What are the major benefits of FSA?
The athlete is able to live at home, attend their local school, and receive a quality, competitive racing program “in their backyard”. The athletes maintain local friendships and are able to participate in fall and spring sports, and enjoy family and local community events and activities.
What schools do FSA athletes come from?
While FSA started as a program through Hanover High School and the Ford Sayre Ski Council, it is an independent program and has drawn racers from Hanover, Norwich, Enfield, Lebanon, Lyme, Thetford and Kearsarge.
Do I need to have a racing background prior to joining FSA?
FSA is for the seriously committed racer, and some racing experience is advised. However, if an athlete is willing to give 100% to the program in terms of time, attention, determination and willingness to learn then they can advance in skill progression.
Where does FSA on-snow training take place?
FSA trains at the Dartmouth Skiway and other area mountains including Epic Resorts. Training at other mountains is dependent on space/training lane availability and reasonable costs associated with that.
What if my child is only interested in doing the FSA program part-time?
FSA+ was established for the serious full-time racer who wanted to stay at home, attend their local high school, and receive quality coaching to progress in alpine racing skills to meet individual goals. At this time, part-time participants have the option of joining FSAx instead of FSA+, which allows them to train 2 weekday afternoons at Whaleback and weekends at the Dartmouth Skiway. For the 2024/25 season, FSA Weekend will be available to athletes who want to ski midweek for HHS and ski on the weekends with FSA.
Does an FSA athlete always work with the same coach?
FSA coaches try to work with and get to know all the athletes. This year all FSA athletes will have the same consistent coaching staff. FSA is proud to have the level of knowledgeable and quality coaching that it has had since its inception, and every effort is made to hire enough coaches to serve the needs and goals of all FSA athletes.
What is FSA’s conditioning program?
Participants are highly encouraged to participate in an aerobic fall sport as part of pre-conditioning for alpine ski racing. FSA will provide a written exercise/strength training plan specific for alpine racing upon request from any athlete wishing to add to a program, or is not a part of an organized athletic program in the fall. FSA team conditioning begins when the program begins in early November and athletes locally do strength and aerobic workouts and supplement that with outdoor runs, hikes and plyometric exercises.
How do we work with our school to schedule FSA around classes?
In May all interested athletes should contact their guidance counselor to set-up time to discuss the scheduling of classes. The eventual plan will be worked to the best of the school’s ability to schedule around those classes that the racer has requested for the following school year. It is important to let the school know as soon as possible about your potential enrollment in FSA, and to understand the course requirements of your school. Your guidance counselor will be able to advise on the feasibility of taking certain honor level classes, and lab classes and electives that will have too much of a conflict with the FSA schedule.
How much school will the racer miss?
The number of absences vary from racer to racer. On average an FSA racer can miss up to 10-15 days of school. For the elite level athlete (FIS racers) the amount of time can sometimes be much more and often there is little advance notice of when a racer qualifies for different events, or when weather/snow conditions postpone races. All speed events are scheduled during the weekdays, and racers can expect to miss several days of classes to attend these. Expect changes to the schedule on an on-going basis. The FSA coaches work with all athletes to keep them informed as much as possible about upcoming events, and those events that the coach would like to see them race at. It is always the prerogative of the racer and parents to choose their own race schedule, and time away from the classroom. FSA will work with any family that needs help in learning how, when, what and to whom to communicate with when the racer misses classes.
What happens if a racer falls behind in school?
Before the season starts, all athletes are asked to allow the FSA guidance counselor at HHS to speak with the head coach if they notice grades to be falling. If a racer falls seriously behind in school, and grades start to reflect that, the coach will then create a plan with the parents and athlete that is acceptable to HHS. In rare instances, racers have had to withdraw from the program.
What are the FSA race worker responsibilities?
Working at races hosted by Ford Sayre is a requirement. FSA works with the Ford Sayre junior program to coordinate race worker assignments. FSA parents are expected to sign up to work the scored U16 through U21 races first as we have a more limited pool of parents to choose from, and typically FSA parents have more knowledge of race day needs as their children have been racing for several years prior to joining. We cannot run these races without parental involvement. The revenue from these races goes directly to offsetting program costs. Race requirements and assignments are decided in the fall once the race schedule has been set by NHARA.
What transportation to training and races does FSA provide?
FSA presently uses a 10 passenger rental van for primary transportation to training and races.
*Due to the nature of the schedule and the different levels of ski racing that FSA athletes attain, there are times that licensed athletes drive to training/races on their own, or with other parent approved athletes. At times FSA requests use of parent vehicles to transport athletes to events when the van is needed for a conflicting event. Coach’s can/do drive these vehicles to the events.
What are the costs beyond the program fee?
The program fee does NOT cover the cost of hill passes, NHARA/USSA/FIS membership fees, insurance, race entries, lodging, airfare, food, or any individual equipment needs. The program fee covers the costs of coaching and van transportation.
What does FSA expect from its athletes?
100% commitment to the program. Coaches expect all racers to communicate with them on a regular basis about school concerns and stresses, and health related issues that affect their participation in training and racing. It is also the expectation that all the athletes work together as a team, and to behave at all venues with a positive attitude and to exhibit good sportsmanship at all times.
YES! FSA excels at creating a fun and competitive environment for all its participants. Almost all FSA athletes/coaches go through “racing withdrawal” symptoms as the final spring races arrive. New friendships are made within the team and with other racers from other teams around the State and eastern region, which endure throughout the years. The annual November trip to Colorado provides exciting big mountain skiing and builds team cohesiveness, and the various other travels throughout the season for races to a wide variety of eastern mountains deepens friendships, and creates atmospheres to develop athlete confidence, responsibility, organization and time-management, and certainly, the ever evolving “inside joke.”
Who do we contact for more information about FSA?
Program Head: call Meg White (617-791-2272) or e-mail: fsa@fordsayre.org
