Coach Steve "Mash" has been coaching alpine ski racing for over 20 years. He has helped produce athletes that have gone on to race around the world.

Coach Andrew grew up skiing in Crested Butte, CO and raced for the University of Vermont on their nordic team. He has over 12 years coaching experience at the collegiate level starting at University Nevada-Reno, then Montana State, before taking the Head Nordic job at UAA. All three of his daughters participate in the AVSC program and he splits his time coaching these days between Jr Nordic and the AVSC Laughing Ptarmigan freeride group.

Coach Kara grew up racing in a midwestern league as well as USSA and FIS with Cascade Mountain in Wisconsin, and coached there as well. She raced for Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat Springs, CO and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Kara was the head coach of a state qualifying High School team in WI. She is an Arctic Valley lifetime member, volunteer coach, and is excited to watch her two children become Flying Ptarmigan!

Coach Luke, I grew up ski racing at Alyeska, Arctic Valley and all over Colorado with Crested Butte Academy. My Grandma and Dad started skiing at AV in 1958... I founded AVST back in 2018 with 30 athletes, both of my daughters have skied for AVST and my oldest is now coaching the Tinys. We've grown from 30 athletes in 2018 to 98 in 2023/24.  My love of speed and passion for skiing has kept my focus on making Arctic Valley a place for all skiers. Looking forward to another great season!

Coach Mark had a career in the marine corp where he had the opportunity to ski in several countries and many of the states, moved to Anchorage volunteered with Challenge Alaska at Alyeska, then moved to hilltop to volunteer with Special Olympics Was the hilltop ski area assistant ski school director for 2 years then became the ski school director for the next 13 years. While with hilltop he continued coaching and helping with Special Olympics. He became involved with ski racing when hilltop started a ysl ski program. Mark is also our official for us ski and snowboard the past 8 years.

Coach Dan has been training alpine skiers since 1989. He is an international mountaineering guide and ski racing coach. He holds a Level 6 Deutscher Schileherverband (DSLV) (German Ski-Instructor Association) certification, attained in 2000. The DSLV level 6 includes backcountry ski instruction/guiding and the training of instructors in all aspects of Alpine Skiing and Racing. In the US, he holds a level 3 USSA Ski Instructor certification and a Level 100 Alpine Race Coaching certification. He has experience coaching young racers for the Hillberg Youth Ski Team on JBER, the Mad River Glen Ski Team in Vermont, and the Arctic Valley Ski Team. Dan’s coaching philosophy is Safety 1st, Challenge the Athlete, and to have a BLAST doing it!

MORE COACH PROFILES COMING SOON

Questions about our programs?

Contact at avst@arcticvalley.org