Where can students eat breakfast and attend their first class on campus, get “on snow” for three and a half hours at Sunday River or the on-campus Nordic trails, and be back in time for lunch and afternoon classes? At Gould Academy, you can.
Gould has a longstanding culture of celebrating winter thanks to its location in the mountains of Western Maine, just six miles from its partner and second campus Sunday River Resort. During the off-season, Gould helps students stay on snow through trips to France, Chile, Austria, Oregon and Quebec.
Gould students on campus on a winter day. Gould Academy
What distinguishes Gould from traditional boarding schools or ski academies is its on-snow programs. The unique combination of a strong academics program and a partnership with Sunday River make this possible. And the on-snow curriculum includes a competition program (Alpine, freestyle, snowboarding and Nordic); prep Alpine, prep snowboarding and prep Nordic teams that compete against other schools; as well as instruction and ski patrol certification programs. Or students can learn to ski and snowboard for the very first time.
The on-snow program is led by Coach Kurt Simard, who brings a versatile coaching perspective to Gould. He has worked with gifted athletes of all ages, from the junior development level to Division I collegiate level to placement on the U.S. Ski Team. As head coach for the University of New Hampshire’s Division I women’s Alpine team, he coached the Wildcats to a NCAA National Giant Slalom Championship in 2006 and the entire Alpine team to a second-place overall finish that same year. His athletes also earned 19 All-American Award honors as well as placements to the U.S. Ski Team.
Simard recently worked with the U.S. Ski Team during the Beaver Creek World Cup races.
Whether your goal is to develop a lifelong love of Alpine, freestyle, snowboarding, or Nordic, or to compete for an NCAA Division I school and beyond, Gould has the coaches, the teachers, the opportunities inside and outside of the classroom, not to mention the passion to help you achieve your goals.
Get a head start with the Gould Winter Term Program and learn what it’s like to be a Gould student while still in middle school. Seventh- and eighth-grade student-athletes can train full-time on On-Snow Alpine, Nordic, freestyle/freeride or snowboarding.
For more information about Gould, call 207-824-7777 or visit gouldacademy.org.
— Gould Academy
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