COACHES, TEAM OFFICIALS, and ATHLETES    top team   devo team   Alan Johnson, Athletic Director Alan started a ski/bike shop - touring center when he was at New England College hosting a number of Dannon Series XC races.  After an unsuccessful attempt at making 1980 Olympic NC Team, he started coaching Nordic skiing.  He was the head coach of the Winter Park jump program from 1980-84.  For the next four years, he was the head coach of the NYSEF Nordic programs, based in Lake Placid.  He also served as a part-time coach for the US Ski Team in both ski jumping and NC, and became USST’s head coach for NC from 1988-91.  From 1992-96, Alan was the USST Nordic Program Director, and served as the team’s head coach for ski jumping in 1996-97.  He then accepted the position as Salt Lake Olympic Committee’s Project Manager for ski jumping and Nordic combined from 1997-2002, and stayed through 2003 as the Utah Olympic Park’s director of Nordic and freestyle facilities.  In 2003, he became involved with the construction industry, and in 2006 formed Ptarmigan Property Services, a Park City property management company.  In 2006, Alan was instrumental in the establishment of Ski Jumping Development USA, which became the support organization for the men’s elite team, known as Project X.  In 2010, he was one of the founding members of USA Ski Jumping.  He’s the father of Anders, a member of the USASJ team, and Alissa, who’s a member of the Women’s Ski Jumping USA elite team.  He has maintained his FIS licenses as a TD for both ski jumping and Nordic Combined. Casey Colby, Program Director, Development Team & Jr Coach            Asked to define his goals after being named coach, he replied "To create a program that the athletes trust will be in their best interest for future competitive endeavors.  To make sure the boys achieve top results at each respective level and are well prepared to move up to each successive level throughout their careers." Casey resides in Lake Placid, NY.  He was born Nov 3, 1974, in nearby Saranac Lake.  His first coaches were Jon Viscome and Joe Lamb, of the Lake Placid Ski Club.  He jumped competitively from ages 6 to 24.  He was a member of the '98 Olympic team, was the '97 national champion, a US Ski Team member and World Cup competitor ‘96-’99.  He coached the US women’s ski jumping team ‘03-’06, and coached the US Junior World Championship team in ‘03, ‘06, & ‘10. Casey says, “I think it will be geared more towards the long term development of the athletes instead of focusing on results right away.  Our athletes are on average 8-9 years younger than the average age of the top ski jumpers in the world, so time and talent is on our side. In his spare time, Casey likes to play golf, enjoys backcountry skiing, golf, and the occasional jumping session for fun. Clint Jones, Technical & Travel Coach for the Top Team When Clint was asked about goals for the upcoming season, he said “My goal for the team is to show the world that we can consistently compete at a high level internationally. And by the end of the 2011 winter, I'm sure we will be able to turn some heads in the ski jumping community.  I’m very excited to see how I can help this talented group of young athletes.  I believe that we have the potential to make the USA Ski Jumping Team stronger than it has been in many years.” Clint was born Oct 5, 1984 in Monroe WI, and currently resides in Park City UT.  His first coach was Todd Wilson of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.  He competed for 17 years, and became the youngest USSA National champion in any ski discipline.  He was a 2002 and 2006 Olympian, a member of seven World Championship Teams, and placed 2nd overall in the 2002 Summer Grand Prix. He’s in his fourth year of coaching.  When not skiing, Clint enjoys riding his mountain bike and playing guitar.  He’s a fan of the Denver Broncos, dating back to the days of Elway, Davis, and McCaffrey. Why does he like ski jumping?  “In no other sport can you fly over the length of 2 football fields and ski away ... without a parachute.” Peter Graves, Public Relations and Communications Director Peter has spent a lifetime involved with Nordic sports. A Vermont native, he was a four event skier in high school and specialized in cross-country skiing at Fort Lewis College in Durango CO. Graves, 58, has been a US Ski Team Coach, the USSA Eastern Nordic Program Director, and was the USSA's Events Services Coordinator. He’s had a lifelong affection for ski jumping and has announced more jumping events than anyone else in the United States over a 30+ year career, for NBC Sports, ESPN, OLN and Universal Sports. He has covered many of the Springer Tournee's over the years, and has also served as Team Leader for the 1984 FIS World Junior Nordic Championships in Trondheim and countless Swiss Week trips. Graves, the father of two grown children, Katie Bowen and former US Ski Team Nordic combined athlete Willy, also writes about the Nordic scene for Ski Racing, SKI