MHSEF Latest Team News

Order Logo Gear

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:06:20 GMT

Shirts, hoodies, hats, and shorts with MHSEF and MHA logos are now available any time on line. Go to http://www.hometownsportsnw.com to order. Our group is Mt. Hood Ski and the password is "downhill". See examples of our logo wear here. Orders are filled within 2 weeks.

2013 Golden Rose Summer Action Sports Raffle

Wed, 08 May 2013 01:15:15 GMT

The 2013 Golden Rose Summer Action Sports Raffle will be held on Saturday, May 25th at Timberline’s Wy’East day lodge following the first day of Golden Rose racing. This year’s raffle prizes include the popular Timberline Summer Pass, a Deschutes river rafting trip, a golf and dining package at the Resort at the Mountain, and a $500 action sports shopping spree!

Also this year, one lucky person is guaranteed to win the new camping and hiking package, a 4-person tent and two backpacks from Columbia! Click Summer Sports Raffle to see the full description of summer action prizes. Tickets are currently selling at www.mthoodacademy.com for just $15, or 2 for $25.

Mt. Hood Academy and Mt. Hood Race Team host two annual fund-raising events: the Ski-A-Thon Challenge in the early winter and the Golden Rose Summer Action Sports Raffle in May. Both of these events are important to our team, helping provide the funds necessary to purchase SL gates, drills, cameras, timing gear and other equipment.

All MHA and MHRT families are asked to sell 8 Golden Rose raffle tickets ($100) to friends, family members, neighbors, etc. Or, you can purchase all 8 tickets for your own great chance to win a super summer prize! There are two ways to participate:

1) On-line sales: Family and friends can purchase Golden Rose Raffle tickets on-line here. Your raffle ticket stubs will be printed and placed in the drawing drum on May 25th. Be sure to have buyers enter your name where it says “Referred by (MHSEF family name)” so we know who sold the tickets.

2) Paper ticket sales: 8 Golden Rose Raffle tickets will be mailed this week to families for purchase and/or sale. Ticket stubs and checks need to be mailed back to the team office by Wednesday, May 22nd to be included in the drawing on May 25th. Ticket stubs and checks may also be turned in at the Team Awards Party, Monday evening May 13th.

Important: If you prefer to promote on-line raffle ticket sales, and do not want to sell paper raffle tickets, please reply to this email with a short note: “Do not mail raffle tickets.” Do this by the end of the day Monday May 6th. Tickets will be mailed on Tuesday.

Thank you for your support of the best training and racing opportunities possible for our young skiers. Good luck in the Golden Rose Summer Action Sports Raffle!

Ski-A-Thon Challenge

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 02:03:06 GMT

We are excited to host the 4th Annual MHSEF Ski-A-Thon Challenge, January 13th 2013. This fundraising activity is performed entirely by the athletes of the Foundation’s programs to raise funds to support the programs they all are a part of. This is our primary fundraising event that includes all our families. The event is fun for all ages to participate, with lots of prizes and awards.

The Ski-A-Thon Challenge will start at 9:00am Sunday, January 13th with athletes loading the Cascade Chair (green chair) and making laps on designated runs and courses. They will receive two and half hours (until 11:30am) to make as many laps as possible. In addition to free ski laps, athletes will be required to ski several challenge laps and courses to successfully complete the Ski-A-Thon. The venue will be controlled and supported by the MHRT and MHA coaching staffs.

Each athlete will use a pledge sheet to gain as many pledges as possible. Pledges can be made on a per lap basis or a one-time donation. While athletes can make as many laps as possible, pledges will be capped at 20 laps. Pledge sheets will be turned in Sunday morning, January 13th, at the Multorpor Lodge by 8:30am.

Ski-A-Thon Challenge funds raised by this event will be used to obtain equipment and other items necessary to support athlete training. Every year the Foundation spends thousands of dollars to purchase gates, drills, radios and other training hill equipment. Athletes will also have the opportunity to raise money to help support their own ski racing expenses. For MHRT Mitey Mites, any money raised over $500 may go toward next year’s training fees. For MHA athletes, any money raised over $500 may go toward this year’s travel expenses.

We have some really cool prizes this year! Prizes will be awarded to the athlete making the most laps and the athlete raising the most money, from within each age-class U8 to U18/21. The Grand Prize will go to the single athlete raising the most money! (FIS athletes will be treated as one age class.)

Last year's event was a huge success and we hope to raise more funds this year! We sincerely ask your help to make this a successful event for our young ski racers.

Travis Hall

Event Chair

Bill Gunesch

Program Director

Mary Gunesch
Academy Director

Holiday News

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:19:02 GMT

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Great news… winter has finally arrived in Government Camp and at Mt. Hood Skibowl. Over two feet of snow has fallen since Sunday and more is expected this week. Skiing and training should be fantastic for the holidays!

Mt. Hood Race Team concluded the first month of winter training with a day of skiing at Skibowl on Sunday! Now, it is time for a training break, and time to enjoy the holidays with family and friends. Mt. Hood Academy Juniors were away at races before the holidays. Many racers competed in the Russ Read Memorial GS at Mt. Bachelor, and our FIS athletes are racing in NW Cup Slalom races at Mission Ridge. This Saturday, Dec 22nd, will be the final day of JR training before the holidays.

The up-coming Holiday Camp is a very busy time with training and preparation before the busy racing season. There are also several activities and meetings planned for the holiday. Please see below for information.

MHRT Training Camp: Mt. Hood Race Team Mitey Mites will begin their 4-day Holiday Camp on Thursday, December 27th. Training will begin each day at 9:00am, scheduled for Multorpor. Look for another update with more specific training details and any change to the schedule or location.

MHA Training Camp: Mt. Hood Academy Juniors will begin their 5-day Holiday Camp on Thursday, December 27th, with training scheduled for Multorpor beginning at 9:00am each day. Training details and any change in the schedule or location will follow.

Release & Medical Forms: Several families have yet to return their paperwork to the team office. The following forms must be on file in order to continue training during holiday camp: team registration form, team medical form, team release form and the Skibowl release form. Families from the December Learn to Race session who wish to continue with the team must submit these forms. Please mail the forms ahead of time TO THE OFFICE. Do not bring them to the mountain the first day of camp.

Learn to Race Holiday Camp: The 3-Day LTR Holiday Camp begins on Friday, December 28th and continues for three consecutive days. On-line registration will remain open through Sunday, Dec 23rd. Spread the word to any young skier who may enjoy ski racing!

MHRT Parents Meeting / U14 Meeting: After training on Saturday the 29th, parents, coaches and board members will meet in the Multorpor Lodge for our annual Holiday Camp MHRT parents meeting. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, share your experiences with other racing families and learn more about the team and upcoming events. Plan to meet at 2:45 on the 2nd floor of the lodge.

After the parents meeting, coaches will meet with U14 families to discuss the option of competing in the Winterstart SL at Mt. Hood Meadows. This is a PNSA scored event, and an optional racing opportunity for our U14 athletes.

MHSEF Team Race: The annual MHSEF Team Race is scheduled for Monday, December 31st. Racers will be grouped in teams of 5, mixing ages and gender. MHA racers will act as team captains and help coach younger teammates during inspection. Costumes are permitted! The event will be a 2-run Giant Slalom on Mt. Hood Lane. Registration / team selection will be at 8:00am in the Multorpor Lodge. Inspection will start at 9:00am, and the race will begin around 10:00am. The entire event should end by lunch time with team awards.

New Race Building: Work on the new race building has gone very well. The roof went on this past weekend and the building was enclosed just in time for the big storm! There will be more projects during the holiday camp, including siding and interior walls. Parents who can spend a few hours any day should check in at the race building once morning training begins.

Many team parents have donated a lot of time and materials to help with the project. We are still looking for wall insulation if anyone has a contact or would like to make a donation. We need 200 sq ft or R15 on 16" center, 1500 sq ft or R21 on 16" center, and 540 sq ft of R38 on 24" center. Also, we need signage for the building. Engraved wooden signs and/or weather proof painted signs; anyone who enjoys making signs or has connections for signs should contact Mike or Bill.

Rooms for Rent: Two to three rooms are available at MHA for monthly or seasonal rent. Families will be able to keep their ski equipment and clothing in their own room and have access to the facility any time they want to ski or need to spend the night. The living room, dining room, kitchen and other common areas are shared with all skiers residing at the house. Please email Bill at bill@mhsef.org for more details.

MHRT Waxing/Tuning Clinic: The coaches will present a ski tuning and waxing clinic for Mitey Mite parents and racers on Saturday, January 5th in preparation for the Kids Kandahar. The clinic is geared toward families new to the sport; however, experienced parents are welcome. Bring your race skis to the Academy House at 3:00pm to receive help prepping for Sunday’s GS.

