Open Letter on Diversity in Our Sport

[wolcoma]

I get it that ski racing is expensive but that doesn't make it right. For example, what do you think would happen at Dartmouth or any other school, if the entire football and basketball teams were all white and came from $75K sports academies like IMG Academy in Florida? Fortunately the vast majority of high school athletes are not coming from these so called "elite" programs, but I can assure you the students at Dartmouth, Harvard, Brown, etc. would be furious if the more traditional college sports teams had zero diversity.

 

[S.H.]

I get it that ski racing is expensive but that doesn't make it right. For example, what do you think would happen at Dartmouth or any other school, if the entire football and basketball teams were all white and came from $75K sports academies like IMG Academy in Florida?

I think the student bodies would laugh at these kids who spent all this money to go to IMG Academy to play football or basketball at an Ivy League school, without a scholarship. And would continue to largely ignore ball sports.

But for skiing, which is germane here, there's no evidence that non-white athletes who are equally good or better are being kept off the teams. There are geographical and financial barriers to entry to the sport for sure, but I don't know that blaming the elite end of the sport for not being diverse is the way to effect change. It has to be at the grassroots level.

 

[Tricia]

I get it that ski racing is expensive but that doesn't make it right. For example, what do you think would happen at Dartmouth or any other school, if the entire football and basketball teams were all white and came from $75K sports academies like IMG Academy in Florida? Fortunately the vast majority of high school athletes are not coming from these so called "elite" programs, but I can assure you the students at Dartmouth, Harvard, Brown, etc. would be furious if the more traditional college sports teams had zero diversity.

You make some good points.
I'm not sure if you read much of this thread as it started a few years before you joined SkiTalk.
Watch the video with the panel on the first page.
The area where Forest King Shaw talked about being pulled over on his way to a ski race camp sent chills up my spine. I know him, and he's the kindest, most beautiful human. And he's not poor.
I have another friend who has co-workers who are asian and hispanic who are pulled over regularly in the same area that Forest talks about. My friend is an average white woman and she NEVER gets pulled over.

Cost is only one factor. Change has to happen in a broader scope than just economics and ski specific.

 

[wolcoma]

SH.............I have been coaching at the grass-roots club level for over 35 years and in reality the NCAA ski programs completely ignore our club kids and never come to watch their races. Last year (2022 season) one of our U19 racers had some great results consistently not only beating the academy kids but also some of the current NCAA kids at FIS races and we still could not get any NCAA programs to look at him. His father is school administrator and makes good a salary but certainly not enough money to attend a ski academy. All I am saying is NCAA schools who are not-for-profit institutions should be recruiting at all levels and not just a half-dozen $75K ski academies.

 

[S.H.]

SH.............I have been coaching at the grass-roots club level for over 35 years and in reality the NCAA ski programs completely ignore our club kids and never come to watch their races. Last year (2022 season) one of our U19 racers had some great results consistently not only beating the academy kids but also some of the current NCAA kids at FIS races and we still could not get any NCAA programs to look at him. His father is school administrator and makes good a salary but certainly not enough money to attend a ski academy. All I am saying is NCAA schools who are not-for-profit institutions should be recruiting at all levels and not just a half-dozen $75K ski academies.

NCAA schools should be recruiting the best skiers. So yes, they should be open to non-academy skiers, I agree 100%. I disagree that they should recruit at "all levels" ... it's elite skiing. They should recruit the elite skiers. If the FIS profile is there, it shouldn't matter where an athlete trained/went to school/etc., 100% in agreement.

I do think there is some sense among some of the elite skiing community (maybe even many) that if a kid isn't at an academy, they aren't as "committed" to the sport ... and that sucks. That hasn't been my experience as a coach trying to get NCAA schools to look at non-academy kids who were at the cusp, nor does it match my experience as an athlete at the cusp at a non-academy program, but that's a tiny drop in the bucket of experiences, not data. You've been coaching longer than I've been alive, and I'm sure your experience is more common.

But anyway, that isn't what this thread is about; we can disagree about the US pipeline for elite ski racing elsewhere. Even at the club level, ski racing is expensive, and there are social/cultural barriers (nongeographical, nonfinancial) to skiing and ski racing for non-white participants. If the sport wants to change that, the change isn't going to start at the elite end, it has to start at the club level, and probably more importantly, at the ski town, ski area, and ski resort level.

