Travis Ganong Scholarship Winner at SVA....a Czech.

[Muleski]

Does this strike anybody else as being a bit odd? We have endless comments on here, and in every corner that touches the sport, making it clear that the sport is incredibly expensive. There are many American kids who have plenty of academic and ski talent, from families who simply can't afford to attend a ski academy. Yes, there is financial aid available, and even some scholarships at many of them. But it's a struggle. I guess that I thought it odd to see this. And Eastern coach, who is very, very familiar with the current crop of the best U14 and U16 kids on the global stage, said "So.....they are hardly an established academy, so they went out and bought the best they could bring in....globally. Sounds like the NCAA, huh?"

Not sure this is a great PR move, but I would assume they don't have a roster of PR and marketing folks on staff. Maybe I'm being harsh. Would not be the first time......

This just appeared in SkiRacing.com, BTW.

"Squaw Valley Academy (SVA) is pleased to announce the 2018 winner of the Travis Ganong Scholarship. The scholarship is a partnership with World Cup alpine skier and previous student, Travis Ganong, and has been proudly awarded to Tatiana Tobolka, an incoming ninth grader from Prague, Czech Republic.

Tobolka is a member of the Czech National Team who embodies Squaw Valley Academy’s mission statement in her commitment to academics, athletics, and community. Tobolka has been named the U14 Overall Czech Alpine Skiing Champion in 2017. She is an extremely hard-working student and athlete, who is devoted to her studies and her athletic training.

Ganong is a Tahoe resident, Olympian, World Cup winner, World Championship medalist, U.S. Ski Team member, and SVA’s director of snow sports. This scholarship is awarded annually to promising student-athletes that embody Ganong’s passion for education and alpine ski racing. This merit-based award provides full or half tuition until graduation and is open to all students entering grades 9 and 10 for the upcoming school year.

Squaw Valley Academy’s Competition Ski Program enables alpine ski racers to achieve a college-preparatory education while training full-time with Squaw Valley Ski Team and racing at the U14, U16 and FIS level. Focused on the development of the student-athlete, Ganong adds a unique elite-athlete perspective to the experience at Squaw Valley Academy through his mentorship role as director of snow sports.

Squaw Valley Academy looks forward to the winner’s enrollment and her participation in the SVA Competitive Ski Program for the 2018-2019 academic year."

Release courtesy of Squaw Valley Academy

 

[BGreen]

Odd isn’t the word that comes to mind.

 

[Chris Walker]

Meh. "Tobolka...embodies Squaw Valley Academy’s mission statement in her commitment to academics, athletics, and community." That's good enough for me. I guess I'm more of a Citizen of the World type then America First. Whoever they can find that they feel most embodies their criteria should get the award. If it were only meant for American athletes, I assume that would be in their criteria. Is it a good PR move? That I have no visibility into.

 

[Muleski]

Meh. "Tobolka...embodies Squaw Valley Academy’s mission statement in her commitment to academics, athletics, and community." That's good enough for me. I guess I'm more of a Citizen of the World type then America First. Whoever they can find that they feel most embodies their criteria should get the award. If it were only meant for American athletes, I assume that would be in their criteria. Is it a good PR move? That I have no visibility into.

Most kids in the USA who ski at her level are very happily and successfully ensconced in ski academies. Moving them is difficult. It takes the family making a decision that the kid would be better off in a different situation. Change does take place, and it's commonly referred to as "poaching." Ten years ago the Eastern Academies all had an agreement to only provide financial aid on a need basis, and not to actively recruit and offer scholarships. That's gone by the boards. You go to a high level NPS project or series, and some of your work as a coach is to cut down on your kids being poached, while you talk up others. Honestly.

So, in this case, there are without dozens and dozens of kids, OR MORE who fit the mission statement just fine. And talented kids. But by reaching to a girl form the Czech Republic, who I have to imagine is VERY talented, they avoid the poaching stigma.

Now, depending on how much experience you have with one of these schools, you realize that the "full pay" families pull a lot more than their weight. Donors and the full pays create the entire revenue side of the budget. So, I hope she's a great kid, and fits right in, as having been there at four ski academies, I can assure you that the parents paying the full bill, and perhaps giving $5-10K to the Annual Fund will be in the ear of the Headmaster, and board.