TRAX, and Universal Sports.com. He began his broadcasting career for ABC Sports as a Nordic commentator at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, and has announced at 8 Olympic Games. Most recently, he announced Nordic skiing at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games alongside Chris Hastings and Jean Segun. Graves was recently honored for his work by USSA winning the John Clair Award for lifetime service to USSA. He has also been named Announcer of the Year by Velo News magazine and is a member of the Grandma's Marathon Hall of Fame in Duluth, MN. Graves is also a voting member of the US Ski Hall of Fame Committee and the Vermont Ski Hall of Fame. He lives in Vermont with his wife, Cami Thompson-Graves, the women's head Nordic ski coach at Dartmouth College.  He has two grown children, Katie Bowen and former US Nordic Combined athlete Willy Graves, and also a step-daughter, Sophie. Coaches’ Updates          2011-12    Nov  20 Colby    Oct   11 Colby    Aug  14 Jones          2010-11    Jan   09 Jones    Dec  08  Colby    Sept 26  Colby    Sept 12  Jones    Sept 02  Colby    Aug  06  Jones    July  04  Jones    June 22  Colby Athletes’ Updates           2011-12     Sept 11  Lamb            2010-11     Mar  13  Lamb    Mar  06  Fairall    Mar  03  Frenette    Feb  27  Johnson    Feb  23  Alexander    Feb  20  Glasder    Sept 13  Bliss    Oct   17  Lamb    Interviews by    Peter Graves    Alan Johnson    Clint Jones      Peter Frenette    Anders Johnson    Photos (except Graves, Alexander, and Lamb) courtesy of Park City’s Estabrook Photography ATHLETES Nick Alexander Nick was born in Brattleboro VT on Aug 24, 1988.  He  thanks his lucky stars he was born in the shadow of the town’s ski jump in northern New England. Nick was lucky enough to have grown up in Lebanon, NH and on their 25-meter and 50 meter jumping hills and with coaches from the LOC, he knew ski jumping was going to be his thing, shortly after he started to jump at 10 years-old. It’s a program that has produced a number of Olympic flyers. He then traveled to Lake Placid, NY to attend the National Sports Academy, and a program of began serious physical training, that began to show real promise. Since then, he made the US Olympic Team for Vancouver, and scored several top ten finishes on the Continental Cup (COC) in Europe. He competed in his first World Cup in 2009 in Willingen GER.  His goal is to be competitive on the World Cup, and to help the US be one of the top jumping nations in the world. Nick is…”a happy guy who likes to laugh and have a good time. I consider myself friendly and easy to get along with. I love music, it’s a huge part of my life along with ski jumping.” Nick Fairall Nick has been one of the nation’s top talents for some years now.  He was born July 6, 1989, and resides in Andover NH.  The 21 year-old Fairall has been ski jumping for fifteen years, and in recent years he’s enjoyed the results to back up his reputation. Consider that Fairall was the first American man to win a  FIS Cup event in Eisenerz, AUT, and that he placed a very respectable 23rd & 24th in a ski flying World Cup at Kulm/ Bad Mitterndorf, AUT.  In the 2009 season he took top honors winning the coveted USSA Super Tour overall crown.  He was also the 2009 & 2010 Art Devlin Cup Winner, and placed 3rd in the US Nationals in 2010. Fairall, a native of New London, NH, began jumping at the age of six under legendary coach Tim Norris, at the Andover (NH) Ski Club.  His favorite hills are the K120 at Lake Placid and the K185 ski flying hill in Planica SLO. Off the ski jump Fairall has been captivated in Military Arnis, a mixture of Filipino stick fighting, jujitsu and karate…”it helps to build coordination, mental fitness and confidence”, he says. For favorite sports teams you don’t need to look further than his native New England…”the Patriots. The Celtics and the Boston Red Sox, I was born in New England, so that’s the reason.” Peter Frenette Pete has only to look back to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games to find his motivation---for his Olympic performances had all of America cheering. Pete was born Feb 24, 1992 in Port Jefferson NY, and now resides in Saranac Lake NY.  He has been jumping for 12 seasons.  He cut his ski jumping teeth working with legendary trainer Larry Stone on the 1980 Olympic Ski jumps in Lake Placid, and he continues to be a member of the Lake Placid Ski Club and NYSEF. QUOTE: “I hope to better my jumping technique, which will help me to achieve better results.”  He also says he loves ski jumping because ”the feeling of flight is so amazing.”  His top result last year: 2nd place in the Lauscha Continental Cup, and 2010 North American Junior Champion. He knows progress in this sport takes time.  