From the Desk of the Headmaster-Gary Benedix

• It seems that I may have created some confusion with what I wrote in the last newsletter regarding student applications.  For student athletes who are presently enrolled, (or were for some portion of this school year), there is no application required at this time.  I will be sending all of you “Returning Student” forms that will begin the process for your re-enrollment for next year.  I am grateful to hear from you as to your intentions so that we can begin planning accordingly but those first forms that I need from you should be completed in April.  As for new applicants, this is the time to get the applications completed and back to the Academy.

• Grades closed for progress reports this past Friday, February 24, 2006.  The reports will be mailed this week.

• It was great to hear from one of our former students, Simon Davis, who attended the Academy back in 1995 – 96 and 1997 – 98.  He has been keeping up on events in BBTS through the website and sent me an email this week.  In his email he said “Well after reading several of the WVA newsletters via the BBTS website it reminded me just what an Excellent time I had at the Academy and how beneficial it was to me as an individual.”  This was a great reminder to me as to why we do what we do here in Waterville Valley!  Simon was an Alpine skier from England who has since moved on to be a Police Officer in the Metropolitan Police (“The Met”) in London England.  He is still skiing and is presently the defending champion in the Slalom and Giant Slalom, three years running, in the British Police Ski Championships.

• The skiing is still pretty darn good but please, Think Snow!

From our Athletic and Alpine Director-Tom Barbeau

• Before I get into our excellent results from the past 2 weeks I would like to tell you about one of our tough athletes. For me, toughness is the most important characteristic an athlete can possess. At the Presidents’ Day Race at Loon, Erin Daigle badly pulled her groin and other muscles surrounding the hip. Yet this weekend at Attitash, Erin was still out there competing at the State J3 Finals and giving her best. Congratulations and great spirit. Also, congrats to someone else who knows something about toughness-Erin Fucigna qualified for the National J2 Championships.

BWL Qualifier at Cannon (Slalom)

• J5 Girls – Grace Glennon 2^nd, 3^rd and 2^nd overall; Macaela Wright 3^rd, 2^nd and 3^rd; Chole Ewanouski 6^th, 5^th and 5^th; Elena Tomlinson 7^th, 6^th and 7^th; Teagan Mosenthal 10^th, 9^th  and 10^th; Jeanee Crane-Mauzy had a 10^th place run.

• J5 Boys – Alexander Katz 3^rd, 2^nd and 2^nd; Jay Kaunelis 5^th, 8^th and 6^th; Dan Lannan 6^th, 6^th and 5^th; Peter Fucigna 7^th, 9^th and 7^th; Ryan Schmidt 9^th and 9^th overall; Henry Tomlinson a 1^st place run and 8^th overall; Clark Macomber had an 11^th place run (Sam watch out).

• J4 Girls – Alice Anastasia 1^st place run and 8^th overall, Eliza Cowie a 2^nd place run; Annie D’Elia 5^th, 8^th and 3^rd; Lindsay Todaro 7^th, 5^th and 4^th; Katie Kraunelis 9^th place run and 9^th overall; Kerry Daigle had a 4^th place finish.

• J4 Boys – Sam Macomber 1^st  2^nd and 1^st; Garrett Quimby 2^nd, 1^st and 2^nd; Pete French 3^rd, 5^th and 4^th; Adam Dropkin 5^th, 6^th and 5^th; Adam Risman had a 6^th place run; Mike Sampson 8^th, 8^th and 6^th; Zach Ziolowski (ZZ Top) had a 9^th place; Mike Bancroft also had a 9^th place finish.