Given the fact that just last week, Tiger Shaw made it very clear that the bigger, strong clubs and academies ARE the pipeline to the USST, and the major part of USST development, I would have assumed that a tiny bit of Nationalism would have come into play, for a full scholarship student-athlete. However, if she's really good, similar to the discussion about the Euro NCAA racers in the US, she well may helping to raise the performance of those around her. Or so might be the hope.

SVA, I assume is talking about having a star come, and then using her results, progress and visibility to recruit more racers. Results of your current crop of kids, and the coaching staff producing them is a big, big part of attracting kids. Particularly when you're in the Far West.

I'm sure she'll be a great addition. My kids had Czech friends in their ski academy years, one founded by the Czech federation, not the financial aid budget of the ski academy. Could be that there may be some of that in play?

I think the timing and the "need" to have a press release in SkiRacing is different. No more. It's a private school. They can do what they please, right? No Federal or State money, I assume. But still, the USST pipeline is the academies, the scholarship is named after a current WC USST skier. That just sort of jumped out at me.

 

[fatbob]

Maybe Ganong had a specific covenant that it gets awarded to best candidate regardless of nationality.

Plus what's to say there isn't a little hope of a residency based nationality switch if she turns out to be "the one"?

 

[Muleski]

Maybe Ganong had a specific covenant that it gets awarded to best candidate regardless of nationality.

Plus what's to say there isn't a little hope of a residency based nationality switch if she turns out to be "the one"?

Would bet "a lot" that neither is the case. Not close.......

 

[BGreen]

Maybe Ganong had a specific covenant that it gets awarded to best candidate regardless of nationality.

Plus what's to say there isn't a little hope of a residency based nationality switch if she turns out to be "the one"?

You’re joking, right?

 

[dbostedo]

You’re joking, right?

I don't think he was. Please bear with those of us who know very little... many athletes in other sports have switched national teams based on where they live/train during their teenage years. Does that not happen in skiing? Or it would just never happen that someone would switch from the Czech to the US team?

 

[Muleski]

OK......the Travis Ganong "covenant" thing is not happening. It's not a scholarship that he is funding, and he's a proud American Downhiller.

People do change national teams, obtain other passports, and become citizens of other nations. I seriously do not see that happening with the USST, or the USOC with respect to this sport. Nor do I think it has a thing to do with her specific nationality. And certainly it's not happening not to simply bring a more competitive athlete into the USSA/USST system. This kid is all of 14, I believe. Fourteen. No hoopla, particularly with the discussion of how we want to develop kids. We're not looking for one Mikaela every 10 years. BTW, we already have a lot of smoking fast 14-19 year olds.

"We" would be the USSA, not Squaw Valley Academy. This seems to be about bringing a strong skier to Squaw, and into that program. Probably and hopefully a good kid, who just happens to be Czech. Her being Czech is not the issue. It's that she's not an American.

My point was clearly close-minded, as an American with a lot of ski history. I recall getting smoked by a Norwegian Olympian while racing in college 40+ years ago. We know all about the Euro invasion in the NCAA, which increases every single year. Can be debated as good or bad all day long. Think it's generally good.

Knowing how many people scream that the expense of the sport is so high, and how much is "not fair", this decision sort of jumped right out at me, as there are likely many, many, many young American ladies who are similarly deserving. Kids who come form hard working families who just can't swing the $50K plus for an academy, plus all of the ski expenses.

If I ran the SVA board, I'd simply say "I think we need to pay attention to the optics on this one. Do we really want to do this?" No more. Presume they did, and decided to announce it. Which I think is quite strange.

I'm done with the topic. Had not intended for it to spin out of control. I can guarantee that there is no further hidden agenda or passport in waiting, though.

 

[dbostedo]

Thanks @Muleski ... I have no idea whether academies should be more American-centric with scholarships. But it seems like a valid thing to discuss... I don't see anything here that is spun out of control. Just some folks (or at least me) who aren't well informed as to how the USST works, what their relation to academies is, etc.

