Bottom:  Abby Fucigna’s Bronze Medal Run

From our CEO-Peter Stokloza

• Season Over!  As we embark into spring it’s time to reflect over the past year.  Our programs enjoyed successes as well as challenges throughout the winter.  These moments build character and experience which we will draw on.  Now is time to address the current and future needs of our academy and club programs.  I want to thank all the athletes, BBTS staff, parents and members for representing our organization admirably.  I am proud of the achievements and the work that was done by everyone. 

• It is of the highest priority to start preparing for next season by reviewing all aspects of our programs and the academy.  To remain competitive we need to be able to be as innovative and resourceful as possible.  While we will always be challenged by the weather, venues, finances and facilities we look forward to discovering new ways to accomplish our goals and ultimately our organization’s mission and vision statements. We need feedback from our membership and I encourage all members to give the program directors and I their input positive or critical. Please feel free to email me at pstokloza@wvbbts.org with your thoughts or any insight you may want to share on our programs.

• On a personal side I would like to thank my executive staff; Tom Barbeau, Nick Preston, Bill Enos, Gary Benedix, Sharon Charron and Sharon Schmidt and all the teachers and coaches for all their hard work this season. I wish everyone a safe and enjoyable spring and look forward to seeing everyone at the BBTS Golf Tournament in June.

Sincerely,

Pete

From the Desk of Director of Development and Communications-Sharon Schmidt

• WVBBTS Annual Giving Campaign-We are at $72,600 of a goal of $81,600 in the WVBBTS Annual Giving Campaign.  We have $9000 in donations left to receive between now and May 31.  Please help us to achieve this goal at whatever amount you are able to donate by sending in your donation by the end of the first week in May-this gives us time to assure we reach our goal by May 31.  All Annual Giving Campaign donors will receive a WVBBTS logo sticker.  We accept charge card donations (just call me at 978-649-6843 with your credit card information) or a check payable to WVBBTS/SEF which you can mail to Sharon Schmidt, WVBBTS, PO Box 442, Waterville Valley, NH   03215.
   

• WVBBTS Golf Tournament-Saturday, June 10-Join in the fun at the Waterville Valley Golf Club Grand Opening Tournament to be held on Saturday, June 10.  The proceeds of this tournament will benefit WVBBTS.  Many thanks to Waterville Company and Waterville Valley Golf Club for their support.  Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.  Please have your family join us for dinner at the dinner only rate.  Click here for details and a registration form.

From our Headmaster-Gary Benedix

• I would like to thank our faculty, coaches, staff, parents, and students for another great year at WVA.  There were several improvements this year such as (to mention a few) the additional classroom space in Town Square, new carpeting throughout the dorm and the addition of Susan Brunvand who provided some of the most exquisite lunches that kept us quite well fed. The additional classroom space in Town Square was a great improvement for the academic program, but I am very excited at the prospect of moving some of those classes back to the Snows Mountain property if the purchase is completed.  For future years it is exciting to consider the possibility that we may have ownership of Pickering Hall, where we have been holding most of our classes for so many years, as well as the additional great property necessary to complete our campus.

• The Yearbooks are in and ready to be mailed!  Those students who would like a yearbook should send $20 to the Academy at P.O. Box 270, Waterville Valley, NH  03215 and we will mail it out.

• It was unfortunate that the Snowboard team and several of the Alpine racers were away for competition the last week of school and were not able to attend the Headmaster’s Banquet.  It was a wonderful evening.  Franz Dubach and his staff at the William Tell prepared and served a great meal once again this year.  The Academic Awards for the year were presented by the Academy Department Heads.  English:  Lindsay Todaro, Brett Stein, John Strenio and Katie Todaro.  Science:  Colin Hart, Haley Wilich, Lindsay Todaro, Kerry Daigle and Zachary Ziolkowski.  Math:  Kerry Daigle, Lindsay Todaro, Andrew Hathway, Brooks Watts, Brett Stein, Molly Testwuide, Gordon Ellinwood and Nate Bryant.  History:  Lindsay Todaro, Katie Todaro, Clayton Vila, and Alissa Pinkoski.  Marketing:  Jenny Mustard.  French:  Alissa Pinkoski.  Spanish:  Abby Fucigna, Katie Todaro, Ryan Day, and Wes Walsh.  Art: Lindsay Todaro, Katie Todaro, Colin Hart, Ryan Storm and Zachary Ziolkowski.  The Headmaster’s Award went to Molly Testwuide who has been an intricate part of the student/athlete population for several years.  She has demonstrated excellence in her academics, athletics and school spirit.  It was my pleasure to be able to honor her with this Award.

