ADVENTURE SPORTS BY WINA STURGEON 11/20/07
SHAUN AND BODE SHARE THIS:What do snowboarder Shaun White and ski racer Bode Miller have in common?
A: Both are among the best in the world in their sports, and B: Neither one is on the U. S. team.
Miller resigned from the U. S. ski team to go independent after USSA officials stomped on him because of bad publicity from a (mostly media created) drinking scandal. Miller also wanted to drive his home-like RV to World Cup races and sleep in it, rather than share a hotel room with teammates. The ski team said no, and Miller left. He now has his own coach and a staff that finds sponsors for his ski expenses and takes care of his travel.
White never hooked up with USSA. Ski racers are tightly controlled when they join the U. S. team, but USSA soon learned that trying to control snowboarders is like trying to herd cats. That's why riders were given the choice to compete as independents, partial team members or full time teamers.
But it's all good. When White got a bad case of nerves before his 2006 Olympic run, head U. S. team snowboard coach Bud Keene took White away from the frenzy to a calm spot on the mountain, where the two just made some relaxed turns. 'Red Zep' came back and won the gold medal. (Shaun's new nickname is Red Zep, for the old Lead Zep band he likes)
THE CANYONS SKI PATROL GETS ORGANIZED
Being a ski patroller is very much a labor of love. You'll never get rich because the pay is low. You may only have a job six months out of the year. Benefits are often a matter of luck. Plus, patrollers are expected to risk their lives without a second thought.
So no surprise that the ski patrol at The Canyons, the resort which has undergone many management changes, would like a bit of security. They way the patrol has gone about getting it just may affect every other resort in Utah.
The Canyons ski patrol has joined a union. They are the first patrol in Utah to do so.
Utah is a right-to-work state, which means union activity is minimal. But the patrol just ratified a two-year contract with the Communications Workers of America, after a load of hostility and accusations were batted back and forth between the resort and the patrollers.
It came down to the fact that a resort can't open the lifts without some kind of safety patrol, and the patrollers wanted a few guarantees from The Canyons---like consistent benefits. The resort agreed to the benefit clause and the patrollers agreed to come to work.
Which resort's ski patrol will be the next to join a union?
AT LEAST SOMEPLACE HAS SNOW
Instead if postponing their opening, Whistler Mountain in Canada opened a week early. The line of snowriders waiting to jump on the lifts when the mountains opened for business Saturday, Nov. 17, with a three foot base.
The crowd of 6,000 happy snowriders waiting for the lifts to open was estimated to be half a mile long.
Meanwhile, most of the resorts in Utah plan to open Thanksgiving day or the day after. Two storms are expected to come in and do a little dumping during the week, but at this point, either use a pair of rock skis or create a pair.
UTAH WINTER GAMES PARTNERS UP
The Utah Winter Games, the originator of the state games concept, will now have some stability, and perhaps get the exposure it deserves, because instead of various come-and-go sponsors, UWG now has a partner.
The new partner is the Utah Athletic Foundation, which will manage and produce both the clinics and competitions. Last season, the Games held 20 comps in 15 winter sports and held 32 clinics. Nearly 6,000 people participated.
The motto of UWG will remain "All ages, all abilities, always fun." That's fairly accurate; where else would you get a chance to pilot a skeleton sled down the Olympic track, actually enter a speedskating comp or a ski race?
Signups for clinics and events are now on. Go to www.utahwintergames.org to register. Clinics begin November 24 and continue through February. Call 1-866-OLYPARKS for more info, (or to try and talk your way into the skeleton clinic, which is always the first to fill up).
THE 'BASIN'S LOOKING FOR A COACH
Snowbasin is looking for a race coach!
It won't be glamorous, but it will be fun. The 'Basin, which has a very respected ski team, needs a coach for their development team, young racers aged 9-12. Coaching kids to go fast has a lot of benefits; not the least of which is that the coach will have to improve to keep up with the little whippersnappers.
It's a part time job, mostly on Saturdays. Plus, the coach and his/her family will get to ski free at the 'Basin!
Those who can ski and would like to coach should contact the team program director, Troy Price, Snowbasin Alpine Team, 801-726-8927 or by email at: director@ssef.org.
Better hurry, though, on-snow training for the Devo team begins December 15.