USASA NATIONALS COUNTDOWN

PHOTO Joe Schwartz RIDER Juicebox Stompson

Jeremy Thompson '06 One of the hardest working kids you will ever meet. Finals both days at the Open, no one does that anymore.



THE COUNTDOWN

Our departure date for nationals is only a day away and we want to say thanks for a terrific season. We are looking forward to seeing everyone in Colorado, and are psyched for the 27 SMS athletes who have qualified. Those who have qualified can be confident that the accomplishment alone is something to be proud of. For those who have fallen just shy, know that your season is not measured by national’s qualification, but by the work you have put into the year. From now until summer camp you can begin to prepare while others are still competing. Get a jump on it and make it count!

It has been a great year with lots of progression and podiums, but more importantly the kids are smiling, confident, and ready to wind down the season with one more fun event.

We will be meeting with the whole team today and congratulating everyone on a great year. Our message will be simple and we want to remind everyone that the effort they put in and the dedication they have shown will be the measure of their success this season. Nationals is one day in time and their worth as competitive snowboarders is far greater than any one day will show. While we wish everyone to have their best runs on these days ahead we have seen in the past that some will stand on the podium and others may not. Both deserve praise. Please assist us in these upcoming weeks by supporting our message. A conversation that you can have with your son/daughter that does not include snowboarding can feel very refreshing at this time of year. They all are putting pressure on themselves, remind them to have fun and enjoy the experience.

The USASA coaches and trainers association would like us to remind all parents that they are not allowed in the field of play. This includes start and finish areas, and judge or timing booths. Spectator areas will be well defined and we encourage you to cheer on all of those who are participating, and be models of good sportsmanship. Certified coaches are the only people who may have conversations with officials or judges during competition and we ask that you help support us here. As a reminder scores are opinions, and are never open for protest. We may check calculations, and ensure tricks were recorded, but we may not argue a score.

The forecast is for sun and 45 next week in Colorado and it should be an amazing week. Good luck to all of the competitors and travel safe.

See you at Nationals,

Mike

Rained outa dodge.

It has been a fun adventure having the elite crew along with the typical Jackie and Mike show. The level of enthusiasm and laughter is inspiring and it has been a blast. Stops seven and eight of the Nor-am SBX tour concluded today under snowy, rainy, windy skies. Jackie and Mikey stepped up to the challenge of the two day stacked field all gunning for the coveted World Cup spot. Some changes were made to the course from the rev and some sharpened features and jumps had everyone a little shaken early on the first morning yesterday. After settling in Jackie charged through the first heat but encountered a bobble on the second run that would end her day in 6th. Mikey in his first ever nor-am turned heads as he picked of Nor-am veterans and athletes with Word Cup experience one by one. He narrowly missed the four man final and raced to a solid 7th in the consi round.

Day two brought the weather and with it more challenging conditions. Jackie well out front got caught in some snow missed by slippers and would settle for a ninth. Mikey continued his tear and proved he was not a one day fluke. "Wonder boy" was thrown around at the start as he was one of the youngest men in the field and was picking of pros like they were standing still!!!! The tear ended again with a photo finish in the semis narrowly missing the final and a trip to the consi round. Riding tough he again placed 3rd in the heat and a solid 7th and the second US junior on the day (under 19.) Jackie will bounce back strong and with one more stop to go on the Nor-am tour and a full 500 point race in her sights at Tremblant on the 31st, the season is poised to end up in fine fashion. She has had countless podiums this year and is working hard. In SBX racing anything can happen and perseverance and hard work puts you in the best position to be successful. Currently she sits in second for the title just 172 points off the lead.

So many highlights NOT caught on film...all the racing action...Jackie shredding the pipe with grabs! Joe cab ten, fs ten, Hunty cab ten, Phoebe huge fs fives, and bs sev attempts, Mikey bs nines, and charging the sbx, Chris locking in and boosting up (check the fs nine) and sbs five and countless others.

Think positive thoughts for Hunty as the aforementioned stomped ten went a little deep and he is nursing a sprained ankle and strained knee.