• Returning Student enrollments have gone out in the mail and it is important to get student/parent responses by the beginning of next month before our first Admission Committee meeting which is to be held during the first week of May.  At this meeting we will be reviewing returning students as well as starting with the first round of acceptances for new applicants.

• Although this season is just wrapping up we are well into the planning stages for next year and I am looking forward to another great one.

From our Athletic and Alpine Director-Tom Barbeau

• Sunday April 9^th was Waterville Valley’s last day of the season. It was also arguably its best day of skiing, great snow and sun. The Herings, the Fergusons and Robert Mann were out there to the bitter end-what passion.

• I got to the mountain right after the “pond skimming” contest (I am sorry if I miss any of our participants), but I heard about some of our brave water skiers. We had many side by side family teams. The brothers, Tom and Mike Sampson, tucked from the top of the T-bar. Father and daughter, Todd and Kia Mosenthal, had some problems as Todd took quite the spill. It seems our Team Chiropractor needs an adjustment. Seriously, we hope Dad is okay. Our mother and daughter team was Wendy and Casey Dropkin. Casey had to drag Wendy in order to go fast enough to make it across the pond. In the brother/sister category Devon Wright made it on his teleskis, but Macaela decided to take a plunge. Jamie Crane-Mauzy made it through on one ski, but then on her next try caught a toe and had a bath as did little sis Jilly. Jilly vowed to not go swimming next year.

• Our race trip to Finland was a success. Racing in the North Pole, we had some good results and I believe everyone lowered their FIS points. The men were lead by Coach/racer Nick Baker and the ladies by Erin Fucigna. Maddy Packard, Catherine Warchal, Ally Ewanouski, Molly Testwuide (congratulations on winning the Headmaster’s Award), Mark Mikos, Kamden Burke, and Nate Bryant all had point races.

• Below is the list of the 2005/06 WVBBTS Alpine Awards:

• Congratulations and thanks to all of our athletes.

Tom Barbeau

Waterville Valley Sports Camp Partnership
 

• Waterville Valley Sports Camp-A Sports for Lifetime Academy-is a co-ed resident camp located in Waterville Valley for children ages 8-14.  It is a summer camp that combines the benefits of a traditional camp experience with a program that focuses on sports and activities that kids can enjoy for the rest of their lives, such as tennis, swimming, golf, mountain biking and hiking. These are sports that you can learn as a child and then go on to practice and participate well into adulthood. By assembling a group of quality instructors usually only found in dedicated, intensive sports camps catering to the exceptional athlete, WVSC’s goal is to introduce campers to activities they can enjoy throughout their lives and to develop their skills to the point where they can continue to pursue these sports at their own pace, and to have fun while doing so.
   
• Two, four and six-week sessions will begin July 2, 2006 through August 13, 2006, and will run Sunday to Sunday.
   
• The business partnership works as follows:  For each BBTS Ski Club or Waterville Valley Academy family member that enrolls in the camp for Summer 2006 (and for each third party child that enrolls in the Summer 2006 camp that has been referred to the camp by a BBTS Ski Club or Waterville Valley Academy member) WVSC will donate $100 to WVBBTS/SEF's Annual Giving Campaign.  To secure this donation for WVBBTS/SEF, all the enrolling family needs to do is use the application at http://www.wvbbts.org/WVSC_Application.pdf which refers to WVBBTS as the referring party (or otherwise refer to WVBBTS in the application as the referring party).
   
• For further information about Waterville Valley Sports Camp please see their brochure at http://www.wvbbts.org/WVSportsCamp.pdf along with their web site at www.wvsportscamp.com or contact them at 800 832-4242 x312.

From our Snowboard Director-Bill Enos

Snowboard Nationals

Here is a note from Bill Enos that came out after Nationals to share with the rest of the WVBBTS organization about this Snowboard competition.