 

[crgildart]

Ya pretty sure if Serena William's kids wanted to go all in on skiing they could facilitate moving to a good location, training year round and finishing high school at a nice ski academy.. But, with nobody that looks like them at that level, or in the instructor or race coach ranks, or at the academies.. it's not likely to happen.

 

[wolcoma]

Again my only goal is to make ski racing more affordable and diverse like most other sports in the United States. I come from a big lacrosse family and now we are seeing more diversity in collegiate lacrosse, but literally zero in ski racing. I would just like to ask you posters have you ever driven the entire route 100 in Vermont which literally connects most of the major ski resorts? Not exactly an affluent region of New England. I think most of the posters on this website are either parents, coach, or attended ski academy programs as you simply do not see the accessibility problem in alpine ski racing.

 

[KingGrump]

Again my only goal is to make ski racing more affordable and diverse like most other sports in the United States.

Why the focus on ski racing only and not the sport of skiing?

 

[fatbob]

Why the focus on ski racing only and not the sport of skiing?

Something to do with visibility and role models to get bang for buck throughout the sport. But ski racing is the wrong target - freestyle disciplines or snowboarding have greater chance for rapid acceleration of gifted gymnast kids and alternate events for profile like the X Games. The first Simone Biles of freestyle will make a killing like Eileen Gu and Chloe Kim.

 

[Tricia]

Something to do with visibility and role models to get bang for buck throughout the sport. But ski racing is the wrong target - freestyle disciplines or snowboarding have greater chance for rapid acceleration of gifted gymnast kids and alternate events for profile like the X Games. The first Simone Biles of freestyle will make a killing like Eileen Gu and Chloe Kim.

I was actually thinking about snowboarding vs skiing. I wonder if its because kids can learn on skateboards which is a natural transfer to snowboarding.


Also, I was watching golf (weird, right?)
There was a surge of young black golfers when Tiger Woods was at his peak, but you still don't see much diversity in mens golf.
Now, on the women's side, you see a plethora of Korean, Chinese, Japanese on the LPGA

Phil and I donate some of our time to helping kids at Sky Tavern here in Reno during ski season.
Skiing is Believing is another great outreach for getting kids outside, which transfers to other sports in the summer.
They even get the kids involved in volunteering with the Biggest Little Trail Stewardship to work on bike trails.

Home

Give your child the chance to experience the joy of sports in Reno, Nevada. We're committed to making sure everyone has access to these amazing activities.

www.skiingisbelieving.org

I really need to get more involved.

 

[fatbob]

Golf is still basically a country club sport. Not a lot of dough at munis to do outreach and then there's the wack fashion stuff. Basketball has been so successful because it's playable at all levels, front yard hoop through street ball to high-school. Soccer I guess does the same thing for the Hispanic population.

 

[wolcoma]

I am focusing on alpine ski racing because this thread is about competition. Again I am not trying to make enemies, but I just want to see more kids have the opportunity to ski, run gates, and race. Secondly it pains me to see the lack of diversity in ski racing. Interesting enough, in my real job our HR department recently handed out a book titled "What If................Short stories to spark Inclusion & diversity dialogue." by Steve Robbins. It's completely optional read, but I think most of the employees at our company have enjoyed the book. The book highlights unintended exclusionary practices and I think many race admins, coaches, parents, and racers are unaware of why more kids are not included in our sport. A good read for the beach this summer!

 

[skibob]

I am focusing on alpine ski racing because this thread is about competition. Again I am not trying to make enemies, but I just want to see more kids have the opportunity to ski, run gates, and race. Secondly it pains me to see the lack of diversity in ski racing. Interesting enough, in my real job our HR department recently handed out a book titled "What If................Short stories to spark Inclusion & diversity dialogue." by Steve Robbins. It's completely optional read, but I think most of the employees at our company have enjoyed the book. The book highlights unintended exclusionary practices and I think many race admins, coaches, parents, and racers are unaware of why more kids are not included in our sport. A good read for the beach this summer!

Just want to take a moment to appreciate the ability of those in this conversation to focus on their common goals more than their differences of opinion.

 

[crgildart]

Golf is still basically a country club sport. Not a lot of dough at munis to do outreach and then there's the wack fashion stuff. Basketball has been so successful because it's playable at all levels, front yard hoop through street ball to high-school. Soccer I guess does the same thing for the Hispanic population.

