Head U8 CoachAlpine Race Team
Ages 6–7
The U8s.
For a kid who can ride the big rope tow, with very little racing.
At a glance
- Ages
- Ages 6–7
- Practices
- Tuesday and/or Thursday evenings 5:30–7:00pm plus Saturday mornings 8:30–11:00am. Two-day or three-day options.
- Tuition, 2026–27
- $675 for two days a week, $875 for three. Every group’s price, and rentals
- Memberships
- US Ski & Snowboard. Which one to buy
What this year is for
Fun-damentals!
Athlete development can begin at an early age! For our youngest athletes who can use the big rope tow, the focus is on fostering a lifelong love of skiing and ski racing through fun and structured activities that teach the basics of skiing and balance.
Coaches design seasonal programs that promote basic competency and build a platform for advancement of skiing skills. A fun and skills-based focus provides athletes with the necessary tools to succeed at the next level and beyond. Very limited (if any) racing is done at this level.
What to bring
Must have
- One pair of multi-event skis, sized for your child. No twin tips.
- Ski boots that fit now.
- A helmet, with no chin bar. If you are buying a new one, buy a hard-ear helmet that takes a chin bar: that is what U10 requires.
- Durable leather mittens or gloves, the Kinco sort. Other materials do not survive the rope tow.
- Goggles.
Nice to have
- Ski poles, sized for your child.
- A second goggle lens: a light one for cloudy days and evening training, a dark one for sun.
Phase 1
What a U8 coach is working on
These are the development goals US Ski & Snowboard sets for phase 1, and what our coaches plan a season around. GS is giant slalom, SL slalom, SG super-G and DH downhill.
On the skis
- Athletic stance and balance
- Ski stance is athletically adaptable. Can ski medium radius turns with parallel skis while maintaining balance. Upper body (pelvis and torso) orients down the fall line.
- Skills: rotary, edging and pressure
- Movements are varied, such as; wedge, parallel, converging & diverging steps, skating, etc. leading to outside ski dominance. Able to move from foot to foot and jump off both feet. Can turn both legs in same direction.
- Turn strategies
- Able to make short, medium and long radius turn relative to the skiers physical size.
- Coordination of movement
- Leg rotation is simultaneous while maintaining a parallel relationship between the skis. Can skid down the slope on the uphill edges while maintaining parallel skis. Can flex and extend the lower body proactively and reactively in certain situations.
On the course
- Terrain
- Have fun with skiing and gain confidence on skis. Mileage around the mountain is maximized with an emphasis on fun, freeskiing with friends.
- Giant slalom and slalom
- Focus on drill courses & skill/obstacle courses. Limited normal GS courses. SL with stubbies and/or cones and other imaginative type sets are utilized for increasing skillfulness.
- Downhill and super-G
- Elementary tuck practiced on cat tracks and low angle groomed runs. Able to jump with both feet.
- Course sets
- Most skiing time should be on easier terrain, such that the athlete can learn/practice sound technique, not learn defensive technique encouraged by steeper terrain.
- Competition strategies
- Focus on skill development through use of SkillsQuest Phase 1 Programs and tournaments.
Who’s on the hill
U8 coaches
Head U8 CoachU8 CoachVirginia Hudson
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Virginia, a native of Wolfeboro and ski team alum, has been “riding the rope” at Abenaki since the age of three. She is excited to continue her coaching career this season with the U8s. When not hitting the slopes, she attends Berwick Academy in South Berwick, Maine where she is a sophomore.
Kiernan Kolodner
Maggie Green
Lars Pelletier
U8 CoachTrevor Greene
Hollie Greene
Garret Van Gelder
The other age groups
- Ages 8–9U10Race-specific fundamentals and a few local races, on every kind of terrain and snow the hill has.
- Ages 10–11U12Slalom, giant slalom and speed skills trained in gates, with racing around the region and a shot at states.
- Ages 12–13U14Slalom, giant slalom and speed skills built toward mastery, and for some athletes, super-G training.
Ready to sign up?
Registration runs through Ski Club Pro. Every athlete needs a season pass and a US Ski & Snowboard membership before the first day on snow.