Management changes at alpine ski foundation
The Flathead Valley Ski Foundation
announced recently they are taking total control of Whitefish
Mountain Alpine Race Team’s operations in an effort to streamline
the program. Whitefish Mountain Resort will continue to be
involved, but the move relieves the resort of any financial
obligations.
The ski foundation was founded in 1973
and helps young skiers develop and fine-tune their racing
techniques. This year’s team competed in races across the state and
sent a few members to the Junior Olympics in Squaw Valley,
Calif.
“The mountain and the foundation
thought it was in the best interest to separate,” foundation
president Richard Kramer said. “Now, we’ll have more day-to-day
control of the program.”
In the past, the race team was a
“hybrid program,” Kramer said, where money raised by the foundation
was given to the resort to pay for coaches. With the split, the
foundation will now handle all of the hiring and be “100 percent
responsible for their budget.”
Kramer calls it a more traditional
setup for ski programs.
“Before, all of the coaches were
employees of the mountain and followed their rules and guidelines,”
Kramer said. “We now have full control.”
The resort will continue to stay
involved and support the program by providing the coaches with
season passes, racing space on the mountain, conducting and
organizing race events and night race leagues, and providing office
space and equipment.
“They will still be very helpful to the
success of the program,” Kramer said.
Resort CEO Dan Graves agreed.
“The resort is delighted to continue
support of the program,” he said.
With the down economy, the foundation
has struggled to gain fundraising momentum for what amounts to a
very expensive sport. Racers travel the region to compete in
different events, and attracting top-tier coaches costs substantial
money.
Kramer says they’re doing a “balancing
act” to maintain the program’s stature.
“We’ll be looking at new ways to raise
funds and for some corporate sponsors to keep the program at its
high level,” Kramer said.
To learn more about the Flathead Valley
Ski Foundation, visit online at
www.whitefishraceteam.blogspot.com.