Meadows Winterstart Slalom – Jan 5th & 6th: The Winterstart Slalom is open to all U14 athletes and older. Information can be found on the Calendar page of the PNSA website – www.pnsa.org. MHA JRs need to register at www.alpinereg.com by December 24th. A late fee will be charged after that date. The entry deadline is December 31st.

MHRT U14 athletes will be entered by the coaches as a team entry for the January 5th race only. You do not need to individually register for the race. We will discuss this event and who should compete at the MHRT parents meeting on the 29th.

Regardless, all athletes and parents need to sign (4 pages) the Meadows liability forms and submit at race registration the morning of the first SL. The liability forms can be found on our team website on the Documents page.

Kids Kandahar GS: The first Mt. Hood Mitey Mite race of the year is the Kids Kandahar GS, hosted by our team on Sunday, January 6th. Registration will soon be available on-line on our team website. Race information will be discussed at the MHRT Parents Meeting on the 29th.

MHSEF Ski-A-Thon: MHSEF’s 4th Annual Ski-A-Thon is coming in January! The event will be held at Multorpor on Saturday, January 12th, from 9:00am to 11:30am. The Ski-A-Thon is an important fund-raising event for our team and we hope everyone can participate. It is also a lot of fun! More information to follow.

The falling snow brings a feeling of magic, and the holiday season is a magical time. We wish all our team families a very safe and enjoyable holiday season!

Reminder – Event Planning Meeting - Tuesday, December 11th

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 02:19:26 GMT

Hello Ski Racing Families,

All of our programs just had another fun and successful weekend of skiing and training at Timberline. For the most part the weather and snow conditions were great for skiing, even though it did start to drizzle the last few hours on Sunday. With one more snow storm this week, Skibowl should be able to open this coming weekend! Keep up the snow dance!

Event Planning Meeting: This is a reminder that the coaches and board will conduct an event planning meeting with parents on Tuesday night. Parents of all racer age groups are asked to attend to discuss the season’s upcoming races and other events we host. The meeting will be on Tuesday, December 11th, at 6:30pm at the Power Station Pub in the Edgefield Manor in Troutdale. This meeting is a huge help for everyone as we move into the busy schedule of the race season. If you’re an experienced parent we need your input, and if you’re new to the team we will explain how you can play a helpful role at our events. Please, at least one parent from each family should attend the meeting.

Here is a list of events we will discuss. More specific information will be presented Tuesday night. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

Dec 31st MHSEF Team Race – Multorpor
Jan 6th Kid’s Kandahar GS – Mitey Mite Race at Multorpor
Jan 12th MHSEF Ski-A-Thon – Multorpor
Jan 26th-27th Superbowl SL – Junior Race at Multorpor
Feb 8th-10th Oregon 4-Way Championship – Mitey Mite event at Skibowl
Feb 16th-18th PNSA U16 Championship Qualifier – U16 event at Skibowl
Mar 22nd-24th PNSA Buddy Werner/U14 Finals – U14 event at Skibowl (dates may change!!)
Apr 7th MHSEF Team Awards Party – Skibowl

Thanksgiving Update

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 05:12:34 GMT

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving weekend starts our regular season training on Mt. Hood, and winter is arriving just in time. This week has been wet and windy on the mountain. The freezing level has finally come down and it’s snowing hard at Timberline! Plan on winter weather and some great skiing this weekend!

Thanksgiving Training Camp:

MHA Alpine Team athletes will have a 3-day camp over Thanksgiving weekend. Meet the coaches in the WyEast Day Lodge by the fireplace, ready to ski by 9:00am each morning. Plan on Slalom skis for Friday and then check with the coaches for the remaining days. You will not need SL protection the first day.

Mt. Hood Race Team U14 and U12 racers will also have a 3-day camp over Thanksgiving weekend. U10 racers are also invited to participate, however, the camp is recommended for experienced racers. Young skiers who are new to the sport should start training with the team on December 1st. MHRT racers meet the coaches by the fireplace in the WyEast Day Lodge by 9:00am, ready to ski.

Everyone should check the Timberline snow phone (503-222-2211) and website, www.timberlinelodge.com for weather and snow conditions, and dress appropriately. Also, the snow pack could still be thin; do not bring new skis the first day.

U16 Planning Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, November 24th, after skiing at the Academy House. The coaches will go over this year’s race calendar and travel schedule with families, discuss athlete goals for the season, explain race registration procedures, and answer any other questions families may have. The meeting is very helpful for everyone, so please plan to attend.

December 1st and 2nd is the first official training weekend for all MHRT racers, and the start of the MHRT Learn to Race session 1. We hope to be training at Mt. Hood Skibowl, but be sure to look for the training update email and check the website to confirm. If the team is training at Timberline meet the coaches by 9:00am by the fireplace in the WyEast Day Lodge. When training at Skibowl the team will meet outside the Multorpor Lodge, slope side, by 9:00am. If you still need to pick up your season pass be sure to arrive extra early.

Athletes in the MHA High School 2-1-2 program will also begin training with the Alpine Team on December 1st and 2nd. Meet at 9:00am in the Day Lodge if training at Timberline, or meet at 8:30am in the Multorpor Lodge if training at Skibowl.

Event Planning Meeting: The coaches and board will conduct an event planning meeting with parents of all racer age groups to discuss the season’s upcoming races and other events we host. The meeting will be on Tuesday, December 11th, at 6:30pm at the Power Station Pub in the Edgefield Manor in Troutdale. This meeting is a huge help for everyone as we move into the busy schedule of the race season. If you’re an experienced parent we need your input, and if you’re new to the team we will explain how you can play a helpful role at our events. Please, at least one parent from each family should attend the meeting. (More info to follow.)

The first PNSA Junior Race of the season, the Russ Read Memorial GS at Mt. Bachelor, is scheduled for December 15th and 16th. All U18 athletes are encouraged to attend. U16 athletes will discuss this event at their Planning Meeting on the 24th. The event now includes an on-line registration. Go to http://www.mbsef.org and click on the “Register On-Line” button to the right of the home page. The deadline for the early registration fee is November 30th. The final entry deadline is December 12th. You can also link to the race information and on-line registration from our team’s web site at Russ Read GS.

NWC FIS Slalom - Mission Ridge: The first Northwest Cup FIS Slalom is set for December 20-21 at Mission Ridge. Information is now available on the team web site at NW Cup #1 FIS SL. This is a FIS race and requires a team entry. The entry will be submitted on Monday, December 10th, so please let your coach know, or notify the office if you will or will not attend.

Happy holidays and be safe!

Dates for your Calendar:

Nov 23 – 25 U14/U12 Thanksgiving Camp
MHA Alpine Team Thanksgiving Camp
Dec 1st First day 2-1-2 High School Program
First day MHRT winter training for all groups
First day for MHRT Learn to Race session #1
Dec 11th Event planning meeting for parents
Dec 15 – 16 Russ Read Memorial GS – MHA athletes
Dec 27 – 30 MHRT Holiday Camp
Dec 27 – 31 MHA Holiday Camp
Dec 28 – 30 MHRT Learn to Race Session #2
Dec 29 MHRT Parents’ Meeting (right after training in the Multorpor Lodge)
Dec 31 Holiday Team Race (more info to follow)

November 1 Update

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 01:17:41 GMT

Mitey Mite and Junior Families,

Let’s get ready to ski – the race season is almost here! The MHRT and MHA coaches and volunteers are making final plans for the start of the season. Make sure you have all your ski gear and training equipment ready, you have your lift passes, and you have a big smile the first day on snow!

Here is information to help you prepare for the season, and info on upcoming events and activities.

Athlete Handbook: The 2013 Athlete Handbook can be found on the team website at this link - Forms. The handbook offers information on training times and dates, team meeting locations, policies and procedures, and events and race information. New families to the team will find a lot of great information in the handbook. Experienced families will also find several helpful pages.

Team registration and other important forms can also be found at the same link - Forms. Team registration cannot be performed on-line. Please download all the appropriate forms and return by mail to the team office in Government Camp. Be sure to include Release forms for all ski areas; Mt. Hood Skibowl, Timberline and Mt. Hood Meadows. Send those in early and you’ll only need to submit them once.

MHA Alpine Team officially begins training the weekend of November 10th and 11th. Most likely the team will train at Timberline. Look for weekly training updates to begin that week, arriving via email on Wednesday or Thursday. You will also find the training updates posted on the team website. These updates will confirm what, where and when the team will be training.

This weekend, November 3rd and 4th, is an optional skiing weekend. MHA athletes are encouraged to get on snow one of the days to get their ski legs back. Skiing will be on Palmer. Keep an eye on the weather forecast; it looks like this weekend could see a break between storms!