Here is a clip of what the boys (and Phobe) have been up to in addition to cheering on their teammates.

Be home soon.

Mike

Jr Jammers

US OPEN jr.jamming

After all the heavy hitters had a day to rest on Sunday from the US OPEN. The Jr. Jammers were not resting, finals were going off! I thought I should check some I.D.'s at the start because these guys were riding like adults. JJ,Scottie,Jp,and Maverick were full of energy. The heats were stacked and all rode great. Maverick Shaw was the only one to make it to finals out of the SMS crew. Maverick placed 14 in finals,one of the youngest in the Jr jam feild. The Jr. Jam is the stepping stone for many,and many are now pro level. Great job to all that rode today ! Think big..and you will go big!

SMS Represents on Home Turf!

Louie Vito 06' and Ellery Hollingsworth 09' graced the US Open halfpipe podium in the SMS backyard yesterday placing 2nd and 3rd respectively. Always great to have you guys around and back on campus. Congratulations on two amazing seasons!

US Open Slope

Yesterday in the men's semifinal Eric Beauchemin put down two beautiful double rodeos but fell just short of the final cut on the sunny slopestyle course. World class riding is what put EB in the USOpen Slopestyle two years running proving him to be one of the nations toughest and most technical up and coming pro slope competitors.

For the women Kiley Kennedy was representing SMS as the youngest finalist on the hill. KK was out there mixing it up with past open winners as old as 33 as well as dew tour champions and TTR world champions. Kiley put on a great show stomping out a forty five foot half cab method, afifty five foot front three and a this giant mute grab over the final jump before greasing the cannon of terror with her signature old school method. She placed 12 in the final and twelfth in the womens qualifier for Half Pipe on thursday am. Huge congratulations are in order. Give her a pat and Thanks if you see her before she heads back to Choate for exams this week. KK will rejoin the group at nationals on the 2nd of april.

Randall and Spencer are into the mens semifinal of HP this am. This is the seminal event in mens HP snowboarding. To ride on saturday at the open is a trip on the other side of the fence. Just a few heavy riders each year get to walk that hill.

Thanks to everybody for getting out and supporting the kids this week and Thanks to Joe Shwartz for this great shot of KK.

Final Rev Tour

Two for one. Yesterdays halfpipe saw great riding from the whole SMS crew. Hunter, Mikey and Phoebe just missed but rode solid and all will have GP spots locked for next year. Jenn, Joe and Chris all rode in the afternoon big dance. Jenn started off with a smooth stylie roast beef to method to 3 cab 3, fs 5, melon, air fakie nose and sick cab 5. She got just edged out by .1 and will make a good argument for a jr worlds spot sitting in 4th for the day and 5th for the overall. Joe got bucked his first run but came up smiling and landed a monster nine only to be ousted by the ever changing stunt ditch. Chris stepped right into the stacked finals and came through charging into huge airs and 3 different sevens for an outstanding 5th place.

Sbx was today and bluebird and 50 was the call. Mikey qualified 21, and made a brave move into the 2nd turn in his first heat but ended up odd man out when the dust settled. Jackie smooth and confident all day continued her tear, and after being .3 out on her first run, smoked the field by .9 on her second and lane choice for the day. Smooth sailing through heats 1 and 2 and onto the final. In the final jackie missed her pull but stayed on target and climbed into second through turns one and two. She hung in ISTC star Carrie Urens draft until the final turn ala Seth Westcott and passed Carrie with just feet to the finish.

Amazing day of racing and headed into Nor-am practice in the am.

The boys and Phoebe hiked the pipe in between cheering on Mikey and Jackie. Here is what went down.
Joe back to back nines, and back in full form. Chris had Michaelchuck attempts and bs nines so close. Hunter bunch of front nines and a front ten in the books. Phoebes bs five 2 ft out grabbed and clean with some bs seven trys. Game on.

Fun times and more to come. Congrats to the crew at home riding tough and representing. Be sure to head up to the Sunbowl and cheer them on.

Thanks,

Mike