DCSki Forums

JACK1975

January 25, 2022

Member since 01/24/2022 🔗

8 posts

My daughter is interested in joining the Timberline ski team (development) for the 2022/23 season. She's 8 and has been skiing since she's 3, fairly confident on blues. I'd love to hear other's experiences with the ski team -- Is it well managed? Good community of folks? Did your child stay engaged? Any input would be appreciated. Also, if you're from outside the Davis area, do you own a second home there or rent a seasonal place? I'm having trouble finding seasonal/monthly rentals. Thanks!

yellowsnow

January 25, 2022

Member since 12/15/2005 🔗

289 posts

Typically, monthly renters expect such a huge discount that rental agencies and owners can make more money just renting out the 4 weekends.

JACK1975

January 25, 2022

Member since 01/24/2022 🔗

8 posts

I hadn't thought of that, but it makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing!

marzNC - DCSki Supporter

January 25, 2022

Member since 12/10/2008 🔗

3,337 posts

Don't know anything about the history of a development team at Timberline since the Perfect family took over. Where are you driving from?

Bryce and Massanutten have very strong development teams for younger kids. My sense is that more of the kids on the Bryce team are from families who have a house/condo on the mountain. The Mnut team is a mix of kids who have parents willing to make the drive every weekend and locals who live in the Harrisonburg/Elkton area. The Mnut team coaches are all very experienced.

erdz

January 25, 2022

Member since 07/17/2016 🔗

7 posts

The Timberline team had to train at Canaan during the last years of T-Lines previous ownership. So not good. But now with the new ownership and under the new head coach Victoria Waldo ( who I coached at nights at Liberty) I am sure that they will right the ship and become a very good junior race team. With great terrain to train on.

JACK1975

January 25, 2022

Member since 01/24/2022 🔗

8 posts

Thanks, we're coming from Bethesda, MD. I'm keen on Timberline because we like to spend time in the Canaan Valley area, but I appreciate the input on the other teams as well. Something to consider.

marzNC wrote:

Don't know anything about the history of a development team at Timberline since the Perfect family took over. Where are you driving from?
Bryce and Massanutten have very strong development teams for younger kids. My sense is that more of the kids on the Bryce team are from families who have a house/condo on the mountain. The Mnut team is a mix of kids who have parents willing to make the drive every weekend and locals who live in the Harrisonburg/Elkton area. The Mnut team coaches are all very experienced.

johnfmh - DCSki Columnist

January 25, 2022 (edited January 25, 2022)

Member since 07/18/2001 🔗

1,992 posts

I talk to race team kids on the lift. They seem happy. From my understanding, it’s always been more about skier development and group fun than creating the next Mikaela Shiffrin. Very few racers, to my knowledge, even go on to compete at lower ranked ski colleges. The team used to own its own house on the Wintersett side of the mountain just above the parking lot. Not sure that’s still the case.

yellowsnow

January 25, 2022

Member since 12/15/2005 🔗

289 posts

I was there recently and the sign for the ski race team was still on that house.

JACK1975

January 25, 2022

Member since 01/24/2022 🔗

8 posts

Thanks, good to hear. And I couldn't agree more - my hope is to instill an appreciation and love of the sport. Anything more is gravy : )

kwillg6

January 25, 2022

Member since 01/18/2005 🔗

2,074 posts

I can share a lot from a historical perspective. I came to Timberline back in 94 for the very reason to give my son a great experience. He had been on the Snowshoe team for his first three years of "teaming." The team in the valley at that time was called "Canaan -Timberline" because we skied, raced, and trained at both mountains. We held races at both mountains as well with a slalom at Canaan on Ramble and a GS at Timberline on White Lightening. We ran races for younger kids on Lower Thunderstruck with "hero gates" which gave them a great experience. Early on, in the mid 90s, coaching was an issue but we solved that by hiring a local coach who was well respected in the mid atlantic and our kids excelled. Many went on to race competitively in college at both the regional and national level. One of the guys from that time is now a coach for the US Ski Team and will be coaching in Beijing with at least one other who raced as juniors in SARA (southern alpine race association). The way the Timberline team is run is different from back then. In the day, it was a parent run organization but, someone correct me if I'm wrong, it's now closer associated with the mountain due to their liability requirements. I know you would need to talk to the president of the club to find out costs and requirements for parents and team members. Over time, it's been a very successful organization but if you have higher expectations for your child, you will eventually be spending tens of thousands of dollars sending them north to one of the feeder academies for the Eastern Development Team, if the child qualifies. Hope this give some institutional history to the team.

JACK1975

January 25, 2022

Member since 01/24/2022 🔗

8 posts

I really enjoyed reading this history, thank you so much for taking the time to share! How exciting to have representation at the US Olympics!!

teardensohn

February 4, 2022

Member since 02/4/2022 🔗

2 posts

Glad to hear of your interest in the Timberline Team. I became the President of the Board/Team this season. My two kids (7 & 9) are racing for the team. I grew up in Vermont but now live outside DC. Timberline has returned to one of the better (if not best along with Snowshoe) ski areas in our region. The new ownership has reinvigorated the mountain in so many ways. While the race team is parent Board run we work hand in hand with TM. We have a practice race on White Lightning this Sunday Feb 6 then we host our League (saraski.org) U16-U21 Championships February 25-26. You should come watch and or meet with the team to better understand our program. Happy to discuss more details. you can contact me at teardensohn@gmail.com TRT's website - timberlineraceteam.org

oddballstocks

February 4, 2022

Member since 02/11/2017 🔗

128 posts

What's the commitment like?

I looked at the Hidden Valley team and it was one or two week night practices plus a lesson or race on the weekend. This would have been for a 12yr old.

My sense for the W PA resorts is that everyone on the teams is local, either from the LH area or Pittsburgh. I can't imagine driving more than an hour for practice two or three times a week.

The cost isn't cheap either, but what is in this sport?

johnfmh - DCSki Columnist

February 6, 2022

Member since 07/18/2001 🔗

1,992 posts

From their website:

https://www.timberlineraceteam.org/trt

What is a typical weekend?

A typical weekend is as follows:

Drive to Davis on Friday afternoon or evening
Up early on Saturday to get kids to the hut (preferably by 7:30 – 7:45 am for 8:00 am practice).
Kids head out to practice. Some parents hang out in the hut and socialize; some head right out to ski; others do their own thing. Parents may shadow their kid’s group as long as it doesn’t disrupt coaching [? Input please, not sure what the policy is]. A few do this especially for development and at the beginning of the season.
At noon, practice ends. Parents generally meet their kids at the hut. (Older kids may be independent or ski with friends.)
Kids have access to race on the NASTAR course, some families head back out to ski together for the afternoon, and others may do other activities or have downtime.
Sunday has the same schedule, then for many of us, the drive back to home on Sunday afternoon.

kwillg6

February 14, 2022

Member since 01/18/2005 🔗

2,074 posts

John, yeah, I remember those days. Back in the day, on busy weekends when lift lines were long we would have a dozen or more of the team members hanging out in our small condo watching movies or Warren Miller. Sometimes the wife and I couldn't get into the unit without tripping over boots, coats, and other gear. It was all good. They skied and practiced hard all AM and realized the potential hazard of skiing on crowded slopes. Had to laugh remembering now that Canaan Pollock, now a US Ski Team Coach, was one of the regulars at our place. The team becomes very close and those friendships carry on into adulthood.