Mt. Hood Race Team U14 and U12 athletes have an optional 3-day training camp during Thanksgiving weekend. The team’s training update will be emailed on Wednesday, and maybe again on Thanksgiving. So be sure to look for it. Also, check the training update on the team website for any last minute changes. The training update will confirm when and where to meet the coaches.

December 1st and 2nd is the first official training weekend for all MHRT racers, and the start of the MHRT Learn to Race session 1. We hope to be training at Mt. Hood Skibowl, but be sure to look for the training update and check the website to confirm our location and where to meet. The MHA High School 2-1-2 program will also begin training this weekend.

Web Site Registration: Please go to Web Site Registration and register to the web site so you will receive all team news and updates via your email. If you are already registered to the web site, please go to your account and check your information so we have the best ways to contact you.

Dates for your Calendar:
Nov 2 – 4 Portland Ski Show
Nov 10th First day MHA Alpine Team winter training
Nov 16 – 21 U16/U14 Fall training camp – Sun Valley
Nov 23 – 25 U14/U12 Thanksgiving Camp
Dec 1st First day MHRT winter training for all groups
First day for MHRT Learn to Race session #1
Dec 15 – 16 Russ Read Memorial GS – MHA athletes
Dec 27 – 30 MHRT Holiday Camp
Dec 27 – 31 MHA Holiday Camp
Dec 28 – 30 MHRT Learn to Race Session #2
Dec 29 MHRT Parents’ Meeting (right after training)
Dec 31 Holiday Team Race (more info to follow)

Late September Update

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 21:17:49 GMT

Hi Racing Families,

                Here is a quick update for the end of September.

Team Dryland Training: Dryland training continues this Sunday. We had a
good turnout last week and hope to see more of you this Sunday. The community college facilities are not available this year so dryland has been moved. Meet the coaches at 12:00 noon at the Sandy High School track. Turn north off of highway 26 onto Bluff Road at the stop light and go about half a mile. The track will be on your left. All athletes U10 and older are encouraged to attend.

Boot Fit Night – U12 and older athletes: Scheduled for Thursday, September 27th at Hillcrest Ski and Sport in Gresham. This is a time to check your
boots for fit and modification, and to resize if you need new boots. This is not the night to buy new boots. Anyone whose feet have grown should have their boots checked. Coaches will be on sight from 5:30 to 7:30 to help (this is a change).

Equipment Night: Scheduled for Thursday, October 4th at Hillcrest in Gresham from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. See attached race night flyer. Reps
from all the major manufacturers will be on hand to discuss their equipment and to place orders at the racer price. Order your equipment early so you have it in time for the start of winter training.

Alpine Racing Center Race Day: See the note below from Bob Olsen.  Mt Hood Alpine Racing Center will be having it's 8th annual Race Day on Oct. 13th from 10-4. We will have company reps on site to help assist you getting geared up. This is the best time to purchase or order your equipment for the upcoming season. Lines available include, Atomic, Blizzard, Head, Marker, Volkl, and new this year Lange boots and Dynastar skis! Along with the race gear, we are bringing in more wide skis and "sidehill" boots for the race parents. Uvex helmets/goggles, Holmenkol and Dominator waxes, Sun Valley ski tools will be in stock as well. Hope to see everyone out at the store in Mt Hood/Parkdale (the Govy store is closed for the winter).

2012-13 Season Passes: The Fusion Pass is now on sale. This is the best deal of our racing families with unlimited winter skiing at Timberline and Skibowl. Go to www.mthoodfusionpass.com for information and ordering on-line. The PNSA Elite Pass is also ready for purchase and is available to all U16 racers and older who qualify. Go to www.pnsa.org/elite-pass for more information and to download the pass application. Remember, passes are only processed every two weeks during the fall, so get your app and money into PNSA soon.

Program Information and Registration: Program information will be mailed next week and also available on-line at the team web site. Please submit your paperwork and training fees early so we can plan and staff for the start of training. The race team strives to keep its fees as reasonable as possible. Remember: all forms including the medical form and the ski area releases must be returned to the team prior to on-snow training.

Web Site Registration: Please go to www.mthoodacademy.com and register to the web site so you will receive all team news and updates via your email. If you are already registered to the web site, please go to your account and check your information so we have the best ways to contact you.

Other Dates for your Calendar:

Oct 7th                   PNSA Officials Clinic in Portland (more info to follow)
Oct 21st                 Annual Team Meeting and Potluck (more info to follow)
Nov 2 – 4             Portland Ski Show
Nov 10th               First day MHA Juniors winter training
Nov 16 – 21         U14/U12 Fall training camp – Sun Valley (more info to follow)
Nov 23 – 25         U14/U12 Thanksgiving Camp
Dec 1st                   First day MHRT winter training for all groups

That’s all for now. Please call or email if you have any questions.

The Coaches

MHRT Fall Update

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 00:36:59 GMT

We hope everyone enjoyed a safe and fun Labor weekend with all its sunny weather. It’s difficult to believe the summer season is almost over. Now it’s September; time for everyone to head back to school, time for fall sports, and time to start preparing for the ski season. Yes, winter snow and ski racing will be here before we know it!

Here is some early season information, and some fall dates for your calendar –

USSA Classification Changes: Age-classes have changed for this coming ski season. Every class moved up one year in age, so everyone will be in the same class as last season. For example, J4 athletes last year were 11 and 12 years of age. This season they are 12 and 13 years old.   The class names also changed. J4 athletes are now called U14 (yob 99 & 2000); J5 athletes are now called U12 (yob 01 & 02); J6 athletes are now called U10 (yob 03 & 04); and we’ve added a U8 class for racers born 2005 and younger. U14 and U12 athletes should not see any changes to their local Mitey Mite races. The younger age classes may see changes to the racing format. We’ll have more on this later.

U14 Competitor License: There is another significant change for U14 athletes. Starting this year, these racers can buy a USSA Competitors License and compete is selected PNSA scored events, racing against the Juniors. Please, do not immediately purchase a Competitors License. There is no late fee and no urgency. We will have plenty of discussion on this topic at the Fall Meeting and again during Thanksgiving Camp. The coaches will recommend older athletes who may wish to race up, and suggest the best PNSA races to compliment the Mitey Mite race schedule.

USSA Youth License: Everyone who had a Youth License last season should have received a renewal notice and hopefully renewed their license by this time. Racing on Mt. Hood does not require a USSA Youth License; however, all U14 and U12 racers are encouraged to purchase one. Also, U14 athletes will need the license to compete in the Buddy Werner Championships (see below). And, as mentioned above, U14 athletes can upgrade to a Competitors License at any time and receive credit for the Youth License.

Changes to Buddy Werner Championships: This year, the BWC will be the PNSA U14 Finals, and will include all U14 athletes who want to compete. There will be no team selection. These athletes will need a USSA Youth License. There will also be an Oregon U12 Finals for all U12 racers who wish to compete. The dates and locations are just now being finalized for both events. We will have more information in a later newsletter and discussion at the Fall Meeting.

Team Dryland Training: Our first dryland session will be Sunday, September 16th at the Mt. Hood Community College track. Dryland will start at 12:00noon and continue for about 1.5 hours. Athletes U10 and older are welcome to attend. The first dryland will include physical assessments for the U14 athletes to help determine what you should be working on this fall. We know many of you are playing fall sports. That’s great! Still plan to attend dryland to learn what other conditioning you should be doing. Dryland will continue for six consecutive Sundays.

Boot Fit Night – U14 and U12 athletes: Currently scheduled for Thursday, September 27th at Hillcrest Ski and Sport in Gresham. This is a time to check your boots for fit and modification, and to resize if you need new boots. This is not the night to buy new boots. Anyone whose feet have grown should have their boots checked. Coaches will be on sight from 6:30 to 8:30 to help.

Equipment Night: Scheduled for Thursday, October 4th at Hillcrest in Gresham from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Reps from all the major manufacturers will be on hand to discuss their equipment and to place orders at the racer price. Order your equipment early so you have it in time for the start of winter training.

Program Information and Registration: Program information will be mailed by the middle of September and also available on-line at the team web site. Please submit your paperwork and training fees early so we can plan and staff for the start of training. MHRT strives to keep its fees as reasonable as possible. Remember: all forms including the medical form and the ski area releases must be returned to the team prior to on-snow training.

Web Site Registration: Please go to www.mthoodacademy.com and register to the web site so you will receive all team news and updates via your email. If you are already registered to the web site, please go to your account and check your information so we have the best ways to contact you.

