Full Time Snowsport Athletes

Many VMS students pursue interests outside of school that demand significant commitments of both time and energy. VMS faculty work with students, parents, and coaches to ensure that ski racers, athletes, musicians, and artists can compete, train, and perform without compromising academics. These students are expected to be scholars as well as athletes or artists, and we are committed to supporting the highest level of achievement as both. Upper and Middle School students and parents keep up with coursework and grades via Schoology and with the help of teachers, our Student Support Services, and our ski program director.

This support for students who are pursuing interests outside of the classroom is exemplified by our formal academic partnership with Ski and Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV), VMS is accustomed to ensuring the academic success of snowsport athletes. VMS’s dedicated ski program director can assist with communication with tutoring, help students compete or perform internationally, stay on top of academic demands, and make friends at the same time. Few schools offer this level of proactive support.

Vail Mountain School is proud to partner with our student snowsport athletes, many of whom are snowsport athletes in the Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV). It is important to note that VMS is not a ski academy. However, we are committed to accommodating our Middle and Upper School snowsport athletes who require extensive time away from school to train and compete.

SSCV Partnership

VMS is a proud academic partner of Ski and Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV), which is recognized as one of the best snowsport training programs in the world with offerings in Alpine, Freeski, Freestyle, Nordic and Snowboard. SSCV was represented at the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics by current or alumni athletes and has been the catalyst for many recruited D1 College Athletes and US Ski Team members.

This means that a student at VMS can train at an elite level and receive a rigorous college-preparatory education without compromising either. As members of the VMS community, it also means that these athletes will have social, enrichment, and athletic opportunities beyond the mountain.

What do VMS skiers do after VMS?

The current U.S. Alpine ski team includes:

C-Team
Liv Moritz ('23)

Development Team
Kaitlin Keane ('23), Kjersti Moritz ('23), and Emma Resnick ('22)

VMS skiers have matriculated at these colleges among others:

Nordic
Colby College
Bates College
Dartmouth College
Bowdoin College
University of Colorado - Boulder
Harvard University

Alpine
Colby College
Dartmouth College
Montana State University
Middlebury College
St. Michael's College
St. Lawrence University
University of Colorado - Boulder
University of Denver
Williams College

What can VMS offer competitive snowsport athletes and their families?

Flexibility

Teacher Support

Mutually Supportive Environment

We help each other! Non-snowsport athletes interact with snowsport athletes in so many different ways. VMS can provide an environment for snowsport athletes that is outside of their competitive team setting. snowsport athletes can make friends with non-snowsport athletes and thrive in a typical school setting, apart from the ever-present competitiveness and focus on results often present in ski academies.

Academic Excellence

Supporting Lower School Snowsport Athletes Starting at 4th Grade

Our Program

What Does Full-Time Athlete Academic Support Look Like?

During the ski season, Middle and Upper School snowsport athletes work with full-time tutors who track their progress and challenges. The tutors help students manage workload, time commitments, and stress. When needed, the tutor acts as a liaison between the student and teachers to help plan their schedule and manage any upcoming assessments. VMS may accommodate students who are competing in Europe or across the state by scheduling exams around travel, providing afternoon tutoring, or allowing students to submit work online.

How Do VMS Faculty Work with Snowsport Athletes?

Our faculty understands the schedules and lives of our snowsport athletes. VMS enthusiastically welcomes these individuals and helps them keep up in class even while competing. Teachers utilize a number of strategies including posting notes online, communicating with students who are traveling, accepting online submissions of projects and tests, and meeting one-on-one after school.

What About Summer Classes?

What Does the Daily Schedule Look Like?

Full-time Middle and Upper School SSCV athletes train Tuesday-Friday mornings on Vail Mountain, which is five minutes away. In addition, during Ski Fridays, SSCV athletes have the opportunity to dedicate the whole day to training or race preparation. After morning training, athletes can take the TOV bus route which leaves every 15 minutes during ski season. Students then attend the remainder of the day and then work with dedicated tutors after school. The tutoring staff is also available throughout the day to work with students during free and study hall periods.

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