 

[fatbob]

OK so we've established that there is no covenant or ulterior motive in potentially poaching non US athletes. So clearly there is no covenant that the recipient is American ( which a proud US downhiller might insist on maybe?) so it's clearly SVA's business where they choose to throw the money. They've chosen having a potential star is more important to them than nurturing another also ran...

As for the out of control, either USST team insiders and those close to it should keep their gossip private or if they want to discuss it publicly they should expect amateur theorising.

 

[Tricia]

This is an enlightening thread.
Makes me scratch my head.

 

[HardDaysNight]

If the release is accurate, the recipient is a member of the Czech National Team which, as a 9th grader, isn’t bad. The scholarship is specifically stated to be merit-based so the constrained financial means of the parents of American athletes, who may or may not be competitive in ability, isn’t intended to be a factor. Frankly it doesn’t sound as if there’d be too many who are competitive who aren’t already catered for.

At the very least the powers that be should insist that she visit Ledecka before embarking for the US to retrieve Shiffrin’s SG skis.

 

[Primoz]

If the release is accurate, the recipient is a member of the Czech National Team which, as a 9th grader, isn’t bad.

I have no idea how's system with USST, but in pretty much every country overhere in Europe "member of National team" has pretty broad meaning. It doesn't mean she's in A (World cup) team, but just that she's member of National team. That includes U12 National team for example, which means, she's in top X in Czech, but doesn't really mean she's some super good skier. Maybe she is, as I have absolutely zero info about her, but I'm just saying "member of National team" doesn't mean she's top class skier as 9th grader

 

[Muleski]

Merit scholarship is simple. Parental assets and income is not considered. It’s to be awarded on “merit” which could be any number of factors....athletically and academically. It’s the opposite of “need based aid.”

I agree, most of the best in this country, at that age are in programs/academies. Yet, we hear of kids at this very age who have done real well who do drop the higher level aspirations due to the costs. The last comment on Dan Levever’s Facebook post is a parent of a weekend kid....a good one. They can’t afford to move to a full time residential program. Just saying.

“National Team” as a u14 has many meanings. Would not necessarily be too excited. But I do believe that she is likely the best they could get on a global basis. And the fact that the USST development group of men, NTG, were at Squaw recently, when this was announced, is interesting, at least to me.

I assume that she is a really good kid. Must be.

 

[BGreen]

I don't think he was. Please bear with those of us who know very little... many athletes in other sports have switched national teams based on where they live/train during their teenage years. Does that not happen in skiing? Or it would just never happen that someone would switch from the Czech to the US team?

I think a lot of the issues have been discussed in other posts, no need to rehash. The issue is we are seeing what is happening at the top levels of NCAA happening in 9th grade. A school that has some weakness in its roster goes hunting for top talent in Europe and offers a full scholarship to someone who doesn’t need it to buy their way to the top, all the while continuing to weaken ski racing in the U.S. I’m pretty sure the purpose of the scholarship was to help a promising young, possibly local, ski racer who’s family isn’t made of money — not for the school to go talent hunting in Europe. The numbers of really good, up and coming youth racers who will drop out of the sport because their family can’t afford $50k - $100k a year for their child to ski competitively might surprise you.

 

[Muleski]

Check out Sasha’s instagram post of his “Red letter challenge at Mammoth.
Looks “interesting”.
A friend, ex National Team head speed coach, and development coach {when that team was GOOD}, JUST texted me.
“Maybe Sasha wants to get fired, and get an exit package! Or at least get more discussion going! Skiing 14M sets on SG skis never seems like a good thing....”

 

[HardDaysNight]

I’m pretty sure the purpose of the scholarship was to help a promising young, possibly local, ski racer who’s family isn’t made of money — not for the school to go talent hunting in Europe.

In that case it might have been wise to make this purpose explicit. As it stands the only thing that is explicit is that the scholarship is to be awarded based entirely on the merit of the recipient, not the financial position of his/her parents. Moreover, Ganong, for whom the scholarship is named, is apparently employed at SVA as Director of Snow Sports and, presumably, would have some input into the choice including the ability to voice his opposition should the purpose of his eponymous award be perverted.