Our State Team: Macaela Wright, Grace Glennon, Chole Ewanouski, Jeanee Crane-Mauzy, Elena Tomlinson, Teagan Mosenthal, Torey Brooks, Eliza Cowie, Kerry Daigle, Alice Anastasia, Annie D’Elia, Lindsay Todaro, Henry Tomlinson, Alexander Katz, Jay Kraunelis, Dan Lannan, Clark Macomber, Ryan Schmidt, Max Lash, Peter Fucigna, Michael Gough, Brian McLaughlin, Sam Macomber, Garrett Quimby, Mike Sampson, Pete French, Chase Ennis, Adam Dropkin, Mike Bancroft, Zach Ziolowski.

J3 Regional SL at Protor

• Abby Fucigna (Olympic Team) 1^st, 1^st and 1^st overall; Jamie Crane-Mauzy (Olympic Team) 11^th place run and 2^nd overall; Chelsea Stevens (Olympic Team) 6^th place run; Brennan Smith (Olympic Team) 3^rd, 2^nd and 2^nd; John Kalinski (Finals Team) 10^th place run. Gordon Ellinwood 15^th place and Finals Team

J3 State SL at Ragged Mt.

• Nika Mosenthal (State Team) 6^th, 5^th and 4^th overall; Jamie Gough (State Team &  Piche Team) 1^st place run; Helen Anderson 9^th place finish; Will Glennon (Piche Team) 5^th place run.

J3 State GS Finals at Attitash

• Amanda Engelhardt 4^th; Nika Mosenthal 7^th; Erica Hamlin 7^th, Nico Anastasia 1^st, Carter White (State Team) 10^th.

J3 State SL Finals at Attitash

• Amanda Engelhardt (Finals Team) 2^nd; Jamie Gough 8^th; Nico Anastasia (Finals Team) 3^rd; Tim Brick (State Team) 4^th; Kenny Bourdeau 11^th.

J1’s and J2’s

J2 Eastern Champs

• Erin Fucigna 1^st; Maddy Packard 3^rd; Kia Mosenthal 5^th; Nate Bryant 10^th.

Mac Cup SL Tenney

• Kia Mosenthal 8^th; Erin Fucigna 9^th ; August Felix 10^th

Tec Cup SL Pats Peak

• Maddy Hobbs 2^nd; Julie Clark 6^th; Neil Hanson 6^th.

Mac Cup Finals SL Pats Peak

• Kia Mosenthal 3^rd, Maddy Packard 5^th; Catherine Warchal 10^th; Julian Jacobson 8^th; George Packard 9^th.

Tec Cup SL Tenney

• Scott MacPherson 5^th

Tec Cup Finals GS Sunapee

• Ashley Hawes 4^th; Maddy Packard 8^th; Katy Belanger 10^th; Andrew Hawes 2^nd.

Tec Cup Finals SL Cranmore

• Doug Hering 6^th; Eric Demers 9^th.

New Hampshire High School Champs

• Kia Mosenthal 1^st in SL and GS; Abby Clark 3^rd SL and 8^th GS; Julie Clark 20^th SL and 22^nd GS; Casey Dropkin (SI Model and Ski Jumper Extraordinaire) 15^th SL and 20^th GS.

PARENT ADVICE:

1-     Please make sure your racer comes to the mountain with sharp skis and skis that are not railed. Railed skis can ruin careers, the athlete ends up with bad habits because the only way to make a railed ski turn is to sit and rotate.

2-     This is the time of year to talk less. The athlete is racing and they will go fast if they have decided to go fast.

3-     Lunch room mess: I have been putting up clean-up signs in the lunchroom for 16 years and it is still messy. If parents and coaches both remind the children to put their trash away then it just might happen.

From our Freestyle Director-Nick Preston

Allison Lee, Kayla Snyderman, Dylan Ferguson-U.S. Junior World Team-Head to Russia

• Allison, Kayla, and Dylan have been selected to the 2006 USSA Junior World Team currently on their way to St. Petersburg, Russia to compete in the 2006 FIS Junior World Championship.

