The Okemo Mountain School Alpine program is designed to help any alpine athlete achieve his or her athletic goals. With a close coach-to-athlete ratio, OMS supports U12 USSA racers up to FIS level skiers.

Through the use of progressive developmentally based training, OMS skiers build their skiing with a foundation in fundamentals and a philosophy that concentrates on teaching all aspects of great ski racing: technique, tactics, physical conditioning, the mental game of training and racing, equipment tuning, and time management. Coupled with a cooperative academy to mountain relationship with Okemo that is second to none, OMS provides one of the best opportunities that could be offered for a racer to be successful.

Alpine ski racing student-athletes spend their mornings training on the slopes of Okemo Mountain, which generously provides multiple training venues and exceptional opportunities. They can be found freeskiing the mountain to work on drills and fundamentals or training gates on a variety of trails. Wardance is our dedicated alpine training facility at Okemo and is serviced by the Black Ridge Triple to allow for many training runs each morning. Okemo also provides us with space on Chief for speed training or other trails to meet specific training goals. OMS alpine ski racing student-athletes will also be able to take advantage of the new on-hill airbag on Blackout to train landings for speed jumps.  

The alpine program has three testing sessions during the summer/fall to identify weaknesses in athletes and give them strategies to improve before the ski season. OMS also hosts a number of summer on-snow camps to keep athletes constantly improving their technique and tactics and keep them skiing fast.

Contact a Coach

Have a question about our alpine ski program? Please feel encouraged to reach out to
Chris Hurka, Alpine Program Director, to learn more about life as an alpine racer at Okemo Mountain School. 

Chris Hurka, 
Alpine Program Director
churka@okemomountainschool.org

 

In Their Own Words

Testimonials

"As a coach at Okemo Mountain School, I particularly love watching the physical and mental growth in our athletes. I started working at OMS in 2013 and have had the pleasure of seeing a number of athletes grow up in our program. It always amazes me to see the change athlete’s undertake from when they start at OMS to senior year. Athletes develop life long relationships with peers, coaches, and teachers; they also cultivate and develop essential skills like time management, communication, and the ability to be resilient in the face of disappointment. OMS is not only a Winter Snow Sports Academy, it is also a place for an athlete to grow and build a solid foundation for future success, no matter where life takes them."  

-- CHARLES (JET) ROBBINS, HEAD COACH U14, STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

"I enjoy working with the student-athletes because its both fun and motivating! These kids put in so much time and effort into the sport they love, seeing their hard work pay off is what its all about. Just knowing that you contributed into their success is a great feeling. After all, its all for the kids!"  

-- BOBBY JONES, WOMEN'S ALPINE FIS COACH

“I think that OMS prepared me for higher education in a way that’s different than most people. The rigorous training and racing schedule forced me to be efficient with my time, as well as taught me how to manage my time to fit my academics into my daily schedule. I think that a lot of students entering into their freshmen year of college are overwhelmed with the amount of freedom they have and the time management skills that I developed from my time at OMS prepared me for the amount of work that a higher education requires.

I was part of the full winter term throughout high school until I graduated in 2014. I have competed in the MacConnell Division with the Clarkson Alpine Ski Team for two seasons now and finished fourth in the division both seasons. On the national level I’ve had two top twenty finishes in giant slalom. ”

— GREG MURRAY, CLASS OF 2014

"I feel like OMS prepared me for being out of my comfort zone and finding ways to adapt to new situations. It gave me a great drive and focus in all areas of my life. Ski racing itself is a great way of learning the skill of grit. There is a lot of ‘failure’ in ski racing and learning to deal with that helps you to have resilience and perseverance. There is also a lot of time-management developed through the sport and the school. To be successful you have to be able to balance your academic and athletic schedule while being held accountable to high standards in both fields. There was not a way to ‘slip through the cracks’ in a small school like OMS and therefore, you had to be very focused in order to remain on top of things. All of these skills are integral to being a successful student, teacher, mother, and person in general. I am constantly relying on them and utilizing them in my everyday life."

-- COURTNEY RUGGIERO, CLASS OF 2001

 

OMS Olympians & Pros

Joey Okesson: Current USA Snowboard Team

Julia Ford: USA Alpine Olympic Team

Jen Hudak: Professional Freestyle Athlete

AlPine Skiing Camps

 

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Camps Schedule
2025 Valentine Victory Camp
Feb 12
2025 Valentine Victory Camp

Dates: February 12-14, 2025

Get a mid-winter boost for your training by joining OMS for 3 days of on-snow and dryland training!  U10-U14 athletes are invited to attend the annual OMS Valentine Victory Camp from February 12-14, 2025.