IT'S WINTER SCHOOL IN SUMMER
Athletes who skate on ice, ski down mountains, ride halfpipes or do other winter sports, have a problem. They can't go to school like regular kids, because the school season is when they compete.
Many teachers give it a good try; they create lessons for winter athletes to study on the road. But anyone who has ever traveled an athletic circuit knows that trying to learn schoolwork while trying to win races is impossible.
Enter the Winter Sports School in Park City, Utah: problem solved.
Classes at the Winter School are just getting started. There will be 50 students this semester; athletes who are ski racers and jumpers, speed skaters, snowboarders, free riders and others. It isn't cheap: cost for the year is $15,420. But that includes all books, there are no other school expenses. But it does not include room and board, which averages about $1,000 each month. Out of town students stay with Park City host families.
Rob Clayton, former U. S. ski team coach who is Head of School, says, "It's a complete college prep education; English, history, language, math, science and art. There are no easy courses. It's a concentrated education, a core curriculum."
The alumni include Olympic medalists Ted Ligety and Julia Mancuso. Classes are kept small, and there are many years when an overabundance of applicants must be turned away. Last year alone, the school produced five national champions in various winter sports.
School hours, five days a week, are from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; followed by two hours of conditioning from 3:30 to 5:30. "They work out in the gym, they run and do plyometrics. Our conditioning coach is Kam Chin; he does a group-based program. When you train as a group, rather than as individuals, you push harder because you don't want to be behind anyone else. So this trains their competitive spirit as well," says Clayton.
But even though the Winter Sports School is located in ritzy Park City, it's no castle. The "campus" is the wild hills around the Olympic Park, where moose and deer wander freely. The school buildings are three modular structures, like prefabricated housing; with only seven classrooms, a conference room, lounge area and three offices; all of which have excellent air conditioning.
For a winter athlete with Olympic aspirations, it's a dream. They get their bodies and minds ready for the competition season, while parents can feel good about their kid getting an education. Plus, it's an excellent, accredited education that allows Winter Sports School graduates to be accepted to top colleges.
Clayton welcomes phone calls from potential students who want to find out more, and even gives out his school cell phone number. "Why not, the school is paying for it," he laughs. for those interested, call the Winter Sports School at (435) 649-8760; or Clayton at (435) 714-2013.