Maine’s premiere non-ski academy race program

GREENWOOD — Mt. Abram Ski Resort will be launching a non-academy race program this winter that will feature one of the elite United States ski racers of all-time, Julie Parisien, and her former coach, Tim LaVallee.

Le Club de Sport LaVallee/Parisien will be geared toward promoting high school and middle school ski racing and to helping those athletes reach their full potential and growth in alpine racing.

“It’s a wonderful synergy,” Parisien, who recently moved back to Maine from Michigan, said. “The program is something I am really excited about and totally 100 percent on board.”

Parisien, a three-time Olympian and World Cup racer, will be joined by coach LaVallee, working to create a great race development program. Both have competed and coached at the highest elite levels in the world and will be bringing their knowledge and skills to the youngsters interested in developing their abilities.

Mt. Abram program director, Mark Thibodeau, and LaVallee have spent two winters developing the program and, with the addition of Parisien to the staff, are ready to help young skiers expand their racing opportunities and experience.

“We will supplement and support the athlete’s home program, high school/middle school coaches, and training needs,” Thibodeau said. “We will do this by providing world class coaching, a 40-day training program that includes training over Christmas break, low racer to coach ratio, extensive video analysis and logical progression of skills development through a blending of directed, free ski drills, gate drills and full-length courses.”

Parisien skied on the World Cup Alpine circuit winning titles in giant slalom at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire in 1991; in slalom at Sundsvall, Sweden in 1992; and in slalom at Park City, Utah in 1992. She had one other World Cup podium finish and 15 top 10s in her career. At the 1993 World Championships, Parisien won silver in the slalom. She narrowly missed an Olympic medal, placing fourth in slalom and fifth in giant slalom at Albertville in 1992. After her retirement from the World Cup circuit, Parisien skied for 10 years on the women’s pro ski tour.

“Joining with coach LaVallee and Mark, we will be able to offer a program from three different perspectives,” Parisien said. “I have been an elite athlete, coach LaVallee has skied and coached at an elite level, and Mark has the community coaching experience.”

LaVallee is a former four-year standout and two-year captain of the Plymouth State University ski team and has enjoyed a distinguished coaching career in ski racing. He has been successful at the high school level in Bethel and at Oxford Hills High School; the college level at the University of Colorado and Bates College; the prep school level at Gould Academy; and the national level with the United States Ski Team from 1983-87.

“Having the opportunity to be a part of this program is truly exciting,” LaVallee said. “We are not looking to take kids away from their high school programs, but to supplement what they do, only from a different perspective.”

“It was a natural fit for everybody,” Thibodeau added. “We are going to be able to give kids an exciting program, something they deserve.”

Joining Le Club de Sport will be coaching staff, Tim Hutchinson, Joey Chretien, and former Mt. Abram athlete and University of Maine at Farmington ski racer Courtney Poston.

“In addition to our top level coaching staff, Mt. Abram has one of the best training facilities in the country and a management that is fully supportive of racing on its slopes,” Thibodeau said. “Superb snow-making capacity with the addition of 60 new HKD tower guns to our snowmaking fleet, 28 dedicated for the race hill, outstanding training and racing terrain, and a lighted training and race hill make Mt. Abram the ideal place for development of young ski talent.”

“We, also, have a great nucleus of young talent returning and they are anxious to show off their skills and prove themselves on the race hill this winter,” LaVallee said. “Mt. Abram is a safe place for kids to learn to ski and enjoy the sport.”

The Mt. Abram Le Club de Sport LaVallee/Parisien will begin the first day of training on December 4. For more details on how to join, Le Club de Sport LaVallee/Parisien go to www.skiabram.com

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