Other Dates for your Calendar:

Oct 7th                   PNSA Officials Clinic in Portland (more info to follow)
Oct 21st                 Annual Team Meeting and Potluck (more info to follow)
Nov 16 – 21         U14/U12 Fall training camp – Sun Valley (more info to follow)
Nov 23 – 25         U14/U12 Thanksgiving Camp
Dec 1st                   First day MHRT winter training for all groups

That’s all for now. We hope everyone has a great time getting back into school. Please call or email if you have any questions.

MHA Fall Update

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 23:57:28 GMT

Hi MHA Families,

                We hope everyone enjoyed a safe and fun Labor weekend with all its sunny weather. It’s difficult to believe the summer season is almost over. Now it’s September; time for everyone to head back to school, time for fall sports, and time to start preparing for the ski season. Yes, winter snow and ski racing will be here before we know it!

                Here is some early season information, and some fall dates for your calendar –

USSA Classification Changes: Everyone should be aware of the age-class changes for this coming season. Every class moved up a year, so you are in the same class and have the same basic race calendar as last season. J3 athletes are now called U16 (yob 1997 & 98), and FIS athletes are now called U18 & U21 (yob 1996 and older). The new classes for Juniors do not present many other changes, although U16 athletes will have a few more opportunities to compete against FIS athletes.

USSA and FIS Licenses: Hopefully, all MHA athletes have renewed their USSA license at this time. If not, please contact USSA or go to www.ussa.org and process your renewal as soon as possible. FIS licenses are not necessary for all U18 & U21 athletes. More NW Cup events this year will not be FIS races. Not everyone will need a FIS license, especially if you do not plan to travel to Western Region events, or do not plan to compete in the Junior Championship. Please contact Bill if you have any questions about your schedule or the FIS license.

Equipment Rule Changes: There has been a lot a talk this summer about ski dimension changes coming to the sport. The good news; only World Cup, Europa Cup and World Championship competition will be affected this season. There are no rule changes for USSA, regional and national FIS races. Last year’s skis are completely legal to use this season as long as they meet the minimum height requirement for U18 and older athletes (same as last year).

Team Dryland Training: Our first dryland sesson will be Sunday, September 16th at the Mt. Hood Community College track. Dryland will start at 12:00noon and continue for about 1.5 hours. The first dryland will include physical assessments to help determine what you should be working on this fall. We know many of you are playing fall sports. That’s great! Still plan to attend dryland to learn what other conditioning you should be doing. Dryland will continue for six consecutive Sundays.

Boot Fit Night: Currently scheduled for Thursday, September 27th at Hillcrest Ski and Sport in Gresham. This is a time to check your boots for fit and modification, and to resize if you need new boots. This is not the night to buy new boots. Anyone whose feet have grown should have their boots checked. Coaches will be on sight from 6:30 to 8:30 to help.

Equipment Night: Scheduled for Thursday, October 4th at Hillcrest in Gresham from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Reps from all the major manufacturers will be on hand to discuss their equipment and to place orders at the racer price. Order your equipment early so you have it in time for the start of winter training.

Program Information and Registration: Program information will be mailed by the middle of September and also available on-line at the team web site. Please submit your paperwork and registration early so we can plan and staff for the start of training. Remember: all forms including the medical form and the ski area releases must be returned to the team prior to on-snow training.

Web Site Registration: Please go to Web Site Registration and register to the web site so you will receive all team news and updates via your email. If you are already registered to the web site, please go to your account and check your information so we have the best ways to contact you.

Other Dates for your Calendar:
Oct 6th                   Palmer re-opens. Selected weekend training t.b.a.
Oct 7th                   PNSA Officials Clinic in Portland (more info to follow)
Oct 21st                 Annual Team Meeting and Potluck (more info to follow)
Nov 10th               1st weekend of regular winter training
Nov 16 – 21         Fall training camp – Sun Valley (more info to follow)

That’s all for now. We hope everyone has a great time getting back into school. Please call or email if you have any questions. And we’ll see everyone at dryland on the 16th.

Race Wrap Up - Gold Medal Edition

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:52:22 GMT

"The potential for greatness lives within each of us." --Wilma Rudolph, former Olympic medalist track and field

It's been a long season and the hard work and tremendous commitment by all is producing exceptional performances and remarkable results. Last weekend we had athletes at Stevens Pass, Bridger Bowl and Mt hood Meadows. In all cases MHSEF brought home GOLD!

First and foremost a very big SHOUT OUT to Chase Ganim and Luke Winters, both receiving gold medals at the J3 Junior Olympics in Montana. Two gold medals from one club in Oregon is remarkable. Luke won gold in the SuperG, he also placed in 24^th in the GS and 9^th in the Slalom (2nd overall). Chase received the OVERALL GOLD for his overall and all around awesome performance in all three disciplines, 4^th in the SuperG, 14^th in the GS and 10^th in the Slalom. These are incredible accomplishments, racing against the top competitors from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Montana and Wyoming. Cody Winters charging as hard as ever had some awesome performances and from what I hear some incredible Cody saves that as always produced great video and lots of ooohs and awes. He was 33^rd in the SuperG and 20^th in the GS. Nate Gunesch found his speed at the qualifier and continued to put in solid performances. He was the top first year J3 in the SuperG placing 14^th and was a solid 26^th in the GS.

For the Girls, this was their first shot at the big show and put in big effort. Ashley had great performances, 27^th in the SuperG, a top medal spot in the GS with an 8^th resulting from 2 smoking runs and 45^th in the Slalom. Oriana, running a rough Super G, lost a ski on the bumpy pitch. Seeing all the good skiers, Oriana stepped up her skiing and was having a good 2nd run in SL, but unfortunately shot out of the course part-way down.

On to Stevens Pass and the Dasani Evergreen Cup, the conditions were northwest wintery……

It had snowed at Stevens Pass 5 ft over the 3 days leading up to the race, so conditions were soft for racing but super powder for spectators. The SuperG was reasonably smooth, but soft with very flat light. Regardless our athletes performed. Allie Spadaro was 3^rd overall and the 1^st J2 girl, Meera was 10^th and Hailey Kern 18^th out of 30 competitors.

For the boys, Roy aka “Grant Hamlin” was 2^nd overall and the first J2 boys, Marc Lodmell was 4^th and the 2^nd J1, Hunter was 16^th, Jay 24^th and Brandon 27 out of a field of 31. Jay and Brandon as first year J3’s were definitely the smallest dudes in the field and the long flats didn’t help them out….

GS was described as deep and bumpy, racing through a bump field, rut’s that were more troughs or chasms. However as Coach Curtis says, “MHA, the TOUGHEST”. Allie was 2^nd overall, Meera 17^th and Hailey threw both shoes. For the men, Marc was 7^th, Hunter was 13^th and Brandon finished with a 23^rd. Grant, Jay and Jack all DNF’d and got to experience a little extra POW.

For the final day, Hailey had a super awesome performance with a 3^rd overall in the slalom, "MHA the toughest!" Allie continued her strong weekend and was 2^nd after the first run but crashed on nearly the last gate. Coach Jim said Meera had the fastest run of her life in the first run, but ended up having to hike a bit and second run straddled.

For the boys, Marc had a smoking first run and was 2^nd overall. Jack Knudson skied 2 solid runs and placed 7^th only closely followed by Hunter placing 8^th and the first J3. Grant went out the first run, but rumor has it that he had the sweetest 90’ gap jump.

And for the little guys, their Mt Hood Race Team Dominance continues at Mt Hood Meadows. The J6’s put in solid performances. Mackenzie took another trip to the podium with a 3^rd and first year Brekkan Richardson was 29^th in the largest field of the day. For the J6 boys, we put 4 in the top 10 led by Colin Hanna in 3^rd, Levi Brown in 5^th, Alex Rogers in 7^thand Jackson Currier in 8^th. Additional fine performances by Lance Stuck 11^th, Remy Bourgalt 13^th, Jack Braun 19^th , Alou De Chard 24^th and Mason Achord 24^th.

The J5’s. Our ladies faired well with Jenna Achord placing 12^th and Sarah Gentry 14^th. The boys put 5 in the top 10. Gianni laid down two smoking fast runs to place 1^st and the fastest time out of all boys. Completing the podium, Ty Glumbik was 2^nd and Zak Clairmont was 3^rd. They were closely followed by Brant Campanian 5^th, Tucker Hoffman 9^th and Campbell Brown 12^th.

The J4’s. The boys swept first through fifth. Aiden Kearny had an amazing day placing 1^st. Way to go! In this incredibly competitive MHRT race, Aiden was followed by Jakobe Green (2^nd), Ian Hanna (3^rd), Zen Clairmont (4^th) and Jasper Dirks (5^th). Returning from injury, Trey Cox finished 11^th. Our lone J4 girl, Kelby Richardson placed 4^th and our only J3 girl in this race,Kendra Jackson took home a first.

