As summer comes to a close, we set our sights on the upcoming winter season and a return to snow! At Okemo and OMS, all of the coaches are looking forward to getting back to training on-snow with our athletes. One of the most vital aspects of preparing for the season is making sure our athletes have the proper equipment for their age class and discipline. As those of you who have been in the program for a while know, September is usually when we have our Annual Fit Day to allow alpine ski racing and freeskiing athletes the opportunity to check out, try on, and order new gear. It also provides an opportunity to reconnect with winter friends and get psyched for the season!
This year, in response to feedback from shops and brand reps, we are making a change that we hope will positively impact families and athletes as well! On Saturday and Sunday, Sept 9th and 10th, we will host a Fit Weekend, rather than just one day. This will consist of two days of shop open houses, an intro to Skill Quest Fitness Testing session aimed at athletes U14 and under, an opportunity for U16+ alpine athletes to attend a validated Skills Quest testing session at OMS, and an OMARA sponsored pizza party! Coaches will be available at Boot Pro and Totem Pole on both Saturday and Sunday to help with gear selection. Unfortunately, Northern Ski Works will still be managing repairs from the flooding and will not be open for Fit Weekend. Tom Favro is available by email tom@northernski.com and can work remotely with coaches to meet your athlete’s needs. Snowboard athletes are encouraged to join for the Fitness Testing and Pizza Party (details below), but will have special gear fitting opportunities as the season draws closer.
The basic schedule is as follows:
Saturday, September 9th
9 am - 3 pm: Coaches will be available to help with gear selection at Boot Pro and Totem Pole.
3:30 - 5 pm: Introduction to Skills Quest Fitness Testing at the OMS Fitness Facility (53 Main Street)
5 - 6 pm: Pizza Party at OMS sponsored by OMARA
Sunday, September 10th
9 am - 3 pm: Coaches will be available to help with gear selection at Boot Pro and Totem Pole
Time TBD: U16+ Validated USSS Skills Quest Testing at Okemo Mountain School - registration link to come directly from the Eastern Region.
Please RSVP for the weekend’s events if you plan to attend any or all of them. The form will collect waivers if you indicate your athlete will participate in the Intro to Fitness Testing. We also need a head count for pizza and would like to get an idea of when people plan to visit the shops, so we can provide staffing accordingly.
RSVP HERE by Thursday September 7th - thank you in advance!
Not able to make it to Ludlow on September 9th or 10th???
Not to worry!! Shops have gear already in stock and more is arriving every day and can make private fitting appointments to get your athletes set with the right gear! You can reach out directly to your child’s head coach for specific guidance on sizing for your particular athlete and then set up an appointment with a shop to get FIT! Be sure to complete your equipment purchases as soon as possible, and definitely by mid-September,to ensure the best availability of gear! Also attached is a helpful gear checklist for alpine ski racing by age class.
Coach Contacts:
U10/U12: Mariel Meringolo and Mike Cronin mmeringolo@okemomountainschool.org
U14: Jet Robbins jrobbins@okemomountainschool.org
U16/U18+: Bobby Jones bjones@okemomountainschool.org and Chris Hurka churka@okemomountainschool.org
Freeski: Billy Potter bpotter@okemomountainschool.org
Hopefuls families can feel free to reach out to Mariel and Mike as well!
Shop Contacts:
Boot Pro:
Alex Racicot alex@thebootpro.net; Shon Racicot shon@thebootpro.net; Randy Haskell randy@thebootpro.net
Totem Pole:
Torin Tofferi ski@totempoleskishop.com
Northern Ski Works:
Tom Favro tom@northernskiworks.com
