What is the Pats Peak Ski Team?
The Pats Peak Ski Team is a United States Ski Association (USSA) sanctioned race program at Pats Peak in Henniker, NH that offers athletes weekend and night training on some of the best race terrain in the state. Our coaching staff focuses on helping athletes build the fundamental skills necessary to become an elite level ski racer, or just a really confident skier. As a PPST member, you will learn to ski competitively with some of the best racers in the state.
How old do you have to be to join the team?
There are training and racing opportunities for all children ages 6* to 21. Skiers are broken into groups by age.
Race 1: age 6-7 (or 9 and under and new to racing and focused solely on fundamentals)
U10: age 8-9
U12: age 10-11
U14: age 12-13
U16: age 14-15
U18: age 16-17
U21: 18 plus
*Please talk with us about your 6 year old, so we can make sure that he or she is ready for the program.
Do you have to be an expert skier to join the team?
No. If you’ve moved beyond a wedge (snowplow), and can ski Blue Square trails, we will teach you everything from the basics to the finer technical aspects of skiing and racing. No previous race experience is necessary as our coaches have successfully transformed many recreational skiers into accomplished racers.
How much time does training take?
Our season runs from late November/early December through March. The team trains Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30 am - 2:30 pm with a 1 hour break for lunch at 11am. Night training is available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights in January and February from 5:30pm-7pm.
Additional training is offered daily during Christmas break.
Do I have to go to every training session?
No. It’s entirely up to you and your racer how often to train. The more you train, the faster you will improve. Most athletes will ski on both days each weekend. Many of our U12 and older athletes will try to get to 1 night of training each week – but it’s not required.
How much does it cost (2023-2024)?
(Race1) - $995
(U10) - $1,065
(U12) - $1,190
(U14) - $1,190
(U16) - $1,290
(U18+) - $1,290
Night: $600
High School: $900
In addition to club fees, athletes must purchase a season pass at Pats Peak, and join USSA and NHARA. Individual race entries are separate and range from $45-65.
Does Pats Peak Ski Team have access to discounted season passes?
Yes. PPST has a "Peak Rewards" program with Pats Peak. In addition to you saving $$ on your season passes, depending on volume, PPST receives benefits that help reduce the cost of running races - a win-win. Feel free to share the PPST Peak Rewards info with friends and family.
http://www.patspeak.com/seasonpasses_peakreward.html
Access Code = PPSTC
How many races are there and where are they?
The number of races vary by age level, and the amount of training individuals take on.
The U8/Race 1 team participates in fun races at Pats Peak (ie – Nastar), and usually one other local mountain with other U8s. The U10 group typically competes in 4-5 races per season, while older ages compete in 8-12 races.
Races take place at both Pats Peak and other mountains in NH. At higher levels of competition, races can take you to New York/New England and beyond.
Volunteer Help is required?
PPST is a club that you join as a family. While your child may participate in the skiing aspect of the club, we rely on club members to help run our club, events and races. Each family will have a minimum amount of ‘race credits’ to complete.
Still not sure?
Contact the club to see about a "test drive" day for your child to try it out. We are sure that they will enjoy their day!
More questions?
Visit our website http://www.patspeakracing.org or email our Program Director – Robbie Holland (info@patspeakracing.org)