With only a few races left we are closing in on the 2011/12 race season. Good luck to the Buddy's team this weekend and the J3's who will be competing for the PNSA J3 title at Alpental. Also, for those interested there is one remaining Mitey Mite race, the May Day at Bachelor April 20-22, this is not an official MHSEF race, but many families attend. Details can be found at www.mbsef.org.

Don't forget the end of year party and awards banquet April 29th.

"It's lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself." - Muhammed Ali

Race Wrap Up: February and last weekend

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:05:13 GMT

Hello Ski Teamer’s

February was a busy race month, we hosted back to back races and our athletes competed in at least 3 different events in the region and afar. It was a lot of work by all the athletes, coaches, volunteers and families. At all levels MHSEF, MHRT and MHA continued to perform and demonstrate to the region how ski racing should be done and stacking up top 10 results. As we are entering into championships, a good thing to keep in mind . With the championship season in front of us I recently read a good article at USSA on the topic of performance and results and young athletes. (note: you may need to register to see this)

Some highlights of our performances and results....

J1/2’s

In no particular order some great accomplishments by our older kids….

Grant aka "Roy" is moving up and handling the tough age-15 jump when male athletes start racing against men instead of boys! He qualified for Jackson Hole Elite FIS races, and has lowered his slalom points into the 90's, for MHRT families, this is really good. I also hear that he gets the Cleanest Room Award when traveling, it was described as 'steezy' which i don't fully understand the origin or context of.
Allie S. had a rockin run at Crystal No Bull and was in 2nd place, unfortunately she flew out of the course on the 2nd run. Allie had some great finishes in Sun Cup SG at bachelor and word on the slopes she has master skills in starting bonfires.
Coach Curtis tells me Meera crushed one in the Sun Cup and ripped up the Rock Wall at the BRG (Bend Rock Gym).
Ali G. had two wins at Sun Cup, and 2nd & 3rd at Mt. Hood Meadows FIS slaloms; she's currently leading the Northwest Cup standings. Ali gets the Big Air Award for her stylish moves off of Mom's Bump at the Sun Cup and is proof positive of why conditioning is such an important element of injury prevention. She broke her skis but due to her outstanding physical condition that crash would have been a lot worse. Dryland does matter!!!
Mark was able to nail some top ten action at Sun Cup and led his team in catches at Dodge Ball
Zac T. competed well at the Western Region Devo Speed Series, showing huge
development in Downhill, and he earned a top-15 finish at the Sun Cup SG.
Also a shout out to Eloise who crashed and suffered a reasonably severe concussion during a HS race, but she had a speedy recovery and is back to training… obtw there is some good information regardingconcussions on the PNSA site, all parents should get educated.

Also some shout outs the kids that race HS. Get this, the Top 4 boys in the HS State Championships race have all trained with MHA, Stephan Splitstoser (2 time state champion), Andrew Burton, Jack Knutson, and Kevin Gahan. Leading to his 3^rd place as a Sophmore, Jack took first in the Slalom. Way to go past and present athletes….For the girls, recent and present athletes included Maddie Lawhead (5), Ellie Schmidt (13) and recovering Eloise (23).

J3’s - MHA the TOUGHEST!

The last big event for the J3’s was the JO qualifiers hosted by us. This was a great event and truly demonstrated a community event. With many families away for the holiday weekend combined with needing many extras for the highly anticipated speed events on Reynolds, we had to reach out to the other 23 clubs for help with volunteers. The PNSA ski racing community did what it always does, chip in and put on a great event.

For this event tensions were high, we had many athletes vying for the very coveted JO spots, 25 for men and 19 for women. Since there are roughly 150 j3 athletes for each gender competing for these spots, this is VERY competitive. JO team selection is based on an athlete’s performance in the 2 qualifiers which includes 4 GS races, 4 Slalom races and 3 Super G races. Here’s how we did:

Men – Luke Winters dominated and is the first seed for the PNSA team and sealed the deal by getting a 1^stin the GS, a 2^nd Super G 1 and a 1^st in Super G2. Chase is the second seed for the PNSA and brought it home by getting 2 3^rd place finishes and a fourth. Cody is the 4^th seed and drove home a 2^nd in a super G and 5^th in the GS. Nate is the 7^th Seed and had stellar performances in the Super G, with a 1^st and a 5^th. With 4 of the top 10 seeds, MHA is well represented. For a couple of kids that were ohhh so close. Isaacplaced 5^th in the first Super G, and ended up 26^th in the PNSA selection and is 1^st alternate, his only comment, “dude, not cool”. Hunter had a strong GS placing 15^th. For first year J3 kids Jay and Brandon, they have made incredible progress in this step up in competition and the coaches say they have high expectations as they are straightening out the courses.

Women/Ladies – Ashley continued to lay down great performances with a 3^rd in the GS and a 4^th in the first Super G. Ashley is the 7^th seed in the PNSA JO team, nice work. Oriana had a great weekend, earning a 7^thand 15^th in the two Super G’s. Oriana is also traveling to Montana as the 13^th seed on the PNSA team.Graeson didn’t make the cut, but coach Mary said this is another kid who’s making great progress and is really starting to see the course with new perspective, great things ahead.

Mitey Mights

Many races and many shout outs in the past two weeks. I didn’t do team scoring, but I think the results will speak for themselves. First, the second annual Kandy cup on stadium at Meadows. This is a combi race and this years course had an interesting set. As one coach said, “well there’s a start and a finish, therefore it must be a course.” MHRT athletes were beast and won the second consecutive year with countless Top 10 Finishes.

Last weekend the Mitey Mights participated in the Meadows Challenge and once again demonstrated some incredible performances:

J6 – Mackenzie placed second in the Slalom and 3^rd in the GS. She can’t wait to race against the big girls she trains with. For the boys, Coach Sean and Ed are shaping the future MHRT team in fine fashion. In the Slalom we had great performances by Alex 2^nd, Colin 3^rd, Levi 8^th and Lance 14^th. In the GS Colin was 2^nd, Lance 6^th, Levi 8^th and Alex 12^th.
J5 Girls – These ladies are definitely stepping up their game. Slalom, 5 in the top 10. Calin had her best race of the year, placing 3^rd, Abby 4^th, Sayna 7^th, Annabella, 8^th and Falon 9^th. The next day the ladies were determined to repeat their team performance in the GS. Abby had her best race of the year with 2^nd, Sayna 5^th, Calin 6^th, Anabella 7^th and Falon 10^th.
J5 Boys - Another PR I think, ZakC placed 2^nd, Gianni 3^rd and Ty 7^th. Tucker Hoffman is closing in on the top 10 with an impressive 13^th. As for the GS, Colt and Brant experienced some bobbles in the slalom but returned to form in the GS placing 2^nd and 3^rd closely followed by Gianni 4^th and ZakC 5^th.
J4 Girls – Natalie continues to crush with a first in the Slalom and 2^nd in the GS.
J4 Boys - Slalom, 1^st, 3^rd, 4^th 6^th, 9^th, 10^th, 11^th and 13^th. WOW!!! LukeM, Yuta, ZachS, Conner, LukeM, Jasper, Jakoby and Weslie. These kids are really keeping it tight. For the GS, 1,4,5,6, 9, 10, 11, another WOW, 2 days 6 in the top 10, LukeM, LukeG, ZachS, Ian, Jakoby, Zen, Weslie. Some specific shout outs, for the great performances by Yuta, Ian and LukeG.

Lots of great news led to a very long email, but if you made it this far, a note for this weekend, Team Photos on Saturday. It’s a very rare weekend where most of our kids are at home.

Thanks everybody

Race Wrap Up: Superbowl, 4Way

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:07:40 GMT

Hello Race Families

We hosted two consecutive races and for both we couldn’t have asked for better weather or better performances. SkiBowl is truly becoming Race Central for the Northwest and it’s little home team is representing well.

SuperBowl Slalom

This is an annual open race for Juniors and this year we attracted some great talent. The first day penalty was 58, or close to it. For you MM families, this is good. Junior racer are scored for each race they complete based on a multifarious algorithm calculated by USSA. Low points are good. Low points will earn them better start positions and the coveted Elite pass.

On Saturday there were nearly 50 competitors for the men ranging in age from 48 to 13 (don’t be fooled by the old guy). We placed 4 in the top 12 with Marc taking 5^thfollowed by LukeW (9), Hunter (10), and Cody (12). The old guy, Tim Hill won the race. On the Second day, LukeW was barely edged by the old guy, .02, and took second. He was followed by Chase (6), Marc (8), and Grant (13). For J3’s we placed 4 in the top 10.

