Archive for the 'Hopefuls Announcements' Category

The race arena will be open for business tomorrow so the expectation is that our race for Saturday is a GO! The race will be held on the new race arena on Bull Run. We will be running a single course format, rather than a dual so we would like to have the race start moved to 9:30 am. We’ll meet at the Sugar House at 9 am, inspect the course with our teams and first racer off at 9:30. Each child will take 2 runs in the course and scoring will be on combined time and team results. It is our anticipation that the race should be finished by our usual 11 am lunch time. Please meet your kids at the finish of the race, we will not return as a group to the Sugar House. After lunch we’ll meet again at the Sugar House at noon and ski until 2 pm at which time we will announce race results.

For those new to  ski racing and those who aren’t, any number of things can occur on race day. Timing issues, course maintenance and many other delay, it is often a hurry up and wait affair. Just enjoy and get to know the other parents. Hopeful races usually have the best turn out of most races on the mountain so get ready to cheer the kids on.

See you all at the Sugar House Saturday morning!

Pam, Jim and the Hopeful Coaches

We had a fantastic day of skiing today with all the Hopefuls. The coaches are really excited to be skiing with the kids. Just a reminder that we’ll be skiing again on Thursday 12/29 and Saturday 12/31, starting and finishing at the Sugar House 9-11 and 12-2.

Thursday 12/29 we will have our annual parent informational meeting from 5-7 pm at Okemo Mountain School (53 Main St, Ludlow). This is a great opportunity to find out more about the program, ask questions, meet the coaches and other parents. Refreshments will be provided by OMARA (Okemo Mountain Racing Assoc). We would prefer no children please (mostly due to the size of the meeting area).

Jacket orders are due by Saturday, please see Leigh or Ellen.

Thanks for letting us ski with your kids and see you on the slopes

Hi Folks,

The OMARA Meeting that was postponed from December 3rd has a new date and location.

We will now be meeting at 6:00 PM at Willie Dunn’s Grille (at the Okemo Valley Golf Club) on January 7, 2012!

Click Here for Directions to Willie Dunn’s

Hello Everyone,

Hopeful’s will be meeting this weekend. We will meet in front of the Sugar House at 9 am and rumor has it that the Sugar House will be open this weekend. At that time, we’ll get everyone into groups and should be able to accomodate all requests of friends and siblings wishing to ski together. The coaches will be staggered by team in front of the Sugar House and if your child knows who he or she would like to ski with group up with those coaches when you arrive. If your child is new or unsure who to ski with look for Jim or Pam and we’ll get your child situated with an appropriate group. Saturday morning we’ll ski from 9-11 and then 12-2, we will start and finish each session at the Sugar House.

For those who are new, we’ll also be screening Saturday and Sunday morning. Please call Eric in the Comp Center if you have not already scheduled, his number is 802-228-1483.

Training over the next couple of weeks will be as follows:

Saturday 12/17

Tuesday 12/27

Thursday 12/29

Saturday 12/31

We always start and finish at the Sugar House and we ski 9-11 am and 12-2 pm each day we meet.

Our annual Parent Information meeting is scheduled for Thursday 12/29 from 5-7 pm at Okemo Mountain School, 53 Main St. OMARA provides refreshments and it is an opportunity to meet the coaches, learn more about the program and meet some of the other parents.

Between now and Saturday 12/31, we’ll be taking orders for the Hopeful jacket. The jackets should be finished by mid January. If you would like to order please see Leigh or Ellen. The jacket is a quilted, hooded jacket and will have “Hopeful Race Team” embroidered on it. We have selected the blue which is pictured in the photo below.

That’s it for now. We are looking forward to seeing everyone this weekend and over the coming holiday weeks. Safe travels.

Pam, Jim and the rest of the Hopeful staff.

*** SCREENING UPDATES ***

We are still anticipating the B Quad being open tomorrow; giving us access to the Sugar House.

In the event the B Quad is CLOSED – MEET AT THE BASE OF THE SACHEM QUAD

We will not be having any screenings on Saturday 12/10.  We are not planning to have skiing access to the Sugar House that day.

We are planning to have top-to-bottom skiing by Sunday!!!   No promises at this time, so don’t hold us to it.

That said here is the schedule:

ALL DEVO SCREENINGS – Wait for an email from Mariel regarding the regular training schedule.

Any screening scheduled for 12/10 or 12/11 will be held on SUNDAY 12/11 at 9:00 AM at the Sugar House.

ALL HOPEFULS SCREENINGS – NO REGULAR HOPEFULS GROUP THIS WEEK

Any screening scheduled for 12/10 or 12/11 will be held on SUNDAY 12/11 at the following times.

Last Name begins with:

A-F please meet at the Sugar House at 9:00 AM for your screening.

G-M please meet at the Sugar House at 10:00 AM for your screening.

N-Z please meet at the Sugar House at 11:00 AM for your screening.

Freestyle – Regular Programs – look for Mike’s info on training

Screenings meet at Base of A/B Chairs at 9:00 AM as scheduled.

Snowboard – Regular Programs – look for Luke’s info on training.

Screenings meet at Base of A/B Chairs at 8:00 AM (might be closer to 8:15 AM) as scheduled.

DEVO PG – Look for an email from Mike or Bill about where regular groups will meet.

Meet at the Sugar House at 10:00 AM on Sunday 12/11 for your screenings.