We have a good friend here who's brother was a famous Augusta caddie. He's used his retirement years trying to bring golf to the low income communities around here.. Tennis is also something that's affordable in the suburbs via public venues.

Home | Carl Jackson Foundation - Carl's Kids - Faith-Based

Carl Jackson Foundation is a non-profit faith-based ministry established by Augusta National Caddie legend Carl Jackson. Carl's Kids is a sports camp ministry for kids.

www.carlskids.org

 

[fatbob]

We have a good friend here who's brother was a famous Augusta caddie. He's used his retirement years trying to bring golf to the low income communities around here.. Tennis is also something that's affordable in the suburbs via public venues.

Home | Carl Jackson Foundation - Carl's Kids - Faith-Based

Carl Jackson Foundation is a non-profit faith-based ministry established by Augusta National Caddie legend Carl Jackson. Carl's Kids is a sports camp ministry for kids.

www.carlskids.org

That's a whole new can o' worms when combined with words like "ministry" and statements like

merges the lessons of the game of golf with Biblical principles, paving the way to train future golfers through godly guidance

Not saying it's not well intentioned BTW but it seems to me problematic in the context of this thread for e.g. black kids being given access to a sport that is conditional on something else.

 

[Shawn]

I'm speaking here as the soon-to-be parent of a biracial kid (white father; black mother). Baby is due in a few weeks. I am definitely getting her involved in skiing when she's ready. Hopefully she'll like it enough to want to join the local race team at Blue Mountain (PA) and start to out-ski her dad! Those race kids can move.

 

[crgildart]

That's a whole new can o' worms when combined with words like "ministry" and statements like



Not saying it's not well intentioned BTW but it seems to me problematic in the context of this thread for e.g. black kids being given access to a sport that is conditional on something else.

Lots of kids get their first taste of skiing (and many other expensive sports) via scouting... which more often than not is sponsored in some degree by a church location.

The love for the sport throughout life is not contingent on any continuing dedication to religion.

 

[pchewn]

Ski areas could encourage more participation in ski racing by providing a "race park" similar to the terrain parks they currently offer. I just don't know why it is possible to offer huge jumps, rails, 1/2 pipes, and other terrain features open to the public -- yet if you want to turn around a few poles stuck in the snow you have to go onto a closed-off course, sign waivers, join a ski race club .......

 

[crgildart]

Ski areas could encourage more participation in ski racing by providing a "race park" similar to the terrain parks they currently offer. I just don't know why it is possible to offer huge jumps, rails, 1/2 pipes, and other terrain features open to the public -- yet if you want to turn around a few poles stuck in the snow you have to go onto a closed-off course, sign waivers, join a ski race club .......

Mostly true but some of the more Freestyle focused resorts require an additional "Park Pass" to access the bigger park with bigger jumps. It's practically free though..

In the 70s and 80s when Freestyle was still pretty big team membership and coaching supervision was 100% required to hit the jumps. Falls out of favor and now it's mostly "free".

Some places used to have a ski up gates run open most weekends, like NASTAR but all day instead of just 2-3 hours. I skied one at Purgatory one day. eons ago It was like $2/per run.

I do think slamming 15 poles can be pretty dangerous at least from a fat lip or black eye perspective.. in addition to the possibility of blowing your knee out in the inevitable ruts. It's comparable in level of danger IMHO.. So agree why not also free to all if demand is there?

 

[wolcoma]

Kudos to the bi-racial soon to be Dad and wishing your baby the best of health. I agree with pchewn regarding open race courses. Even though I coach for a club program, when ever I get some kid or even adult poaching my training course I never kick them off and encourage them to train with us. Hopefully they will either sign up for our junior or masters program. When I was growing up through college, every year our family went to Colorado (both Vail & Aspen) for 10 days over the Christmas holiday. During our vacation I would go skiing with my family in the morning and then head over to either Golden Peak at Vail or Tiehack at Aspen to run gates with the local racers. I would usually find a group of college and even pro racers back in the 70's and 80's to train with and as long as I helped carry gates and do course maintenance I was welcome to train with them. I never paid a dime for this training! For example, a couple years in Aspen I got to train with USST racer Beth Madsen and I also trained on the same course as World Pro Ski Champion Andre Arnold. They were both very cool about me training with them as long as I helped carry gates, etc. Sadly today Golden Peak is fenced off like Fort Knox and only the kids flying in from LA on the family G3 are welcome.