• These 3 athletes have earned selection to this elite USSA Junior World Team due to the fact that they are among the top 4 athletes in the United States of all 19 year olds and under. Allison Lee ranks 3rd among all juniors in Aerials. Kayla Snyderman ranks 4^th in Moguls, is on the US Ski Team, and has recently been crowned the Dual Mogul Gran-Prix FIS Nor-Am Champion. Dylan Ferguson is currently the top ranked FIS junior in the country.

• The 2006 FIS Junior World Championship will be held in Krasnoe Ozero, north of St. Petersburg, March 3-6. Our very best wishes and congratulations go out to these extraordinary athletes. These 3 comprise the largest single club representation on the Jr. World Team. BBTS, be proud!

Tim Preston, Kayla Snyderman are FIS Nor-Am Gran Prix Champions

• US Team mogul skier Tim Preston, after a Nor-Am schedule where he posted 3 wins and a 2^nd, finished the FIS Nor-Am tour with the most mogul Gran-Prix points. This is Tim’s second Gran-Prix title, having won the Dual title in 2004, but is his 1^st in Moguls.

• Kayla Snyderman, with 2 1^st and a 2^nd in Nor-Am Dual events won her the Dual Gran-Prix and cemented her US Team status for next season.

• As a bonus for Tim, his results provide him with the last 3 World Cup starts in March, starting in Jisan Forest Resort, Korea, Inawashiro, Japan, and concluding with World Cup Finals to held in Apex, British Columbia.  Hannah Kearney will also be competing in those Cups. I’m sure she will be seeking some retribution after her disappointing Olympics.

Dylan Ferguson 2^nd in Aerials at Nor-Am Finals

• Dylan Ferguson, WVA,’06 will end his Nor-Am season on an extraordinary note finishing 2^nd in Aerials at SnowBasin, Montana. Dylan landed  2 twisting double flips for his best score of the season and placed him as the top American in the field.

Allie Lee and Mike Clarke – Eastern Halfpipe Champions

• A 5 AM departure to Mt. Snow for the USSA Eastern Halfpipe Championship proved well worth it for several of the early risers on the BBTS team. In the women’s field, Allison Lee’s 1^st run of 41.2 remained providing her the championship win.

• In a field of 46 men, it took Mike Clarke’s second run to best the field with a score 83.4 in a spectacular run that included a cork 9 over 10 feet out of the pipe. Holderness freshman, Nick Martini, finished 3rd placing 2 Waterville freeriders on the podium. Rounding out the top 10 were Tucker Perkins and Willis Brown placing 9^th and 10^th.

Mike Clarke Makes it 2 Eastern Championship Titles with Big Air

• Strange and vicious weather postponed the USSA-E Big Air Championship until Monday. But this proved little inconvenience to Mike Clarke, who repeated his Championship ways with a winning 96.7 (out of 100). Placing second was WVA’s Andrew Hathaway with a 94. 4^th place went to rising star Paul Sullivan, missing the podium only due to a 3^rd place tie breaker. Tucker Perkins placed 8^th and Henry Holdsworth 10^th. Another 5 of the top ten event finish for Waterville!!

Jesse Padgett 2^nd in Loon Big Air- Nessa Dziemian Notches Another Win

• In the Loon EQS Big Air this past weekend, Nessa Dziemian continued nothing short of dominance as she trounced the girls’ field with a 43 point Big Air win. Another congratulations goes out to this exceptional 11 year old, who continually redefines EQS women’s freestyle.

• And nothing is more satisfying to coach, athlete and family, when a rising talent finally brings their best competitive skiing to the competition course to earn their rightful, long anticipated result. Congratulations Jesse Padgett on a second place overall finish at the Loon Big Air with an outstanding 76 point score. Rounding out the top 5 were Kyle Keating placing 4^th and Tyler Thistle 5^th. Good job coach Shuffleton – 3 in the top 5 is a job well done.

