Snow Sports Athlete Program
Balancing Academics and Athletic Ambition
Many VMS students pursue demanding passions outside of school—particularly in snow sports, music, and the arts. With close coordination between faculty, families, and coaches, VMS ensures students can train, compete, and perform at a high level without sacrificing academic excellence. Our students are expected to be both scholars and athletes or artists, and we are committed to supporting them in both.
Through our formal academic partnership with Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV), Vail Mountain School has extensive experience supporting snow sports athletes as they balance demanding travel and training schedules. Our dedicated ski program director works closely with Student Support Services and teachers through Schoology to ensure students stay on track academically while continuing to build friendships and a strong sense of community. In addition, VMS supports athletes who participate in Team Summit and other independent clubs.
While VMS is not a ski academy, we are proud to partner with snow sports athletes and are committed to accommodating their unique needs throughout the school year.
SSCV Partnership
VMS is a proud academic partner of Ski and Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV), which is recognized as one of the best snow sports 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.
Program Overview
During ski season, how does VMS support snow sports athletes?
Middle and Upper School
Athletes work closely with our full-time Snow Sports Athlete Program Manager, who monitors their progress, helps them manage workload and stress, and coordinates with teachers on scheduling and assessments. This group meets up to three times per week to make up missed classwork and assignments, as well as plan for upcoming absences with support from their teachers.
Lower School
4th- and 5th-grade full-time snow sport athletes are offered tutoring support once a week after school with their core content teachers, where they meet in small groups to receive instruction that was missed during training.
How do VMS faculty assist snow sports athletes?
Teachers support athletes by posting notes online, communicating remotely during travel, accepting digital work, and meeting one-on-one after school to keep students on track.
Are summer classes available for snow sports athletes?
Yes, Upper School & Middle School athletes can take summer courses to lighten their regular-year load, completing 1–2 classes before the competition season begins.
What does a typical daily schedule look like for full-time snow sports athletes?
Athletes train Tuesday to Friday mornings at Vail Mountain, with Ski Fridays focused on training or race prep. After training, students take the TOV bus to school for classes and receive academic support from tutors during study halls and after school.
What do skiers do after VMS?
The current U.S. Alpine ski team includes:
C-Team
Liv Moritz ('23)
Kjersti Moritz ('23)
Development Team
Kaitlin Keane ('23)
Emma Resnick ('22)
VMS skiers have matriculated at these colleges, among others:
Colby College
Bates College
Dartmouth College
Bowdoin College
Harvard University
St. Michael's College
St. Lawrence University
University of Colorado - Boulder
University of Denver
Williams College
Hero
