Created: 24 June 2020
SNU Claiming another USCSA National Championship Title.
Nestled in the heart of Lake Tahoe, CA, Sierra Nevada University, is a small and nimble educational institution. Long before COVID-19 was our new reality and distance learning and training programs were being sought out by every school, SNU was ahead of the curve. In the fall of 2019, Chris DeLeon, SNU’s Athletic Director, and Women’s Head Soccer Coach saw the need for SNU’s soccer and snow athletes to have consistent training and access to coaches while away from campus. Enter Volt Athletics, a digital training platform that allows coaches, trainers, and athletes to track, tweak and monitor programs and performance from afar. SNU became one of the first small schools to Beta test this Seattle, Washington based Gatorade fueled app which has changed the game for SNU student-athletes.
“It’s been amazing to see how this technology has aided the strength and cohesiveness of our team, and it’s been extremely helpful getting incoming athletes up to speed with workouts and training programs so when they arrived on campus the team is ahead of a typical pre-season in terms of fitness, strength” DeLeon said.
SNU's Nikki Starick nabbed silver that USCSA Nationals. Photo courtesy of USCSA.
As COVID-19 locked down athletes across the world, SNU athletes and coaches were already well adept at successful distance training and while gyms and training studios remain closed, SNU’s team of trainers and coaches came up with bodyweight programs that fit their athletes needs perfectly.
“Because we’re a small school and we have an awesome supportive president and faculty that supports bringing athletes in and loves how they perform in the classroom. We’re always looking for new opportunities to support those student-athletes” DeLeon continued.
The SNU Freeski Team having a little fun on the hill.
Two out of the last three valedictorians have been athletes, so SNU knows the value student-athletes bring to the community. And with Sierra Nevada University sitting smack dab in the center of Tahoe, a hub for world-class snowboarding, skiing, rock climbing, and mountain biking the school aims to reflect the adventurous locale in its athletic offerings. While there are clubs for climbing, mountain biking, freeriding DeLeon has plans for including these sports on the official athletic roster adding a collegiate mountain biking and collegiate rock climbing team to the athletic department. This ability to think outside of the box and be nimble in activating those ideas is something DeLeon prides SNU on, while they want to continue their winning culture with their snowboard and ski programs -- SNU has won 9 USCSA National Championship titles in both freeski and snowboard since 2011, e-sports is next on his list of student offerings.
Learn more about Sierra Nevada University and their scholastic and athletic programs here.
Created: 24 June 2020
Capt. Jack Gouge, an Air Force Special Tactics Officer assigned to the 17th Special Tactics Squadron at Fort Benning, Georgia, is leading outreach efforts to collect over a thousand pounds of food and supplies for COVID-19 relief in Puyallup, Washington.
The STO is currently serving as the Director of Global Outreach and Community Impact at Bethany Baptist Church in Puyallup, Washington as part of the Department of Defense’s Career Skillbridge program.
Created: 10 June 2020
By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
Over the past two decades, United States of American Snowboard and Freeski Association (USASA) Executive Director Mike Mallon has served tirelessly in a wide range of roles that have had a direct impact on the success of freeski and snowboard athletes. Mallon was honored by U.S. Ski & Snowboard with its John Clair Award Award for service to the national team.
Created: 01 June 2020
Progress means always putting the USASA athletes first and providing the most ethical, fair and fun competition environment. For the 2020-2021 season we have adjusted to a more age-appropriate class for the 6 & under group. The newly formed "Rascals" age group will experience an enhanced regional event structure that will have more of a focus on fun and inclusion.
These events for ages 6 & under will take place within the existing USASA regional competitions structure and will only be available for regional points and ranking. Rascals competitors will not be eligible to travel to and compete at USASA National Championships. This adjustment is to bring our competition offering more in line with the U.S. Training Systems model and allow our youngest members more time to have fun regionally. Once athletes become Ruggies they will then be eligible to compete in the USASA National Championships.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR 6&UNDERS FOR THEIR FREE USASA MEMBERSHIP
Created: 11 May 2020
USASA’s Director of Administration, Zippy Neil, has been awarded the 2020 Anna McIntyre Award for her distinguished achievement in snowboarding administration. Anna McIntyre, a Waterville Valley native, has been an instrumental part of bringing snowboarding to a new international level with her strong common sense and leadership skills. In 2020, the US Ski & Snowboard committee felt Zippy Neil most deserved this award for her tireless efforts in support of snowboarding for twenty-two years and counting.
Created: 30 April 2020
Ty Casey grew up in Milford, PA competing in the USASA Mid-Atlantic series with hopes of someday working in a field he was passionate about, snowboarding business. So when the time came to seek out a college that would combine both his love for snowboarding with an education that would land him ready for the work world, Ty found Sierra Nevada University in a roundabout sort of way.
