Hey racers and parents!

Welcome to the 16-17 season! Your coaches are very excited to meet and work with you to improve your skills and get faster! Your coaches this year are: Sonia Tatlock-Gagnon, Chris Cashen, Doug Mann, Greg Smith, Kytek Ciecierska and maybe Alex Jacobsen.

With the luxury of open terrain provided by mother nature this year. We will focus on ski fundamentals such as balance and stance; edging and pressure, and rotary and angulation for the first 7 days. Please come prepared to train in your SL skis with no armor or chin guard.

At the first Saturday training, we will first group by age level and then make our necessary adjustments over the next couple of days. If your racer isn’t in the same group with his or her friends, assure them that once we transition into gate training, everyone trains together. Please have your GS skis tuned and ready to go midweek as we will take some turns with them as we focus on angulation.

Just a few notes for the start to the season. First, make sure that your equipment is properly tuned and waxed. For those of you who are able to carve well, SL skis should be tuned to a 0.5 degree base bevel and 2 or 3 degree side bevel (if you are just starting to bevel your skis then begin with 2 degrees. If you are currently side beveling to 3 degrees, stay with it). GS skis should be tuned to a 1 degree base bevel and 2 or 3 degree side bevel. This should first be done by a reputable ski shop. In lower Westchester, I recommend Hickory & Tweed and Pedigree Ski shops. Up at the mountain we currently recommend Mike Steven’s shop and are looking to others as well. Boots should not only fit correctly but should have the appropriate flex. Kytek has volunteered to focus and explain about gear tuning and preferences at this level of racing on Sunday morning at 9:30am in the Taconic Lodge.

Our first race will be on Sunday, January 8th, SL @ Butternut. So we will begin SL specific gate training for it midweek during Holiday Week Race Camp as well as Saturday, January 7th.

Looking forward to a great season with your continued support!

Coach Pat

“Ski fast…Take chances”