Our ladies also performed exceptionally over the weekend with Ashley leading the way on Saturday placing 3^rd, pretty awesome for a first year J3. She was followed by Kendra (11) and Meera (12). Sunday brought in some additional competition and MHSEF racers who were high school racing on Saturday. Ashley had the top finish for us placing 7^th. Ellie was lucky 13 and Hailey placed 17^th, both great results.

Oregon 4 Way

This truly is one of the most anticipated events for the little guys. The Nordic events went flawlessly. The second day was challenged a bit with the upper bowl chair being closed but this didn’t appear to dampen the excitement or the performances. I actually think the pre cardio workout got rid of all the pre-race jitters. How did we do……Fantastic! I scored this race differently and since it was a multi-event championship, I kept it simple and counted hardware.

MBSEF	53
MHRT	45
MAC	32
CSRT	22
CWSC	3
MRT	5

We were edged by MBSEF a bit, they are definitely strong in the nordic events. Note for next years dry land training, more running. Of special note, send your wishes and prayers to Teagan for a speedy recovery. She suffered a significant leg injury, but of which she had to have surgery done this past week. Looking forward to having you back stronger than ever next year. If you want to contact Teagan or Greg, their contact info is on the team directory. Some of the highlights.....

Nordic Girls: Our J5 girls were fearless fliers, putting four in the top ten. Abby led the group placing 4^th with Cailen (5), Falon (6) and first time jumper Sarah Gentry getting 10^th. Natalie was our loan J4 finisher and finished 4^th. XC is not our strong suit, but Sayna and Abby made sure we were represented on the podium with a well earned 9^thand 10^th. J4Natalie earned an 8^th.

Nordic – Boys: Our J5 boys were concentrated led by Ty (3), Brant (4) and Gianni (5). J4 Boys spread it out a little more, led by LukeM placing 2^nd and followed by ZachS (4), Jacobe(5), and Conner(7). Judges consensus was that Jacobe had some of the best style on the hill, whisper quiet. As for the morning jog, apparently Brant hadn’t heard that XC isn’t our strength. He placed second for the J5 boys and Colt made sure he wasn’t alone on the podium grabbing 10^th. The J4 boys put 3 in the top 5, led by Zach 3^rd, LukeM 4^th and Conner 5^th. Well earned!

Alpine – Girls: Despite the hike to the GS start the girls did great on this formidable course. Falon placed 5^th, followed by Abby 7^th and Sayna 8^th. J4Natalie took 6^th in the J4 girls. The J5 ladies decided however that the GS result wasn’t good enough and put 5 in the top 10 for the Slalom. Sayna skied strong taking 4^th closely followed by Falon 5^th and Abby 6^th, less than ½ second separated the 3. Calin 8^th and Anna 10^th made sure they didn’t go home empty handed. Nice Work!

Alpine – Boys: The J5 boys continue to demonstrate their depth, taking 5 of the top 10. Little Brants best race of the season, grabbing the top spot. ZackC(3), Gianni(4), Ty(6) and Colt(8) all had great performances. And the J4 men finished the day off with LukeM 2^nd followed by ZachS 7^th, Wesley 8^th and Conner 9^th. On slalom day, the course had some victims, but the J5’s were able to grab 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th, led by Colt, Brant and Gianni. The J4 boys muscled a strong performance with ZachS 2^nd, Conner 6^th, LukeG 8^th and Wesley 10^th.

That was a lot of results to mention, but it’s worth it. Our kids are working hard this year and their performances are showing it. We are mid-way through the race season coaches and athletes keep up the great work! It's getting a bit thin again, start doing some snow dances...

MHSEF Race Wrap Up: Last couple of weeks

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:11:40 GMT

TEAM MHSEF

What an awsome last 2 weeks of racing. Early into the season our athletes are producing remarkable results at all levels. Coaches, you are doing a great job! First, however, we all need to send "get well quick" thoughts to two injured warriors..... Trey Cox had a mishap on a skateboard and broke his collarbone. This was his first year of racing and already showed great promise as a racer not to mention having a great attitude. The doctor says 6-8 weeks. We look forward to seeing him on the slopes soon. Colin Hana had a mishap on a chair at Meadows and broke his wrist. Knowing Colin, he's probably thinking about how to cross block with his new armor.

On to the races....

J1's/J2's --- Several of the big kids spent some more time at Schweitzer in the Western Region Speed event, Super G and Downhill. Although still early in the season, our athletes posted some great performances. For Grant and Zak this is their first year of FIS and they now know what it means to put on the the "Big Boy Pants". Grant had some solid finishes and Zak already reclaimed his Elite pass for next year with good finishes in a highly competitive field. AliG (as in Gunesh not not the actor also known as Borat Sagdiyev), our most experienced FIS racer had a couple of top 10's. This week she's at Park City or some other glamorous spot. AliS also young in her FIS career earned some solid finishes in this select speed event.

J3's - Our highly touted J3 team went to Spokane for 3 days to complete the first of 2 Junior Olympic qualifiers. This included 2 GS races and 4 Slalom races, each race counts toward JO qualification which will be held at Big Sky. Mt. Spokane, aka Mt Fog, surprised us all with nearly sunny weather although a wee bit on the chilly side. This set up for a great day of racing but a few too many DNF's for us. Overall, Cody placed 6th and Hunter and Isaac scored some JO points. Luke, Nate, Chase and Jay all experienced a DNF. However Chase put in a screaming second run with the fastest second run time. Ashley earned a top 10 and Oriana was in the top 20, both earning JO points. Graeson made it through the first run, but had a mishap on the second.

The next two days were committed to Slalom and I think that first course will be remembered for a long time. Sunday, we put 4 boys into the top 15 with Luke taking second, James 5th, Nate 11th and Cody 15th. We put 3 girls in the top 30 with Orianna and Ashley in the top 10. Monday, 4 boys made the top 30. Chase switched spots with Luke and took second. Luke, Hunter and Nate all had solid results completing both runs. Ashley and Orianna made the top 15. The slalom course definitely provided spectator entertainment with all the athletes leaving everything they had on the course.

Mitey Mites - Cooper Spur Diamond Dual

Two races into the season and a pattern is starting to show, our mitey mights collect a lot of hardware.

J6's - Alex Rogers picked up a 6th place and Makenzie placed 2nd for the girls. Levi Narrowly missed his second medal with an 11th place. Great finishes by all.

J5 Boys - Wholly Smokes, 5 in the top 10 and 7 of the top 20. Colt, Ty, Brandt and Zak, one thru four. Closely followed by Giannia at 8. Tucker Hoffman and Campbell Brown, first year racers made the top 20. No problem with team points, MHRT 18 and the next closest was the home team, CSRT, at 56.

J5 Girls - Although the MAC girls took top 3, we placed 4 in the top 10 to their three. It's only a matter of time! Falon took the top spot at 5th, followed by Sayna, Anna and Cailen. Annabella and first year racer Jenna both placing in the top 20. The J5 girls are showing some depth and should be challenging MAC for team awards in another race or two.

J4 Boys - Are you kidding me!!!!! Eight of the top Ten and twelve in the top twenty. These boys are getting faster each week. LukeM takes first and Conner second. Both followed closely by LukeG (4), Wesley (6), Yuta (7), Jasper (8) and Zen (10). Aiden narrowly misses hardware with a close 11th. We scored an impressive 20 points in the team score, the next best team was MAC at 86.

J4 Girls - Our thinnest field of athletes, but not to be overshadowed, Natalie takes first. Most impressive is she was 4th overall, boys and girls.

Ski like a girl!

Next Up

This weekend is a Junior race at Ski Bowl, the Super Bowl Slalom. Many of you are helping out with that race and in doing so will see some great skiing. for the Mitey Mites, next week is the 4 Way, also hosted by MHSEF. Start practicing those Nordic events.

Thank You 2011/12 MHSEF Sponsors

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:13:01 GMT

MHSEF Families,

We are nearly completed with most of the confirmations for this seasons corporate sponsors. They have really stepped up in helping the program in a variety of ways. We want to make sure to acknowledge them. For some, most of us are probably not regular consumers of their products and services, but sending them an email or giving a big thanks to the parent who arranged it would be much appreciated. And you never know maybe you are at a dinner party and someone is looking for a commercial contractor, metal recycler, new website, annual heating oil, or an orthopedic, refer one of our sponsors. For others, they are catering to the public, so try to frequent them and let them know how you heard about them. A list of the current sponsors is below:

2011/12 MHSEF Program Sponsors

Washman Carwash (locations): Title Sponsor for the 4 Way and program sponsor. Go get your car washed at Washman, it's probably dirty from running up and down the mountain. I think they have one in Sandy that can wash cars with car top boxes.

