Kids and skiing in the Truckee Meadows almost always bring up one image, Sky Tavern. Since 1948, Sky Tavern has been at the heart of untold countless memories of area residents’ first run down a snow covered mountain with shiny new skis strapped to shaking legs, mittens torn by a rope tow, school buses chugging up Mt.Rose and chili dogs by the fire. For generations the Sky Tavern Junior Ski Program has been a mainstay of those first experiences, but in the last few years the game has gotten bigger.
Sky Tavern Junior Ski Program’s new contract with the City of Reno puts this non-profit in control of the Sky Tavern Ski Area year round for the coming decades. Tasked by the City with creating more recreational opportunities and improving the ski area’s buildings and lifts, the volunteer group is taking on the challenge. First stop is winter and ski racing.
Many will remember the races held at Sky Tavern, but that was more than a few years ago. After a small hiatus, ski racing is back at Sky. A Tahoe League development team was reformed a few years ago under the direction of volunteer coach Cameron Clarkson. Spurred on by the success of the kids, he decided to take things to the next level and become a USSA club.
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) is the national governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboarding. The century-old organization provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders from over 400 member clubs who share an Olympic dream. It is responsible for all aspects of competitive skiing and snowboarding from grassroots programs through elite international teams, including training and fielding the annual U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding Team, as well as the Olympic teams.
Late in the 2011 season Sky Tavern entered just a few kids in USSA events. They did well, in fact, very well. To get more kids involved, more volunteer coaches were found and other programs added. Now the number of kids involved in competing has doubled and then doubled again. There is a tiered system in place starting at age eight for a non-competitive racing program, a Tahoe League development team for older kids and a USSA Far West and FIS international racing club for those with serious ability and a will to win, all coached by adults giving their time and talents.
To make certain the general public gets a chance to feel the sensation of blasting through gates, Sky Tavern along with USSA, is opening ski racing to everyone with NASTAR races. NASTAR is based on a handicap scoring system much like golf, and lets the individual be as serious or low keyed about racing as they like. They can even form teams and race against friends and family.
Racing is fun! Soon high school teams will be hosted at Sky Tavern, which may help save a school program that is under watch by those in the Washoe County School District budget office. One working plan is to add lights to the mountain so high school teams and others can train and compete outside of school hours and other times Sky Tavern is filled with kids just learning to ski. This could give more kids the chance to be involved in a sport that might otherwise be out of their grasp.
The members of Sky Tavern fully back an Olympic bid, and have partnered with RTWGC since the beginning. They also know the process that will have to be approved by the citizens of the area. Ski racing can be such a fundamental part of any kid’s life whether it is high school, NASTAR or USSA competitions. That experience is something every child growing up in this area should get a chance at. Doing it once may be the difference between being out on the hills and staying home with video games or between seeing the importance of The Winter Games and not. Winter is all about fun while living here. That is why Sky Tavern is working hard to make racing and snowsports accessible and affordable and important to everyone. Come join us.
