Elite/HS Juniors Teams

     For Age 15-24

​

Alaska Winter Stars provides programs for junior skiers at all levels, from the newest beginners to internationally ranked elite ski racers. This year we will work towards individually and specifically designed workouts for each athlete. Our main objective is to provide year-round professional training for cross country skiers and to improve not only their skiing level but also to provide physical education and activities in addition to junior sport programs at school. An active lifestyle is important for young people to develop good motor skills, and for masters to stay in good shape, extend mobility of joints, and exercise their cardiovascular system. Cross-country skiing provides an exercise for all major muscle groups, and it is one of the most beneficial forms of sports activity. For some athletes, our program will be just a fun form of sport activity in their daily life, and for some it will be in pursuit of a more serious cross-country career.

​

AWS has consistently produced many of the United States' and now the worlds' best cross country skiers for over 26 years.  National Champions, NCAA Champions, World Junior and U-23 Championship members, and many Junior National Champions such as Gus Schumacher, Tyler Kornfield, Eric Packer, Scott and Caitlin Patterson, Amy Glen, Molly Gellert, and many others grew up skiing for Alaska Winter Stars as juniors and through college. In March 2020, Gus made history as the first US skier to win an individual gold medal at the World Junior Championships. Just a few days after his individual win, Gus anchored the US junior men to a repeat gold medal in the World Junior Championship Relay. 

​

The Winter Stars program is known for having more organized workouts than any other team in the country.  We believe athletes benefit from training with coaches who interact with them almost daily to track their progress in fitness and technique, as well as forming tight bonds with their training partners who push and inspire each other to be their best each day.  

​

Athletes interested in reaching high levels of skiing success should be enrolled in AWS programs throughout the winter, as our athletes' training plans involve specific and individualized workouts through the ski season to ensure they are including appropriate and relevant training during and in addition to high school practices.  Alaska Winter Stars coaches monitor training logs and communicate directly with each athlete throughout the season to make sure strength, technique, rest, and additional training is being accounted for.  Even if your school does not have an AWS ski coach, we are always there to support you, without undermining the coaching from your high school coach.  The bottom line is that athletes hoping to qualify or do well at Junior Nationals need to put in more work than just regular high school practices to keep up with the level of training from elite juniors throughout the country. 

Goals

 

• Technique and skill development and improvement

• Strength and endurance training

• Video analysis

• Training camps: summer, Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks

• Coaching at local, regional, national competitions

• Year-round coaching support

• Group workouts 4-6 times a week

• Specific sport education and testing

• Video analysis

• Training logs monitoring

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​