SkiBowl/Collins Lake: If you are looking for a weekend place to stay or have guests refer them to Collins Lake

Ratskeller (Menu): Great Pizza and a really large TV. Family friendly.

Bremik: Commercial construction. Check out their website (www.bremik.com), beautiful projects. Bremik offers year round support to the program and will be leading the construction of the new Race Shack. For more information contact Mike Greenslade.

Rebound Orthopedic: Program Sponsor. They have been a great sponsor for several years and have treated many in our community. Let them know you are with the ski program. For more information contact Doug Musgrave.

Albina Fuel: Program sponsor. Check out their prices for home heating fuel . For more information contact Curtis Schuck

Farwest Steel: Program Sponsor. Leading processor of Carbon Steel Products. For more information contact Curtis Schuck

USI: Program Sponsor. Provide insurance and financial service products for business. For more information contact Shelly Green.

Metro Metals: Program Sponsor. Metro Metals Northwest, Inc. is one of the largest, most environmentally efficient scrap facilities in the country. For more information contact Curtis.

Other key sponsors:

Fish Marketing: Doug and his team have helped out with logos, marketing and the ski-a-thon. If your company needs help with branding and marketing contact Doug Fish. Also we want to see the personal brand he donated to the Ski-A-Thon.

Ottos Cross Country: Ottos made some very good donations for the 4 Way. It's been a tough winter for XC, so if you are looking for 4Way rentals go there. Located in Sandy on the way up to the mountain.

Valians: Bud and Betsy said MHSEF is the best team on the mountain. If you need new gloves or a tune, go to Valians.

Huckelberry: Provided some great gifts for the Ski-a-Thon. When you get your next maple bar or breakfast give Ed and his crew a thanks.

Hillcrest: They are an ongoing great resource for the program and provided some gift certificates for the ski-a-thon

Ahh..... most importantly our kids #1 sponsor, Parents, Inc.. I think we all get acknowledgement each year we see them grow and develop as athletes and good citizens......and hopefully a thanks here and there.

We are always looking for sponsors and fundraising ideas, so if you have any ideas let us know.

Thanks

Ski-A-Thon Followup

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:14:29 GMT

Hello MHSEF Families,

Last week we were very busy with either racing or race planning and missed sending out a followup for this great event. This was a very important event for the team. We raised over $7,000 in pledges which goes a long way in ensuring our program can continue to operate at the high level it does. Some immediate impact resulting from the fundraiser:

We just purchased 2 new video cameras for training purposes. Video is becoming a very important tool of our training approach for all levels and we are hoping to purchase more in the future.
We just purchased a brand new laptop for timing. Ask anybody on the timing crew about how well received that upgrade was.....

These funds are also used for our ongoing operations, coaching and program expenses. As mentioned in the past, a % of our annual budget is dependent upon fundraising. We will have 2 more fund raisers in 2012 which we will provide details later in the month.

Participation was good across the board, over 70% of our racers were able to produce some pledges. Next year we hope to see closer to 90%. The J3's take top honors with 85% of them producing pledges and narrowly edged the J4's in amount raised, $1,923 for the J3's and $1,920 for the J4's.

Please let us know your thoughts on how to improve the event:

Was it well organized? How were the communications?
Was the prize mix good?
What about the time of year? Is this a good event to have during the holiday camp? Should it be later in the season?

Your feedback is important.

Now the tough part, collecting all of those donations. Each participant should have received their pledge sheet back at the end of the event, MHSEF kept a copy. Please mail all of the donations to MHSEF by January 3, 2012. The address is:

Mt Hood Ski Education Foundation

C/O Ski-a-thon

PO Box 189

Government Camp, OR 97028

* Any checks should be made payable to Mt. Hood Ski Education Foundation

If you do not remember what your pledges were and/or lost your sheet, please email fundraiser@mhsef.org and we can answer any questions you may have. If you did not receive a thank you card, let us know and we can make some available at the lodge.

As you can see we are already spending some of this money on important equipment to further enhance the kids training so it's really important that we receive the pledges that you submitted.

Thanks

MHSEF BOD

Race Weekend Wrap Up!

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:15:47 GMT

Hello Race Team,

That was an awesome way to start the season. Over 200 racers, lots of jitters from the kids and the parents, old Multopor lodge was buzzing in the morning. To be expected, the flawless execution by MHRT volunteers put all those jitters to rest and we kicked off the race season with near perfection. We heard over and over throughout the day how well organized and run this race was. We couldn't have ordered up better weather, or asked for a better race course for the first timers or the experienced. Some shout outs....

Participation..... Wholly smokes, we were turning people away. Thanks for the enthusiasm. For those who didn't get an assignment, no worries, plenty of opportunities in the future. (Jan 28-29, Feb 3-5, Feb 18-20).
New families.... way to step up. I think close to 20% of our volunteers were newbies and many folks were introduced to new positions. I heard from several about how great it was to participate and see the racers up close in the start, on the hill or in the finish.
Race Coordination and Shack Teams..... Flawless!
Junior parents.... we had many folks who have Junior racers but not MHRT racers who put in a full day. Thanks a ton and I think the MHRT parents will come through for the upcoming Junior events.
SkiBowl.... many teams are envious of our close relationship and collaboration. The area really came through and did a great job prepping the hill and giving us on hill support during the race (and those dogs were tasty). When you see John Vermaas and Gerald give them a thumbs up.
Coaches.... Not to shabby 33% of the hardware went to MHRT.

Don't forget about our next two events, the Superbowl Slalom, last weekend in January and the 4-Way. The SBS is January 28th and 29th, it's our first Junior Race. The 4Way is February 3,4 and 5 and definitely one of the best races of the year. Get your kids on those XC skis so we can take some Mountain Meister awards. Sign up sheets will be out this week. Please contactvolunteer@mhsef.org or Patty with any questions.

And our Athletes.....

An extroardinary team performance by all and many stunning individual performances. When the kids are able to compete in such a well executed event, they and the coaches are able to focus on their job at hand, which they did with cool, calm and collectedness. All who participated had smiles and should be proud, that second course was tough.

It was obvious during awards that MHRT performed well. How well? Using a simple scoring system where low score wins and counting the top 5 finishers (first place=1, second = 2 and so on... ) we did a little math. Check out our performance for the categories where we fielded at least 5 athletes:

J4 Boys

Team domination! We nearly picked up a perfect score with MHRT scoring an incredible 20 pts. The other teams were a ways back with CSRT (68 pts), MAC (94 pts) and MRT (114 pts). Luke Musgrave earned the top spot on the podium however the J4 crew is closely packed with, Zach, Conner, Yuta, Wesley, Luke G and Jakobe all placing in the top 10. Ten of the top 20 athletes were MHRT boys.

J5 Boys

The 9/10 year olds may not be as deep but weren't going to be outdone by those older kids with a team score of 19, nearly a top 5 sweep, letting one CSRT kid into the mix. Colton Musgrave took the top honors, closely followed by Gianni, Brandt, Zak and Ty. The next closest team was CSRT at 59 and then MRT with 62 and MAC scoring 85.

J4 Girls

Our girls are a bit thinner (we need to find more girls!) and only had two J4 athletes competing. Newcomer Kelby Richardson put in a fine performance for her first race and Teagan just missing the top 10 with an 11th place finish. Our third J4 Natalie was out with an injury, we hope to have her racing soon.

J5 Girls

All those J6's from last year have made the transition and moved up with some force. Our scorers landed in the top 11 only narrowly edged by MAC who scored 33 to our 39. Abby earned 4th place, followed by exceptional performances by Fallon, Sayna, Cailin and Anna. Great job girls, now you know what you need to do next time to earn that top spot.

8 and Unders

The boys just keep coming for us..... Colin Hana took the top spot and he sure seems to like the podium. We put 4 in the top 10 with Jackson, Alex and Levi all collecting some hardware. As for the girls we only had 2 participants, with Brekan getting a 12th, her first ski race ever and Mackenzie going for a podium spot but having a little mishap on the bottom.

J1's and 2's (FIS) @ Schweitzer

Word from the road was that it was a tough course and a super hard surface but our results improved throughout the week culminating with some good move ups over the weekend. Sometimes we forget about the road warriors as they are off in far away areas competing against some of the best juniors on the continent. (check out their results on live timing) They returned home Sunday night around 1 AM and I'm sure bright eyed for school.

Again thanks to all. A great way to start the season.

Holiday Update 2011

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:47:05 GMT

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Mt. Hood Race Team concluded the first month of winter training with another good weekend at Skibowl. While the amount of snow coverage has been limited, the snow surface has been fantastic for early season skiing! Mt. Hood Academy Juniors were away at races this weekend before the holidays. Many racers competed in the Russ Read Memorial GS at Mt. Bachelor, and our FIS athletes raced in this year's first NW Cup Slalom races at Mission Ridge. Now, it's time for a training break, and time to enjoy the holidays with family and friends.

