Vermont U8 Ski Race Programs - Recommendations?

[JJMcClure]

Our kids have had an amazing experience in the Pico Ski Club program. The U8 coaches are amazing people. Really great people at every age level.

With that said... my guess is there will unfortunately not be any programs anywhere this winter given the virus situation.

All signs point to Pico for us.

 

[JJMcClure]

I'm not sure how serious you are, but if you are very serious about racing then you have to consider Burke Mountain and its program. It is a feeder for BMA. It is not "that" much further considering it is almost all interstate driving on I-91.

I kept this in mind and we had a tried but failed attempt to visit for a w/e. We concluded that an extra hr of travel would strain the rest of the kids, but we have it on our list for next season for a few visits.

 

[drjeff]

I kept this in mind and we had a tried but failed attempt to visit for a w/e. We concluded that an extra hr of travel would strain the rest of the kids, but we have it on our list for next season for a few visits.

Agree 100%, that extra hour or so each way, especially over the course of a season (I'm making my 19th weekend in a row drive up to ski country later today and have been doing that exact same thing for the last 15 years) adds up on you as the season goes on, especially on the Sunday drives home after a weekend on the hill, whether that's your home hill or at a race, which typically fall on Sundays. Being based at Mount Snow, I know that weekends where my kids had a Sunday race up in central VT, where my ride home to CT was going to be an extra hour plus, over my ride home from Mount Snow, always seemed way longer, especially as you got into late February and March

 

[boston_e]

Circling back, after a season of a 2-day w/e program in VT, and all of these comments are so much more meaningful. Freestyle, I like. Mixed thoughts between solid race fundamentals vs capturing interest/fun. 8 yrs old next season, any insight

All signs point to Pico for us.

So if you are thinking Pico - my memory from when my kids were that age is that the program was a nice balance where they would also spend some time taking the kids out just doing directed free skiing (but still working on fundamentals while doing so) so it isn't like the kids were not getting bored just dong gate drills all day. It always puts a smile on my face when i see a pack of U8's or U10's go ripping past me through the trees!