Who's in the Burrow?

SBA's Larusson Awarded Far West Nordic Scholarship

Congratulations to SBA senior Katrin Larusson, this year's recipient of The Far West Nordic Ski Association's annual Ted Beauchamp Scholarship. SBA Head Nordic Coach Jeff Schloss supplied the following report of Larusson's selection by FWNSA coaches. 
"The Far West Nordic Ski Association just announced that Katrin Larusson has been awarded the Ted Beauchamp Scholarship for 2013. This scholarship is given annually to a Far West Junior Nordic skier who exhibits a great passion for Nordic ski racing, is a dedicated athlete who has the desire and ability to compete at the National level, and has a character that is a credit to the Far West Nordic community. Katrin is a senior at Sugar Bowl Academy and has been at the top of her age group in ski racing for the past five years. Katrin has been a medalist at the US Junior National Championships in each of the last four years and has been the California/Nevada High School State Champion for the last two seasons. The scholarship is one of the highest honors that a junior Nordic ski racer can achieve in the Far West Division. The Ted Beauchamp Scholarship was set up in 1995 to honor the memory of long time Far West Nordic Board member Ted Beauchamp. Ted gave tirelessly to help kids excel in the sport he loved, and Katrin is a perfect young person to honor Ted’s name. Katrin loves ski racing and training, and one of her greatest gifts is her ability to mentor other athletes. She has taken numerous younger skiers under her wing and helped propel them to become the best they can be. Katrin plans to continue her ski racing career as an NCAA racer next year, but hasn’t decided which school it will be. Whichever college is lucky enough to get her will be acquiring a dedicated ski racer who will give her all every day, and will most likely be near the top of the pack in every race. She is someone Far West can be very proud of as she makes her way out into the larger ski racing world." - SBA Head Nordic Coach Jeff Schloss

Two-Time Olympic Skier and Former NFL Player Makes A Virtual Campus Visit

SBA student-athletes were treated to a virtual visit from two-time Olympic skier and former NFL player Jeremy Bloom at Monday's All School Meeting.

Bloom Skyped with our students from his office in San Francisco, fielding questions about his mogul-skiing days, juggling academics and athletics as a high school and collegiate student-athlete, and the connection between the commitment required to be a successful athlete and his success with his most recent business ventures. 

His virtual visit came about thanks in part to a student-led effort to create a guest-speaker series on campus. Senior Brian Francis has taken the lead now in successfully scheduling two guest speakers, the first being Janet Hardy (mother of SBA's Elise, '14), manager of the U.S. Army's Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory. Hardy visited our campus in the fall to talk to our student-athletes about how a love for skiing and snow put her on the career path that led her to study snow and ice for the U.S. government at its Hanover, N.H. laboratory. Click HERE to learn more about Hardy's visit.

Francis said that the idea of an All School Meeting Skype session with Bloom was born when the two met at a U.S. Ski Team fundraising event in San Francisco late last fall.

"I heard he was going to be at the fundraiser and was incredibly excited, because I knew about him balancing football and skiing, something I had tried to do early in my high school career," said Francis.

"I think that what the students really took away from his talk is what is capable in the world if one is really determined..., and the idea that the only way to succeed is to fail, but to learn from those failures."

On behalf of the entire SBA community, The Fighting Marmot thanks Mr. Bloom for his engaging virtual visit.

Scene OFF Campus Pic of the Day

It's day two of Team Freeride's first comp of the season at Snowbird, and while there are no results to report just yet, Marmot Man did receive this photo from team manager and parent Barb Hartley (mother of Drew, '13). After Isaac Freeland's run Sunday, three Chilean girls asked to have their photo taken with him.  

UPDATE! Results are in! Coach Trevor Tanhoff has notified me that SBA's Xander Guldman finished second in the Boys 12-14 age group while Drew Hartley took third in the Boys 15-18 age bracket. Both Erika Klenk (15-18) and Carly Gradeff (12-14) placed sixth for their respective age groups. Congratulations Fighting Marmots on a strong start to the season!