• Sorry it has taken me so long to write about Nationals at Northstar. All I really wanted to do when I got home was rake my yard and catch up on a few things.  Well the yard is done and I am hoping this will be my last newsletter for the season.  So here’s how things went down at Nationals.

• Day 1 was a practice day – time schedules were all mixed up  and so were coaches but we got through it. It would have been nice to have a little more time on the jumps and rails.

• After day 1 - I start to draw blanks – This event is grueling for coaches with 12 hour days back to back for the week. From being up there to meet everyone at 7:30 every morning, coaching for a full day, then going right to coaches meeting till 6pm – followed up by awards ceremonies until 8. This could be why it has taken me so long to write this letter. I am recovering!

• Well here’s what I remember – Milli Chapman and Jerid Lucas rode hard all day an Tuesday working their way from round to round in the BX, when it was finally cancelled at 5 pm because of snow and the fact that the lifts were closed. At the riders meeting they decided to run it the following day with another group. I made my way up there from one of the other venues I was coaching just in time to help prep boards and start our riders. Both Milli and Jared made it through semis and into finals with some skillful riding. In finals Milli almost took home the gold just barely getting edged out, we both looked at each other when we saw that the gate we wanted was left wide open. For Jared we weren’t as lucky, we received the 5^th gate pick – a tough starting spot. Jared went from the outside in on the first gate like a veteran and moved up four spots in one turn, just to have his tail clipped in turn 2. Jared ended up 4^th . This was a great week of BX for WV. All our riders qualified for the knock off rounds all week long. Libby Aldridge was a trouper at her first National BX event.

• Race- Milli took home a 5^th place in the GS and Trappy finished his amateur career  with a second place in the GS – I saw Trappy’s first run and he was nothing short of amazing, I wish I could do turns like that and he is ready for the big show. Mike has been with us since the 6^th grade.  He will be missed at WVA. Mike is also still waiting for his first kiss from a girl. The brownie brat pack enjoyed their first nationals – Quote from Anton –“ The squad has come from barely being able to get off the chairlift to becoming full fledged alpine assassins. I couldn’t be happier with the progress-they looked like professional racers – keep it up brownies-never surrenders. Congratulations to Kevin Stein who continues to excel and we found out Kevin is allergic to snow, this may cause some problems in his race career. 

• Slopestyle – Milli once again came alive, throwing her first backy in competition and finishing 4^th or 5^th can’t remember but she was robbed, she was definitely.

• Brendan Hart worked hard all season and it paid off at the slope. Brendan finished 16^th but in my eyes and from what I saw he was top five. Between Randal and Brendan they both got the most improved award for the year. Right on their tails are about 20 other young riders that could very easily be awarded as most improved. In the junior men Brandon Reis finished 5^th. For the open men and the x games spot WV went 1 –3 with WVA graduate Ian Thorley winning and Timmy Humphreys finishing 3^rd. Both tore it up in finals and showed they are ready for the snowboard world. Timmy  showed this season that he is the real deal, he has made WV proud and we are behind him for years to come.

• Halfpipe – two words –MERRICK JOYCE  head height airs, a frontside 9 tail the whole way head height and a backside 7 – I feel lucky to know a giant that stands 4 feet tall and 70lbs. Can you say the next Shaun White and he resides in Laconia. Merrick finished 5^th with 3 judges picking him as the winner and 3 judges that absolutely know nothing about snowboarding placing him in the 20’s.

• Milli Chapman again showed why she is one of the best girls in the country. In my eyes she won the half pipe with good airs and a mctwist.  Jared Lucas put together good runs to land him in the top 10.

• Making the finals with the 3^rd highest score in his age group was Ian Hart. Ian ended up 11^th in the finals – watch out for this guy in years to come. Ian Hart, Brendan Chadwick, Nick Caveman D and Wes Walsh are a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

• Well, I am tired of writing but I am so proud of all our riders this season-everyone really represented WV and our team like true champions. I am also proud of all of you that didn’t make nationals or get a chance to go for your personal achievements of this year. Parents, please just remember that there is only one of me.  It is easy to judge from the outside, sorry about any spelling errors and that it took so long for me to write about Nationals.

• Most importantly – your kids mean the world to me

• Bill