is really particular. I couldn’t have made it up to now with out the help of Lees-McRae School, our great group, and particularly the hassle of our student-athletes. With everybody’s assist, we have been capable of earn our tenth Nationwide Title and develop into a varsity sport this yr. The USCSA group does an important job offering the framework to make this all doable. I’ll proceed to do all the pieces I can to assist develop the game within the Southeast.”
Volunteer of the 12 months
The USCSA depends on a whole bunch of volunteers to make its common season, regional, and nationwide championship competitions profitable yearly. Though all of those people are vital to the group, often one volunteer will go above and past others to boost the USCSA expertise for athletes and followers. This yr, the 2024 Volunteer of the 12 months award was offered to Jerry McMurtry.
After studying he gained the award, Jerry mentioned, “I’m thrilled to win the 2024 volunteer of the yr award. I’ve been concerned with USCSA (NCSA) ski racing as a coach since 1987 (Colorado State, Montana State, and Idaho). In that time period, I’ve had the pleasure to work with a whole bunch of scholars and watch them develop, change, and turn into superb athletes and students.”
He continued, “My ardour is to maintain ski racing enjoyable and construct a group that may help the athletes by means of their faculty careers and into the long run. A part of constructing that group is to instill a price of volunteerism the place we give again to the game, which has been so good to all of us by permitting us to ski, compete, and recreate in essentially the most stunning components of the nation. Whether or not volunteering to maneuver snow to maintain a ski space working or constructing and sustaining trails for each summer season and winter actions, the easy act of giving again builds a deeper bond inside the group of athletes and to the teams and organizations that make our recreation and competitions doable.
“The popularity is great, and I’m grateful, however I might be remiss if I didn’t share it with all these group members over time who have been the volunteers and offered their effort and have now characterised in themselves the ethic of volunteerism that they take ahead in making their communities higher and stronger,” he concluded.
Convention Coordinator of the 12 months
Every of the 11 USCSA conferences is led by a Convention Coordinator, and every of them performs an integral position within the success of each their convention and the nationwide group. The Convention Coordinator of the 12 months award is given to a coordinator who goes above and past their typical duties to have a serious impression on USCSA as an entire. This yr, the award went to Doug Grayson.
Since taking on coordinator duties within the Southeast Convention 12 years in the past, Doug has grown the convention and helped to show it into one of many nation’s premier conferences for snowboard and freeski competitions. Regardless of the climate challenges confronted by ski areas within the southeast, Doug has been capable of placed on high-quality occasions yearly.
“I’m honored to have obtained this award after 12 years of working the Southeast Convention and am amazed by the expansion of snowboarding and snowboarding on this area,” mentioned Doug. “This award symbolizes the exhausting work put forth by many volunteers, coaches, venues, and athletes that spent so many hours making the Southeast Convention what it’s at the moment, and it will merely not be doable with out them.”
Legacy of Service Award
The Legacy of Service Award was created in 2024 to acknowledge a person’s unwavering dedication, tireless service, and profound impression on our group and group. This award is offered posthumously in honor of the recipient’s selfless dedication to USCSA. Their legacy of compassion, generosity, and management will without end encourage and information the USCSA and its members. For 2024, the Legacy of Service Award was given to Sam Ganow.
“Sam Ganow was a beneficiant and caring particular person,” mentioned Sarah Geiger, USCSA Government Vice President and Allegheny Convention volunteer. “Whilst a high-level official who had labored World Cup occasions, he would at all times take the time to clarify something and all the pieces about ski racing. Whether or not it was the way to get a timing system to work in a brand new venue with generally mismatched wires and connections, explaining the right approach to undergo a mixture to an inexperienced athlete, and even volunteering to select up tools to assist run occasions, Sam was at all times glad to assist us all study extra.”
She continued, “He actually was targeted on giving each athlete the fairest and most enjoyable occasion doable. He freely shared his information and fervour for ski racing with everybody. He at all times advocated for me, not solely as an athlete a few years in the past however extra just lately as I continued to advance my management roles inside the USCSA group. His ardour and love for this sport have been contagious, and whereas he will likely be vastly missed once we get again on snow, I’ll take the information I gained from him and assist others study and develop by means of ski racing. I simply hope to be like Sam.”
Holger Petersen Volunteer Award
The Holger Petersen Volunteer Award is offered to a person who has served on the Board of Administrators or as a voting member for no less than six years and has made a major contribution to the Board with a constructive impact. This award was final offered in 2017, and nominees have to be authorised by the USCSA Board of Administrators, representing the importance of the award to the group. For 2024, the Holger Petersen Volunteer Award was given to Jenna Ude.
Jenna started her involvement with the USCSA as an athlete for the College of Minnesota Duluth’s alpine ski group. After graduating, she grew to become an integral volunteer for the USCSA’s Midwest Convention. In 2008 she was elected to be treasurer of the USCSA, a place she held till she stepped apart in 2024. Absolutely immersing herself within the group, she can also be Co-Director of Nationwide Championships, chair of the Finance and Nominations and Awards Committees, and a member of the Nationwide Workplace Committee.
“I’m actually honored to be the recipient of the USCSA Holger Petersen Volunteer Award,” mentioned Jenna. “USCSA is such an necessary a part of my life and has given me a lot greater than I may ever contribute in return. This award represents a collective effort put ahead by an incredible group of those who I’m so fortunate to be part of.”
For extra data or to schedule an interview, please contact jmoyer@uscsa.org
