Management changes at alpine ski foundation

The Flathead Valley Ski Foundation

announced recently they are taking total control of Whitefish

Mountain Alpine Race Team’s operations in an effort to streamline

the program. Whitefish Mountain Resort will continue to be

involved, but the move relieves the resort of any financial

obligations.

The ski foundation was founded in 1973

and helps young skiers develop and fine-tune their racing

techniques. This year’s team competed in races across the state and

sent a few members to the Junior Olympics in Squaw Valley,

Calif.

“The mountain and the foundation

thought it was in the best interest to separate,” foundation

president Richard Kramer said. “Now, we’ll have more day-to-day

control of the program.”

In the past, the race team was a

“hybrid program,” Kramer said, where money raised by the foundation

was given to the resort to pay for coaches. With the split, the

foundation will now handle all of the hiring and be “100 percent

responsible for their budget.”

Kramer calls it a more traditional

setup for ski programs.

“Before, all of the coaches were

employees of the mountain and followed their rules and guidelines,”

Kramer said. “We now have full control.”

The resort will continue to stay

involved and support the program by providing the coaches with

season passes, racing space on the mountain, conducting and

organizing race events and night race leagues, and providing office

space and equipment.

“They will still be very helpful to the

success of the program,” Kramer said.

Resort CEO Dan Graves agreed.

“The resort is delighted to continue

support of the program,” he said.

With the down economy, the foundation

has struggled to gain fundraising momentum for what amounts to a

very expensive sport. Racers travel the region to compete in

different events, and attracting top-tier coaches costs substantial

money.

Kramer says they’re doing a “balancing

act” to maintain the program’s stature.

“We’ll be looking at new ways to raise

funds and for some corporate sponsors to keep the program at its

high level,” Kramer said.

To learn more about the Flathead Valley

Ski Foundation, visit online at

www.whitefishraceteam.blogspot.com.