USA Ski Jumping coach Casey Colby knows Frenette has what it takes, “he’s a natural talent, you could see that at the Olympics in Whistler, so many technique elements are just intuitive for him. With time, he could be great.” Pete is a man on a mission, who is hoping to take another big leap forward for this 2011 ski season. Count the 18 year-old as one who will follow closely ever NY Jets game with pride. Mike Glasder A resident of Cary IL, Mike was born March 27, 1989.  He began jumping at age 5, with coach Scott Smith of the Norge Ski Club in Fox River Grove IL.  Among his honors are 3rd Place in the Oberwiesenthal FIS Cup, 2 time Overall Super Tour winner, Central Division Skier of the Year. 4th place 2009 US Nationals. 14th Place 2009 Junior World Championships, a win in the US Cup series finale at Brattleboro VT in 2011, which secured him the overall US Cup title for the 2011 season. He’s known as “Prison Mike” after a character in the TV show “The Office” ... and his favorite hill is the K185 in Planica SLO. “For the upcoming season I would like to get back to the basics of ski jumping and start having fun again. The last few seasons have been difficult with travel and competition, so i would like to focus mainly on training instead of focusing on competition. This summer I plan use as a preparation for the winter competitions instead of putting pressure on the summer competitions.” Mike is a Cubs and Blackhawks fan, and says “I enjoy outside activities such as golfing, biking, boating, and fishing. I am getting really into bass fishing and it is one of the most exciting and relaxing things that I like to do in my off time. When I'm not traveling i live iwith my Mom and Dad as well as my older brother Chris and younger brother Dennis. I wouldn't have been able to make it this far without their support. Anders Johnson 2010  was the best and worst of times for two time Olympian Anders Johnson of Park City, UT. Following an off- season knee injury and surgery, Johnson went on to recover and make the US Olympic Team for Vancouver. Johnson showed his true toughness in bouncing back so quickly, even though it required much dedication and hard work. Anders was born April 23, 1989, in Plattsburgh NY.  He started jumping at age three in Lake Placid—his dad, Alan, is a former USST coach, well known figure in the Nordic world, and member of the Board of Directors for USA Ski Jumping. Johnson made his first Olympic team at the tender age of 16. He has been a member of seven USA World Junior Teams and won the US National jumping titles in both 2008 and 2009.  His first World Cup event came at Bischofshofen AUT in 2009. The six foot-three Johnson’s sister Alissa, is one of America’s top female jumpers, and she won the 2011 US Collegiate Women’s Championship. Chris Lamb A lifelong resident of Andover NH, Chris was born June 21, 1989.  He began ski jumping with the Andover Outing Club, coached by Tim Norris. In his career, he’s already had significant accomplishments, including: -2nd place US National Championships 2009/10 -4th place US National Championships 2007/08 -4th place FIS Cup Falun SWE 2009 -2x Champion at Harris hill in Brattleboro VT/ hill record holder 2010 -191.5 meters ski flying.... looking forward to 230+ Chris is optimistic that the USA is finally on the way to having an optimal, and organized ski jumping program.  He says “I am excited to see so many people coming together to create the best possible learning experience for our team, and look forward to seeing the limits being pushed!  “It is my passion. It is of course incredibly fun, and has also given me some of the greatest opportunities in this world. I have met some amazing people through ski jumping, been to amazing places, and have learned so much about myself. When it comes down to the basic question though, the feeling of making a great jump is worth blood, sweat, and tears, it makes me so happy.” He’s a diehard Red Sox fan, and says “I would like to one day have the experience of a total survival situation in the wilderness.” Chris is currently living and training in Trondheim NOR ... and learning to speak Norwegian! DEVELOPMENT TEAM ATHLETES © USA Ski Jumping 2010-12   Made with Xara  Site Design:  Kenneth J Anderson & Assoc  Christian Friberg Christian lives in Roseville MN, and began jumping at age 6 with the St Paul Ski Club.  He was a triple winner at the 2012 North American Junior Championships in Calgary.  He won the same event. He’s been setting the US Cup series on fire, having won the first four of seven events as of Feb 3, 2012. He also won the J1 title in the  2011 Junior Nationals at Salisbury CT, and the J2 title at the 2009 Jr Nationals in Anchorage. See Christian fly 137 meters at Park City: CLICK TO VIEW VIDEO Alex Haupt I got into ski jumping when I was 6 years old thanks to Anders Johnson suggesting I try it out. I live and train in Park City Utah with the Park City Nordic Ski Club and coach Alan Alborn, and I am in my final semester of my undergraduate program at the University of Utah. My best result was 5th at US nationals in Park City on the big hill, July 2011. Alex in flight, Park City.  Brenna Ellis photo ... click to enlarge view. Brian Wallace