Next week’s holiday camp is a very busy and important time. The primary focus is a training progression for all age groups; the final preparation before the busy racing season. There are also several activities and meetings planned for the holiday. Please see below for information.

MHRT Training Camp – Dec 27^th

Mt. Hood Race Team Mitey Mites will begin their 4-day Holiday Camp on Tuesday, December 27^th. Training will begin each day at 9:00am, scheduled for Multorpor. Look for another training update on the 26^th for more specific training details and any change to the schedule or location.

MHA Training Camp – Dec 27^th

Mt. Hood Academy Juniors will also begin their 5-day Holiday Camp on Tuesday, the 27^th, with training scheduled for Multorpor beginning at 9:00am each day. Training details and any change in the schedule or location will be sent out on the 26^th.

Learn to Race Holiday Camp – Dec 28^th

The 3-Day LTR Holiday Camp begins on Wednesday, Dec 28^th and continues for three consecutive days. On-line registration will remain open through Friday, Dec 23^rd. Families should meet the coaches the first morning at 9:30am at the Multorpor Lodge for a brief orientation meeting. Spread the word to any young skier who may enjoy ski racing!

MHRT Parents Meeting – Dec 28^th

After training on Wednesday the 28^th, parents, coaches and board members will meet in the Multorpor Lodge for our annual Holiday Camp parents meeting. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, share your experiences with other racing families, and learn more about the team and upcoming events. Plan to meet at 2:45 in the Multorpor restaurant on the 2^nd floor of the lodge.

Ski-A-Thon – Dec 29^th

MHSEF’s 3^rd Annual Ski-A-Thon is part of this year’s Holiday Camp. The event will be held at Multorpor on Thursday, December 29^th, from 9:00am to 11:30am. The Ski-A-Thon is an important fund-raising event for our team and we hope everyone can participate. It is also a lot of fun! Racers will lap on Green Chair and ski several courses and other skiing challenges. There will be music, snacks, event t-shirts and really cool prizes!

Waxing/Tuning Clinic – Dec 30^th

MHSEF will host a ski tuning and waxing clinic for MHRT Mitey Mite parents and racers on Friday the 30^th. The clinic will cover important basic details necessary to prep skis prior to race-day, as well as final attention to skis at the race start. Selection of race waxes will also be discussed. Be sure to bring a note pad and your questions to the clinic. Meet at the Academy house at 3:00pm on the 30^th.

MHSEF Team Race – Dec 31^st

The annual MHSEF Team Race is scheduled for Saturday, December 31^st. Racers will be grouped in teams, mixing ages and gender. Older racers will act as team captains and help coach younger teammates during inspection and at the start. Costumes are permitted! The event will be a 2-run Giant Slalom on Mt. Hood Lane. Registration / team selection will be at 8:00am in the Multorpor Lodge. Inspection will start at 9:00am, and the race will begin around 10:00am. The entire event should end by lunch-time with the presentation of team awards.

Meadows WinterStart SL – Postponed

The USSA Slalom race scheduled for Dec 31^st and Jan 1^st at Mt. Hood Meadows has been postponed due to lack of snow. Hopefully, the event will be re-scheduled at a later date this season. MHA Juniors may now participate in the Team Race on the 31^st. MHA athletes should check with their coaches regarding any other plans.

Look for a final training update email on the 26^th with final plans for holiday training. Be sure to make a holiday wish for winter snow to fall soon!

Happy Holidays!!

Potluck and other news

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:36:59 GMT

Hello Racing Families,

Here is a quick update and reminder of upcoming events –

MHSEF Fall Meeting and Team Potluck

Sunday, October 23^rd, at the Mt. Hood Lions Club, in Welches

Doors will open at 2:30pm to set up equipment for the Ski Swap. Please arrive with your equipment to swap by 3:00pm. Please be sure your ski swap equipment is labeled with your name and price. All transactions are handled directly between buyer and seller.

Program information will be presented around 4:00pm. The potluck dinner will be ready at 5:00pm, followed by meetings with your coaches.

Important change: Skibowl will not be available at the Fall Meeting in Welches to process season passes. However, the ticket office at Skibowl West will be open from 9:00am to 5:00pm on Sunday if you would like to pick up your passes anytime before the meeting.

Dryland on Sunday the 23^rd

Dryland this Sunday will be in conjunction with the Fall Meeting. Meet the coaches at the Welches Middle School soccer field behind the Lions Club at 1:00pm. Be sure to check the weather and dress appropriately, and bring a change of clothes if necessary. If the weather is really wet we will move under the school’s breezeway. Dryland will finish around 2:30pm.

Team Registration

If you have not yet registered your racer for the team, please plan to register at Sunday’s Fall Meeting. It is important that we know early who will be participating this season on the team, allowing the coaches to better prepare for early season training. If you cannot attend the Fall Meeting please register on-line at www.mthoodacademy.com, or drop your registration in the mail.

MHA Work Party

Junior parents, it’s time to get the Academy House ready for the coming winter! There are several small projects where we could use your help. (Mitey Mite parents are welcome!) Here’s the plan…

Saturday, Oct 22^nd, anytime after 9:00am

Sunday, Oct 23^rd anytime after 9:00am (same day as the potluck)

Helpers can work as long as they are able; come for a few hours or for the whole day, whatever works best for you. We have some painting and light repairs, the snow wall to install on the back porch, some beds to move, etc. If you can bring some small tools - hammer, wrenches, screwdrivers – that would be great. On Sunday we will wrap up around noon to give everyone time to move to the Fall Meeting.

If you are available either day please RSVP to Bill, bgunesch@centurytel.net, so we are best prepared.

Winter is almost here! Let’s get together this weekend.

Bill

October update

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:26:17 GMT

Hi Racing Families,

"White" rain drops fell today in Government Camp. Can you believe it? The seasons have turned, and they turned fast! Here is an update for early October.

PNSA Officials Clinic will be held in Portland this Sunday, the 9th. We are looking for more parents to become certified alpine officials, especially from the Mitey Mite group of parents. Certified officials are necessary for our team to host events, and these home court events are important to our young athletes. Also, the clinic is a great way to learn more about the sport, enhancing your enjoyment of your child's skiing activity.

As a thank you for your support with this important effort, MHSEF will reimburse the clinic registration fee to any parents who become certified, and will also reimburse new certified officials for their USSA officials license the first year. Whether you intend to become a certified official, or just hope to learn more about alpine racing, check out this clinic. Please go to www.pnsa.org for registration and more information.

Team Dryland is moving back to Sandy for the next two weeks. There are some complications at Mt. Hood Community College so we are going to use the Sandy High School track and field. If coming from Portland, turn left (north) on Bluff Road, go past the high school and look for the field and parking lot on your left. We will meet in front of the stadium. If the weather is wet we will jog over to the Mt. Hood Athletic Club and use the gym. Dryland will begin at 12:00noon.

Dryland on Oct 23rd will be conducted in Welches, along with our team's Fall Meeting and Potluck. Meet at the Welches Middle School field behind the Lions Club in Welches at 1:00pm. See Fall Team Meeting for more information on the Fall Meeting and Potluck.

USSA Athlete memberships are due! October 15th is the deadline to renew your USSA membership without paying the $25 late fee. All MHA juniors need to renew before the 15th. Do not wait until the 15th since the USSA membership department will be swamped and your membership may not be processed. Go to www.ussa.org to renew or apply for a membership. Click on "Membership Tools" to register on-line. Be sure to provide medical insurance information, check the liability release, and new this year, be sure to check the concussion release. All are important for your membership to be processed on time. New USSA members and Mitey Mites are not obligated to renew by the deadline, but please do not wait.

Welcome Chris Grebisz as the new president of MHSEF. At its September meeting, the board of directors of Mt. Hood Ski Education Foundation elected Chris as president of the organization. Chris’ children, Isaac (J3) and Abby (J5) are active members of the race team, and his wife, Michele, is a very involved volunteer and has been the race administrator of our alpine events for many years. Chris brings new energy and new ideas to the organization, and the directors are excited to have him at the helm.

Out-going president, Malcolm Ash, has led the organization for the past five years, and has helped promote some of our team’s most successful seasons. During this time, Malcolm has also been Chief of Race for our alpine events and has help recruit and develop key race personnel who continue to host outstanding events for our team, including the 2010 Buddy Werner Championships, and the annual Oregon 4-Way Championships and Junior Olympic Qualifiers. Malcolm will continue to participate on the board as V.P., and continue to lead our events as Chief of Race. We thank him for all his service.