2012–13 INSIDE: Q&A with President and CEO, Bill Marolt SkillsQuest Launch Looking forward to SOCHI USSA TEAM ACADEMY VISION The vision of the USSA is to make the United States of America the Best in the World in Olympic skiing and snowboarding. MISSION The mission of the USSA is to provide strong leadership that establishes and supports athletic excellence, in accordance with USSA core values. GOALS • Athletic excellence • Financial strength • Organizational growth • Positive organizational image • Strong partnerships CORE VALUES with USSA President and CEO, Bill Marolt Team – Constituent groups within USSA working in partnership to be the Q&A best in the world Loyalty – Steadfast allegiance to USSA’s Vision, Mission, Goals and Values With a year to Sochi, 2013 was another strong season! USSA athletes had a very successful season with titles at every World Championship for the first time. But, we Integrity – Steadfast, incorruptible adherence to truth and USSA’s Core Values are not taking anything for granted. We have a solid elite coaching staff and Best in the World high performance Respect – Willing demonstration of care and concern toward others and an open- programs that will play a pivotal role in taking our athletes to the Olympic podium. Additionally, our elite team mindedness toward others’ ideas performance is a manifestation of a strong nationwide sport system. It inspires the next generation of competitors and illustrates the clear path youth in our sport can take to achieve their Olympic dreams. Accountability – Responsibility of every individual to conduct themselves in accordance with USSA values and expectations What do you expect from the Sochi Olympic Winter Games? Perseverance – Unwavering commitment to the core values in pursuit of USSA’s We’ll take a team to Sochi that is well prepared and focused to challenge for Best in the World. Sochi is a much Vision and Mission different landscape from Vancouver. We’ve invested over the last few years to ensure that we have an environment there to support our athletes in achieving their goals. We’re prepared and energized to compete in an Olympics in a Courage – The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, new part of the world and amidst a unique culture. Our athletes had strong results in test events across all sports. danger or pain without fear to achieve a goal. continued > COVER: Sarah Hendrickson was motivated by seeing the 2002 Olympics in her hometown of Park City and was introduced through a USSA club – the Park City Nordic Ski Club – which continues to offer entry level programs to hundreds of young ski jumpers including Paige Jones. Photos © Sarah Brunson Q&Awith USSA President and CEO, Bill Marolt What should parents look for in a local club? How important are sport heroes in The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) is a Parents want clear, distinct and healthy programs for their that evolution? performance-based Best in the World sports organization children. First and foremost, USSA clubs need to be a safe Each generation of champion athletes providing a positive environment for athletes to chase their environment. That’s why we’ve aggressively pushed SafeSport inspires the next – Lindsey Vonn, Bode Olympic dreams. The USSA provides leadership and direction education and background screening, continuing to tighten Miller, Hannah Kearney, Kikkan Randall, for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders that program. Kelly Clark and others all play a vital role. who share an Olympic dream while maintaining a strong This past year, we made big strides in sport USSA’s new mandatory Fast Start program provides baseline adherence to core values. exposure with more live streaming, the education to every coach before being issued a USSA membership. debut of the USSA Network on YouTube and The USSA is fueled by the passion of Olympism – family, Parents can and should take an active role in ensuring that club the first ever live U.S. World Cup broadcasts coaches and officials are current USSA members. friends, volunteers and partners united to help young resulting in a 35% increase in our national athletes follow their dreams in the spirit of the values and How does the USSA Center of Excellence help? ratings on NBC Sports Network. ideals symbolic of the Olympics. The Center of Excellence has been an amazing training facility for Does that also impact fundraising? elite athletes. But more than that, it’s been the epicenter of high Local USSA clubs are the starting point of the Olympic The USSA is unique among its competitors performance education for the USSA’s clubs. Center of Excellence journey. The USSA is education focused and athletically in that we receive no government funding. TV has been a valuable channel to convey the latest performance driven, providing sport education to club coaches so that Our sport heroes help generate funds to content to clubs. they can engage optimal training for developing athletes. support development of the next generation. What steps are you taking to ensure the future? We saw gains this past year in public The USSA’s National Training System provides a roadmap Seeing new sports on the horizon in 2010, the USSA Board fundraising including the best year ever through the athletic pipeline with USSA talent identification developed a long term strategic plan that has served us very for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team and development projects providing a pathway to excellence. well in managing through an exciting period of sport growth. Foundation’s Gold Pass and one of best New Elite development and national team athletes benefit from This past year, we commissioned a study by McKinsey & York Gold Medal Galas in the event’s history. the USSA’s high performance athletic programs with access Company to look at our delivery of athletic programs. As a We also signed significant new sponsorship to world class coaching, sport science, sports medicine result, we’re developing new standards to better align with agreements including Olympic partners like and nutrition programs. Elite athletes can also train in the clubs and affiliate organizations at the regional, divisional and P&G and Kellogg’s. state levels. We’re also re-tooling our communications to be USSA Center of Excellence, a national training and education How is that success generated? more targeted and transparent. center at the organization’s home in Park City, UT, as well as Olympism is a powerful principle – family, on-snow training sites around the USA. What role will the new USSA TEAM Academy play friends and fans all working together for moving forward? the success of athletes. We’re all a team Established in 1905, the USSA receives no direct government While you’re preparing for Sochi, how are you focusing Education and athletics are important in our athletes’ lives. with each of us feeling an intense pride in support, relying on the generosity of corporations and private on the future? We’ve seen that with our Westminster College and other athletes achieving their dreams. individuals to fund athletic programs to assist athletes in Talent identification and skill development are foremost in our programs. USSA TEAM Academy was developed to address a reaching their dreams. What do you see looking to the future? athletic programming. Programs like the alpine U16 national very specific need of high school education for elite national level Right now, our eyes are on Best in the World training camp, SkillsQuest, Project Gold in freeskiing and athletes. It gives athletes a new option to work on that balance of success in Sochi and at the 2015 Alpine snowboarding, nordic National Training Group programs and athletic and academic life. In its first year, it made a huge impact World Championships in Vail/Beaver Creek. Young Guns and the Elite Aerial Development Program in freestyle both athletically and academically. It’s a key to our future success But, at the same time, we need to look to are all providing platforms for USSA athletes to move from club in all sports. the future. The USSA is about kids – our programs to the elite level. Since taking over as CEO in 1996, you’ve seen quite an evolution. average member athlete is just 12 years What role do clubs play? We all take a lot of pride in how the USSA has been transformed old! Ensuring that parents have confidence USSA’s local clubs are pivotal to the success of our sports – the as an athletic organization. What I’m most proud of is the focus in club programs, along with a clear delivery point where parents and kids get their introduction to that we’ve established on athletes. It began with our Best in development path in each sport, will ensure sport. We’ve invested in new club leadership this spring and also the World vision and has manifested with our clubs and sport that the athletes inspired by watching the introduced the USSA’s new Club Development Program providing leadership working together as a team to ensure that we were Sochi success will have a platform to see education, certification and recognition so that parents have a doing everything possible to give athletes the opportunity to their own dreams come to reality. benchmark of excellence in their local clubs. achieve their Olympic dreams. THE USSA’S 425 LOCAL CLUBS ARE THE HEART OF THE SPORT CLUB CERTIFICATION The USSA’s 425 local clubs are the heart of the sport, with club education a vital component of a consistent national program. Last season, 14 clubs were invited to engage in the new USSA club certification process.