Freeskiing is one of the newer competitive disciplines in winter sports, and involves tricks, jumps, halfpipe and terrain park features (rails, boxes, jibs or other obstacles). Athletes who were not interested in the restrictive rules of traditional freestyle skiing led a movement that brought them to adapt their skiing in a more free-form way to halfpipe and other terrain park features, as well as all over the mountain. The discipline of big mountain has grown in recent years along with the new addition of ski mountaineering (Skimo). The development and popularity of freeskiing was propelled and expanded by many skiing film products, the Winter X Games, and the Olympic Winter Games. SSWSC Freeskiing offers training and competitive options from beginner freeskiers with a skiing competency on black diamond-rated terrain through to the Revolution Tour level athlete, with a pipeline to any level of competition.

Winter

The Freeskiing winter program starts in September with pre-season training after school through a fun, fitness based Movement and Conditioning program. The teams start heading to Summit County for on-snow camps at the start of November, weather permitting. The main contest season starts in January and training continues through the end of USASA Nationals in early April.

Our coaching staff is passionate about creating a rewarding experience centered on both personal and technical growth. The coaches have experience with IFSA, USASA, U.S. Ski & Snowboard competition, and media production. Our staff regularly attends coaches education, including U.S. Ski & Snowboard Project Gold camps, working with U.S. Freeskiing athletes and coaches to improve our programs. We are fortunate to have great facilities available to us, including trampolines, water ramps, a 50’ airbag, and close proximity to the Summit County venues.

SSWSC Freeskiing understands that freeskiing athletes may have a wide variety of goals. We strive to create an environment that fosters growth within all visions of success, from creating a great media product, to competitive paths and a love of the sport. Our holistic look at the sport includes a deep rooted belief that great skiers ski all zones on the hill, and that a wide variety of skills can work together to create something larger than the sum of its parts. This allows any freeskier to define success on their own terms, and then work towards their goals.

Summer

Summer is a chance for the Freeskiing athlete make additional fitness and air awareness gains, with our on snow, water ramp, trampoline, and strength and conditioning programs. We break our Freeskiing specific training into a few camps throughout the summer. Any foundation for athletics must be well rounded and the mind and body need times of focus and conditioning and times of recovery. We schedule our camps with plenty of time to participate in spring and summer sports, or just get out and do a kick flip, while still taking advantage of the great opportunities and facilities here in Steamboat.

Culture

SSWSC Freeskiing works hard to produce a culture of fun and growth. Our focus is on creating athletes who enjoy skiing—from cruising groomers to gnarly “hike-to” terrain, from powder runs to bumps, and all the way through to the pipe rails and jumps at the bottom of the hill. Our job is to pass on the joy of working and progression. We believe that growth is rewarding for our athletes, technically, scholastically and personally.

Train

Our coaching staff is passionate about creating a rewarding experience centered around both personal and technical growth.  All of our athletes will work on fundamental skiing skill sets, with the ability to choose a specific discipline as they grow within the sport. Our coaching staff have experience with IFSA, USASA, U.S. Ski & Snowboard competition as well as media production. Our staff regularly attends coach education, including U.S. Ski & Snowboard Gold camps, working with US Freeskiing athletes and coaches to improve our programs. We are lucky to also have additional progressions and facilities available to us, including trampolines, water ramps, and our airbag.

Grow

SSWSC Freeskiing understands that Freeskiing athletes may have a wide variety of goals; we strive to create an environment that fosters growth within all visions of success, from creating a great media product, to competitive paths and a love of skiing.  Our holistic look at the sport includes a deep rooted belief that great skiers ski all zones on the hill, and that a wide variety of skills can work together to create something larger than the sum of its parts. This allows any freeskier to define success on their own terms, and then work towards that goal.

Freeskiing athletes are encouraged to participate in trampoline and water ramping sessions and strength, conditioning and body movement mechanics sessions for their age throughout the summer. See Water Ramp sessions. Freeskiers age 12and younger are encouraged to try skateboarding, cycling and/or FunFit.