Hi folks,

The weather has not been kind.  We are making plans for the weekend based on snow coverage and snowmaking that can go on over the next several nights.  J1/2′s, J3′s, Council, DEVO, Snowboard & Freestyle groups will meet this weekend.  Stay tuned for updates from each of your own programs for specific group meeting schedules this weekend.  Most likely plan on some dryland training as part of the programs this weekend.

On to you new folks, we have postponed all screenings for the weekend.

Anyone with a 12/3 (Sat) screening is now scheduled for 12/10 (Sat)

Anyone with a 12/4 (Sun) screening is now scheduled for 12/11 (Sun).

The times and meeting locations have not changed.

Hopefuls – 9:00 AM Sugar House

DEVO’s – 9:00 AM Sugar House

Freestyle – 9:00 AM Top of A/B Quad

DEVO PG – 10:00 AM Sugar House

OMST – 8:00 AM Sitting Bull

Remember only 1st Year Athletes or athletes moving from Hopefuls to Devos without prior coach recommendations need to be screened.

Thank you.

Contact Eric Evans in the Competition Center if the new date will pose a problem to you.

eevans@okemo.com

802.228.1483

Hey Folks,

I know not all of you were planning on making the trip up this weekend, especially those of you who do not have programs meeting this weekend.

J1 & J2’s & J3’s will meet at 8:00 AM by the A/B Quads on Saturday and Sunday.

The Council & Freestyle teams are on a similar schedule.

The mountain will be opening with VERY LIMITED TERRAIN.

Skiing at appropriate speeds for the situation are strongly encouraged by the staff and Ski Patrol. Please be courteous to others.

Our groups will be on the hill until about 10:00 AM each day. They will be freeskiing only.

Okemo will be opening Thursday at 9:00 AM.

Spread the word!

Thank you and have a great Thanksgiving!

Hello all and welcome back to Okemo for another season!

Whether you are joining us for the first time this season, or working on your second (or third) decade, we have been working hard to make Okemo Competitions and OMARA one of the best and biggest skiing, riding and freeski programs in the country.

We have some changes for 2011-12 and here’s a quick, and incomplete, rundown of them.

Freestyle Skiers and Snowboards will be pleased to find the park on Timberline has moved to Blackout.  The lift access via the Black Ridge Triple and The Pull will dramatically improve the number of laps you can make in a day.

This opens Timberline back up for your cruising pleasure.  It also means Race Arena will be returning to Bull Run.  Actually, it will start on Lift Line and curve back to Bull Run and finishing just above the base of the A Quad.  Kudos to the Okemo crews who are moving the snowmaking tower, clearing trees and moving some dirt around for us to make this happen!

New to the cast of coaches this year is Bruce Johnston, he will be heading up the J3′s as well as serving as our Head Coach.  Bruce comes to us full of energy and ready to go for the season!

Photos of our events will be taken, once again, by Donald Dill.  He’s been the photographer of our events for quite some time.  With the departure of Photos by Reflex, Donald will be handling the photos himself.  All of them will be available on Donald’s web page at smugmug.  The direct link is here: http://tootsie.smugmug.com/

That is all for now, stay tuned for more updates!

Think Snow!

Sorry this has been late in coming to you!

It was a great day for golf and we had 11 teams come out in support of On Hill Technology for the OMARA Programs.  It was a great time for all of the skiers and riders to show off their golfing talents (or lack thereof) and enjoy an afternoon of sunshine and dinner on the deck!

Here are the results from the 1st Annual OMARA Golf Tournament held at Tater Hill Golf Club!

1st Place – 59

Mike White, Ed White, Joe Sullivan, John D’Allesandro

2nd Place – 63

Steve Anderson, Jeff LaMura, Lenny Laquinto

T-3rd Place – 67

Maureen Blum, Alex Blum, Nick Blum, Denise Michaels

T-3rd Place

Rob Weber, Jim Whalen, Sue Whalen, Greg Towle

Closest to Pin

Men: Jeff LaMura

Ladies: Wendy Neal

Longest Drive

Men: Alex Blum

Ladies: Isabelle Chobor

It’s that time of year again – time to gear up for the upcoming winter at the annual OMARA Fit Day!

 In conjunction with Fit Day, we are doing a FitNESS Day on Saturday, September 17th from 9 am – 11:30 am.  The location will be in the Jackson Gore Courtyard or the Ice House (in case of rain).  This session will be run by Bruce Johnston, the new OMS Athletic Program Director and J3 coach, but is open to anyone of any age in the Okemo Competition Program – alpine, freestyle, or snowboard athletes.  We will conduct a fun and light workout with some mock physical testing and balance and agility work that applies to all winter sports.  Athletes should wear sneakers and comfortable clothes and bring a water bottle.  This is not a mandatory session, but will be a lot of fun!
 
On Sunday, September 18thwe will be having our annual Fit Day in the Jackson Gore Courtyard from 9 am – 1 pm.  There will be this year’s newest alpine and freestyle skiing equipment on display with boots available to try on.  Many local shops will also be there through whom you will be able to place equipment orders for the upcoming season and take advantage of competition pricing, which represents a significant savings.  The snowboard program will have a separate fit session later in the fall.  If you have any questions regarding equipment for your child, please contact his/her respective coach or Bruce Johnston or Mariel Meringolo are always available to help.