• I look forward to reporting on Tim, Hannah, Kayla, Dylan, Mike, Allie, Jesse, Nessa,  and the rest of the WVA and BBTS skiers as we head toward our championship season

Nick Preston

From our Snowboard Director-Bill Enos

• Mass week had everything-cold, snow, sun, contests and Pro skater Bucky Lasek.

• The powder was a treat after all the bad weather we have had this season.  We all rode pretty hard in it as we got dumped on. It was some of the best riding of the season.

• Tuesday night I had a very special date with the Robb sisters. Our night started off at my house where the girls’ dad Rich, dropped them off. I asked him if I could use his car because I own a 2-seater cargo van – not very safe. Little did I know that this car-a Volvo-was Rich’s pride and joy-he has had it since he got his license or something.  The pressure was on and so was the engine check light after about 10 miles. The girls kept telling me how much this car meant to their dad and he would rather drive his old Volvo than a new BMW----my palms were sweating. So I was off for Dinner with Carly, Haley and Mackenzie, We had pizza, some super hot wings and bread sticks in Meredith. I can’t remember the name of the place but it was really good. It was in that little mall with the waterfall that looks fun to tube down. Our next stop was fun spot where we went bowling. We got cool shoes and started to bowl. The girls were in a three-way battle for first while I fired gutter ball after gutter ball. In the end Carley came out on top while I fired an impressive 75. I wasn’t on my A game. After the bowling exhibition we put on we played some miniature golf, and tons of video games. In the end we had a great time and returned the Volvo without any damage.

• Wednesday night learn to crochet a hat with Bill got cancelled when Brett Pogoda got hurt doing a back flip. It was a scary crash but in the end Brett was fine.  Brett actually landed the same Backey in the slopestyle contest on Saturday at WV to win his age group. At the Hospital we got to check up on Will Brown (free rider extraordinaire) and David Waltzer-they are all fine and doing well. I was lucky enough to be able to get a burger from the café extra greasy just the way I like them for an extra bonus.

• Thursday – crochet a hat with Bill – participants- Chad, Brendan, Danielle, Carly, Millie, Monique, Linda – some did better than others, but we all had fun. Keep working on them. Chad completed his first hat.

• Saturdays Slope at WV – was pretty much a sweep by BBTS.  All our riders looked great out there. Brett P picked up his first win of the season while Merrick Joyce spun his first 900 in competition. Busting out his first slope win ever was Brendan Hart with a solid run – look out for this guy in the future. Sam Hulbert and Branden Reiss duped it out for the win with a tie- Sam actually had the best run of the day on his first run. Great job guys – to the next level.

• Saturday night’s USASA party was a really good time for the kids, everyone got a sweatshirt. There were a lot of good prizes in the raffle also. After that party we had a chance to go to the BBTS party. Coach Sam really lit it up on the drums-I thought it was Tommy Lee for a minute.

• Sundays Half pipe at Loon - My morning was horrible.  I was very tired and just wanted to sleep. Timmy and I were on our way to Loon when out of the blue a car goes flying by us with a familiar face (Aly Weare).  Smiling and waving she dives in front of us and sprays us. I was mad, we had no washer fluid and bad wipers – this slowed us down to nothing. I let her have it when we got there. Aly had a really good half pipe run so I kind of forgive her.

• Collin Hart podiumed with a second and all our riders stood out from the pack. Pretty good for not having one of those u shaped things to practice in. I would also like to say that our riders are amazing, that pipe was icier than the bobsled run at the Olympics. No matter what place you came in, just doing it showed you’re a trooper. As a coach you have to tell your riders to suck it up and rip it up. But when I came down after the contest I chose to ride the deck and spray a judge that was stinking it up in there.

• Sorry I don’t have any info on the BX from two weekends ago. Still waiting for Anton’s update

• At the Mountain Dew contest our riders raked in the prizes. The brownie brat pack killed it with all of them placing.

