Dear Okemo U12 and U10 Families,
It is hard to believe we are heading into Winter Break already! We are so excited by how well the athletes are skiing and how hard they are working. Below is training info for this Saturday and the five days over break – each day according to our regular schedule. Important reminders below that. PLEASE take a moment to ensure that your athletes are VARA and USSS members (more info HERE). If you aren’t sure you can look them up on the respective websites. It creates a lot of extra work for me when I have to chase down folks to get the membership, so please make this the first year I don’t have to remind anyone :)! If you have any questions after reviewing the info, just let me know.
12/23: GS – directed freeskiing and drills
12/24-26: OFF for Christmas Holiday – Merry Christmas to those that celebrate!
12/27-28: GS – gate drills/directed freeskiing and drills
12/29-31: SL – directed freeskiing/drills/stubby gates – no need for full armor, but can wear shin guards
Looking ahead:
1/1-1/4: OFF
1/5: Friday training resumes for those who are signed up
1/6 and 1/7: GS – directed freeskiing, drills, gates
Sync Uniform Orders: Okemo Comp Center/OMS uniforms are in no way required of our athletes, but if you are interested in purchasing a jacket and/or full side zip pants for your athlete you can do so at this LINK. The Junior Blaster and Top Step Pants are considered the “uniform pieces,” but anyone else is welcome to order other items to wear and show your Okemo spirit! Please note that all orders are embroidered when you place the order, so turnaround timelines are a bit long, especially now during peak ordering season. Order NOW for a January delivery in time for our first races. Please note that some of the junior sizes are selling out. Hand-me downs or used jackets might be available from older athletes – try posting to Okemo Competition Center Parents Facebook Page if you are searching.
U12 and U10 Family Directory:
Some families have asked about a way to get in touch with other families to organize carpools, play dates, etc and last year I came up with a way to easily share the info you want, if you want to. Please note – this is a new form/sheet for this season, so if you want to share/receive info, please fill it out again. Totally optional, but if you fill out the form you are consenting to share any info provided with all others who share info. As info comes in, I will have it filter into a Google Sheet which I will share with anyone who responds via the email address you provide in the first question. You can pick and choose which info to share beyond your email and your athletes’ names and age groups. Hopefully this is helpful!
Click the link HERE to fill out the form to be added to and receive the directory.
Other Important Reminders:
Please read the “U12 and U10 101” attachment for LOTS of information about the program including training and race schedules (always subject to change) – this is helpful for new and returning families. There have been some updates for this season each of which is in bold and italics in the packet! So even if you are an old pro, PLEASE read :)! If you have any questions after reading, don’t hesitate to be in touch.
You can expect an email from me weekly with training plans for the coming weekend, as well as a look ahead to the following weekend and any important info/reminders. I will always specify a training discipline (SL or GS) and your athlete should use the corresponding skis, unless they only have one pair of skis (which is generally the expectation for U10s!). I will also include information about whether SL armor is necessary for U12s – if I don’t say it is, no need to have it! Usually I copy information from older emails that is still pertinent at the bottom of the new info. Please read my emails carefully each week.
Morning meeting time is 8:30 am – we will break up into groups at that time and head off for training, so please arrive on time, or early! Groups will be called out name by name so that your athlete knows who their lead coach is. Please note that groups are subject to change over the first few weeks as we figure out the best fit for everyone. At 11:30 am we will meet the athletes outside of the Sugar House. Each training session is 2 hours.
OMARA, which is the booster club that supports all Okemo athletes (Comp Center and OMS), maintains a very helpful website – check it out at: go2omara.com – soon to be updated! OMARA also hosts fun social events, supports athletes with scholarships, and coaches with funds to complete certification courses and other continuing education! All Comp Center athletes are asked to join OMARA to further their good work. Additionally, being a member makes you eligible for discounts at local ski shops and OMARA’s needs-based scholarships – click HERE to apply for a scholarship and click HERE to join.
Important Reminder on USSS and VARA memberships: In order to race, every U12 or U10 must be a current USSS and VARA member. If you have not registered your child for these memberships, please do so ASAP. Both can be done online at my.usskiandsnowboard.org and vara.org, respectively. More info on these memberships is found in the attachment. IMPORTANT: For USSS choose, Alpine Competitor U12 and under, NOT General Member – this is not valid for competition. Also your athlete’s club should be Okemo Mountain Ski Club or Competition Center….not Okemo Mountain School, unless they are enrolled for 2023-2024.
Competition Center Registration: Competition Center registration must be complete before your athlete can train. If you have an outstanding health form, please contact Robin Tracy at robin.a.tracy@vailresorts.com. The U12 and U10 program is now full to capacity.
That’s all for now! I will continue to send more info weekly. Both new and old parents are reminded to read all communication carefully. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me. I look forward to seeing you all soon, as do all of the other coaches!!
Thanks and Think SNOW!!
Mariel
Mariel Meringolo
pronouns: she/her/hers
Head of School
Okemo Mountain School
802-228-1513
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