This is only "news" in that it has finally been put into a press release via skiracing.com. It was released today in the "Premium" section, which is free to athletes, coaches and officials. I don't know if the link will work:
https://www.skiracing.com/premium/so-long-for-now-national-university-team
Here's my take on it. There has been debate for a long time about how the USST might make use of the college ranks in terms of developing WC skiers. Lots of varying opinions. Frankly, those imbedded in the USST coaching ranks might have been the most resistant to change. No serious racer would choose to go to college until the WC dream was extinguished, right? That was always the case.
There was also debate about the maturation of each gender. Girls peak sooner.
We could list college skiers who have made it to the WC, in some cases with absolutely the most minimal support and encouragement from the USST. Then, of course, we have recently seen many foreign skiers come to the US, ski in the NCAA, and move on to their country's WC teams. With success.
The best practice has, IMO, not been that clear.
The USST has a number of people in the leadership ranks with some college experience. Tiger Shaw is a Dartmouth grad, but never skied for the school. Was on WC as part of the USST, and dragging out school in the off season. That's not meant to be derogatory; he worked very hard. Dartmouth has accommodated many USST skiers. Tiger has three kids who all have skied at least a season or two in college as well. Chip Knight graduated from Williams after his WC career, and then coached the Dartmouth women before joining the USST. I have not had a conversation on this topic, in depth, with either guy. But, I know they are open to it, and feel that it is part of the puzzle.
Of course the experiment with the Uni Team came with a price tag. It had to be planned, staffed and then funded. Rumor has always been well founded that Dan Leever, a very active board member and huge fan of the sport, morphed his men's "Team America" program into the UNI team. He is rumored to have footed the whole tab.
Dan had hired a very good, very experienced coach, Peter Lange, to run Team America. Three years ago, he put two guys on the USST {one back on, one right out of college} and he came very close with two others. One was his son Alex, who has skied for DU in the NCAA ranks. I believe he graduated this past spring. Alex has talent.
The vision of the UNI team was to provide additional resources to enable the top college guys to race in NorAm events with the same level of support as the team guys. To have training projects and opportunities during the winter, working around the college season, and to have meaningful training in the summer. Big blocks. And...to have Peter Lange at the helm. Essentially supplementing the college skiing.
Some complained that it was men only. It had to start someplace. And the college men were for the most part closer to the USST criteria than the women. It was easier to assemble a group.
Did it work? A lot of folks say it advanced the ball. If nothing else, it has NCAA skiing on the radar. As Edie's article states, the USST coaches are now at least willing to have the best NCAA {and presumably independent} skiers welcome at their projects. That alone is big progress.
Without coming right out and stating it, it sounds like Team America is coming back this season. I am not sure who will be part of it. Two might be Michael Ankeny and Hig Roberts who were on the USST, then dropped. Both had made big gains with Peter Lange. Both will ski in a ton of WC events. Another is very likely Alex Leever, who has exhausted his NCAA years, but is very young and keeps getting faster. His racing is not over. One who will be right there after his last college season in Brian McLaughlin of Dartmouth.
So, sounds like the funding is shifting from the USST endorsed college deal, back to an independent program, which I guess could embrace some college guys. Perhaps we'll see Team America and Robby Kelly's Redneck Racing working together?
My impression is that Dan Leever is a huge fan and supporter of the sport, and of the USST. Yet, he also realizes {as does Peter Lange} that there are a number of avenues to get to the WC, and to be prepared to succeed there. Dan is a bright guy. Looks for solutions. Does not just accept the status quo.
I would like to see the Uni team continue, include both genders and be permanent, but it needs to be imbedded in the budget and funded. Funding the team in general is a challenge. Never seems to change.
If kids could rely on this, and then look at college as a very realistic pipeline, we might see many of our best head to school.
Perhaps.
And any rate, for at least this season, the Uni team is history. Two years of hopefully somewhat useful experience.
BTW, it also sounds like the USST is going to permanently eliminate the men's D team, which makes perfect sense to me. We've discussed that before.