BILL

Trans / Am

Snowboarder Rail Jam

• A fun competition for all, the Trans / Am rail jam went off without a hitch. From Mack truck tires, to butter boxes, and rails 2 inches off the ground, the course of this competition was definitely abstract. Riders from 11 to 20+ years in age all aggressively attacked the course in an open jam format. There were nolly front flips, and monster truck tire hand-plants, and all kinds of crazy tricks. There were 270’s onto this and 450’s onto that, performed by a bunch of crazy kids.

• Many of those crazy kids were our very own BBTS and WVA riders who ended up obtaining the recognized trans/am t-shirt advancing them into the final round. With his wild hand-plants, and steezy rotations, taking first for the men’s division was BBTS weekend Coach, Jacque Beriau. With her cab 270’s and her 270 gap onto the Mobydick rail, little ripper Millie Chapman took first place for the women’s division (meanwhile hooking her mom up with all of the nice Oakley attire that she won). Last but not least, throwing front flips like they were going out of style, doing the smoothest 5-O to 270 same-way-outs, and linking trick after trick with great ease, Sam Hulbert ran away with the well earned rider’s choice award.

• Aside from the frigid cold weather and the absurdly overcrowded judge’s booth, the competition showed great promise for very talented riders to come in the future for BBTS and Waterville Valley Academy. Look to see great things from these riders at up and coming events such as the US Open at Stratton Mountain, and USASA Nationals out at North Star Resort at Lake Tahoe California.

-Sam Harding
 

This week’s schedule:

Training Monday thru Sun 9 to 3

Wednesday at 3 -------learn to crochet a hat with Bill

Thursday at 3 --------learn to make Duct tape wallets with Bill

Saturday – Main event at WV get there early

Student Corner

• Katelyn Todaro is in her first year at WVA.  Her sister Lindsay, a sixth grader, also attends WVA. Katie is a J-III Alpine racer on the WVBBTS team.  Up until this year Katie raced with the Bretton Woods team.  During the ski season the sisters live with their parents in their condo in Waterville Valley.

• Katie is a freshman at Hopkinton High School in Massachusetts.  She is taking a full schedule of seven courses, plus Physical Education which is taught by her coach Tom Barbeau.  Even so, Katie was able to prepare an entry for the Friends of the Arts Regional Arts Council’s Juried High School Art Exhibit displayed at the Silver Center for the Arts at Plymouth State University.  Her project was submitted by her WVA art teacher Sarah Heidenis who teaches Katie Fashion and Textile Design.

• “Katie, you won the Craft Award in the art show.  Please describe your entry.”

• “I made a weaving of yarn, ribbon and beads.  It’s mainly green, orange and red.  I went to the show and saw a lot of really neat stuff.  There are lots of talented high-schoolers in New Hampshire!”

• “Katie, you seem to be successful in various endeavors from ski racing, to art, to Honors classes.  What to you plan to do when you finish college?”

• “I have no idea.  I don’t even know what I want to do in college!  I’m just taking it a day at a time.”

Upcoming Events

• Saturday, March 4-The Main Event Snowboard Competition

• Saturday, March 4 and Sunday, March 5-ECS Eastern Divisional Championships-Freestyle

• Saturday, March 25-WVBBTS Year End Barbeque-for WVA and BBTS families at lunch time at the base of World Cup by the Timing Hut.  We supply the burgers, dogs, buns, condiments, chips, cookies and water.  Please bring a side dish to share.

• Saturday, April 1-WVBBTS Year End Bash-for WVA and BBTS families starting at 5:30 pm at the Conference Center.  ALL TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE BY SATURDAY, MARCH 25.  $22 FOR ADULTS AND KIDS OVER 10; $15 FOR KIDS 10 AND UNDER.  You can purchase tickets from Sharon Schmidt in the lunchroom most weekends or mail in a check with the number of adults and kids attending payable to WVBBTS to Sharon Schmidt, WVBBTS/SEF, PO Box 442, Waterville Valley, NH   03215.