U.S. Olympians to train in Sierra Nevada

The U.S. ski and snowboard team announced a five-year agreement with Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, designating the resort as an official training site of the U.S. ski and snowboard team.

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows joins Mammoth Mountain in California, Deer Valley in Utah, Copper Mountain in Colorado and Timberline Lodge in Oregon as one of only five official training sites across the country.

In addition to being an official training site for the U.S. ski and snowboard team, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is a U.S. Ski and Snowboard High-Performance Center and U.S. Ski and Snowboard Development Site.

“Since hosting the Olympics in 1960, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows has produced some of our nation’s best skiers and snowboarders,” said Luke Bodensteiner, U.S. ski and snowboard’s chief of sport.

“As a World Cup venue, a NASTAR resort and home of Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows ski teams, both U.S. ski and snowboard gold certified clubs, it has demonstrated its commitment to supporting the development of athletes and providing the resources they need to succeed at the elite level,” he said.

“Squaw Valley’s designation as a U.S. ski and snowboard team training site not only provides elite-level training resources for our national team, but also creates resources in high performance and education that athletes, coaches and clubs in the region can all benefit from.”

As an official training site for the U.S. ski and snowboard team, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows will host U.S. team athletes for elite training sessions at the resort at key times during the season.

Additionally, the High Performance Center and Development Center designations connect Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows Team staff with the U.S. ski and snowboard Park City-based Center of Excellence and other high performance centers across the country to share best practices in strength and conditioning, sport science and sports medicine while also acting as a central training and education site for U.S. ski and snowboard clubs in the region.

“Being the only U.S. club to be designated as a U.S. ski and snowboard Gold Certified Club, Development Site, High Performance Center and official training site is a true honor,” said Todd Kelly, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows ski team program director.

“Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows have a number of phenomenal on-hill training venues for all U.S. ski and snowboard athletes and we look forward to welcoming them to our resort, and supporting their needs while they’re here,” Kelly said.

“This designation also gives our great youth coaches access to additional resources available through U.S. ski and snowboard, allowing them to continue in their own development as coaches. Finally, there’s nothing better for our young athletes than the opportunity to watch, train alongside and get inspiration from some of our country’s best winter sports athletes.”

Host of the 1960 Winter Olympics, 1969 and 2017 FIS World Cup’s and, this year, the NASTAR National Championships, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows and the surrounding communities have a strong connection to the U.S. ski and snowboard team.

With athlete representation at every winter games since 1964, many current and former U.S. ski team athletes credit the resort’s diverse and challenging terrain for much of their success.

The resort currently has six athletes on the U.S. Alpine Ski Team, more than any other resort or race program in the country. Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is eager to continue the legacy with the designation of official training site of the U.S. ski and snowboard teams.