Meanwhile everybody is getting back on snow. Or almost everybody.......
https://www.skiracing.com/premium/so-long-for-now-national-university-team
Here's my take on it. There has been debate for a long time about how the USST might make use of the college ranks in terms of developing WC skiers. Lots of varying opinions. Frankly, those imbedded in the USST coaching ranks might have been the most resistant to change. No serious racer would choose to go to college until the WC dream was extinguished, right? That was always the case.
There was also debate about the maturation of each gender. Girls peak sooner.
We could list college skiers who have made it to the WC, in some cases with absolutely the most minimal support and encouragement from the USST. Then, of course, we have recently seen many foreign skiers come to the US, ski in the NCAA, and move on to their country's WC teams. With success.
The best practice has, IMO, not been that clear.
The USST has a number of people in the leadership ranks with some college experience. Tiger Shaw is a Dartmouth grad, but never skied for the school. Was on WC as part of the USST, and dragging out school in the off season. That's not meant to be derogatory; he worked very hard. Dartmouth has accommodated many USST skiers. Tiger has three kids who all have skied at least a season or two in college as well. Chip Knight graduated from Williams after his WC career, and then coached the Dartmouth women before joining the USST. I have not had a conversation on this topic, in depth, with either guy. But, I know they are open to it, and feel that it is part of the puzzle.
Of course the experiment with the Uni Team came with a price tag. It had to be planned, staffed and then funded. Rumor has always been well founded that Dan Leever, a very active board member and huge fan of the sport, morphed his men's "Team America" program into the UNI team. He is rumored to have footed the whole tab.
Dan had hired a very good, very experienced coach, Peter Lange, to run Team America. Three years ago, he put two guys on the USST {one back on, one right out of college} and he came very close with two others. One was his son Alex, who has skied for DU in the NCAA ranks. I believe he graduated this past spring. Alex has talent.
The vision of the UNI team was to provide additional resources to enable the top college guys to race in NorAm events with the same level of support as the team guys. To have training projects and opportunities during the winter, working around the college season, and to have meaningful training in the summer. Big blocks. And...to have Peter Lange at the helm. Essentially supplementing the college skiing.
Some complained that it was men only. It had to start someplace. And the college men were for the most part closer to the USST criteria than the women. It was easier to assemble a group.
Did it work? A lot of folks say it advanced the ball. If nothing else, it has NCAA skiing on the radar. As Edie's article states, the USST coaches are now at least willing to have the best NCAA {and presumably independent} skiers welcome at their projects. That alone is big progress.
Without coming right out and stating it, it sounds like Team America is coming back this season. I am not sure who will be part of it. Two might be Michael Ankeny and Hig Roberts who were on the USST, then dropped. Both had made big gains with Peter Lange. Both will ski in a ton of WC events. Another is very likely Alex Leever, who has exhausted his NCAA years, but is very young and keeps getting faster. His racing is not over. One who will be right there after his last college season in Brian McLaughlin of Dartmouth.
So, sounds like the funding is shifting from the USST endorsed college deal, back to an independent program, which I guess could embrace some college guys. Perhaps we'll see Team America and Robby Kelly's Redneck Racing working together?
My impression is that Dan Leever is a huge fan and supporter of the sport, and of the USST. Yet, he also realizes {as does Peter Lange} that there are a number of avenues to get to the WC, and to be prepared to succeed there. Dan is a bright guy. Looks for solutions. Does not just accept the status quo.
I would like to see the Uni team continue, include both genders and be permanent, but it needs to be imbedded in the budget and funded. Funding the team in general is a challenge. Never seems to change.
If kids could rely on this, and then look at college as a very realistic pipeline, we might see many of our best head to school.
Perhaps.
And any rate, for at least this season, the Uni team is history. Two years of hopefully somewhat useful experience.
BTW, it also sounds like the USST is going to permanently eliminate the men's D team, which makes perfect sense to me. We've discussed that before.
Meanwhile everybody is getting back on snow. Or almost everybody.......