 

[Muleski]

I’ve been in this ski academy world for some time. Involved as a board member, parent, and years earlier a coach, with five ski academies, and two other big programs.

My sense is that some here have differening opinions of what is going on, as SVA tries to basically restablish themselves as a competitive ski academy. They have not been recently. Huge weekend youth program, for sure, but trying to raise the profile for the older kids.

They need competitive athletes to attract others. This is nothing new; it's standard for these places. As a ski academy you spend your limited financial aid and scholarship dollars wisely. Almost always to bring in kids who in subsequent years will attract future “full pays”, who are also ideally top level skiers. The results of the existing kids are what draws the most competitive applicants. Period. Not coaches. Not academic programming. Not buildings. Not the campus. It’s proving that you have made kids fast enough to ski at the NCAA level, or on the USST.

Travis’ “role” at SVA is, I hear, pretty much in name more than anything. Marketing. He’s a WC DHer, and not home in Tahoe much during a normal season. I know that he is committed to helping the place, and to the area, post career. Also keep in mind, this is a college prep school, and Travis has no college on his resume. I assume that he is “paid”, and I bet he also makes a donation each year. It's more of a sponsorship deal. He is not funding this. The scholarship is named in his honor to give it visibility. I have never known of a director of skiing at a ski academy. Billy Kidd is the director of skiing at Steamboat, for example. It's normally a "in name" visible in marketing role.

So, being a private school, with nothing in place to prohibit a single thing, SVA could award this to anybody, and enable whoever they choose to come to SVA, and then ski a full USSA schedule for the next two years in the Far West. Perhaps we’ll see her reach U16 Nationals as a Western Region skier. Then move on to the FIS ranks.

She is probably a wonderful kid. No question in my mind. As @BGreen notes, a ski academy experience, “all in” is in the neighborhood of $100K. With the USST essentially now saying that skier development will be based in these academies and clubs, we are also seeing a great number of families saying “We can’t do this!” And, our ranks are shrinking. There is no debating this. It is crystal clear. Many are not pleased. It looks like it just became even MORE exclusive.

So back to my first post. You can’t have it both ways. SVA is investing money into paying the full-on USST development game. No question that the person at the top of Squaw, Alterra, and KSL is a huge fan of ski racing. Maybe the biggest. The “miss” in the logic, IMO, is awarding this scholarship to a girl who will presumably never be part of the USST. Might she be an NCAA scholarship skier? Way too early to handicap that. Maybe. Will she be taking a spot that could go to an American? Maybe. And, that might be no big deal at all.

But.....yes, again, SVA’s choice. All in their hands. And as we see here, varying opinions about the merits of their decision. If I had a daughter who had been part of the SV youth program for years, and we were being essentially pushed out due to the cost of a full time academy, I might have a stronger opinion. This scholarship IS a dream come true.

If the USST had not been so vocal about the change in club involvement {essentially doing away with the development team in the younger years}, it would not have even raised my eyebrows.

I have had MANY PM’s from parents who are either screaming and how unfair the cost of ski racing is, or distraught about having to stop, or claiming that the USST should make it possible for every kid in every little club to aspire to be Mikaela. It’s a cruel sport. People, in general don't like the fact that it costs a fortune, and that there is no way to progress without huge numbers of days on snow, and really exceptional coaching.

So making the dream come true, for the next step, for this particular girl has plenty of people ticked off. The fact that SVA put in in a press release? That’s inviting a lot of people to at the least talk about it.

Oh, well. Interesting perspective based on your nationaliity as well with some of these posts. Or based on one’s opinion of just how messed up alpine skiing in the USA is, as well as the USST.

But, yes, entirely SVA's decision, entirely based on merit, and no doubt this your lady is an exceptional young person. So.....best of luck to all.

 

[BGreen]

Really, those of us crying foul are not overly upset about this one specific deal. It’s more that we are seeing ski racing becoming a sport that is unattainable to any family without upwards of $100k/yr of disposable income, and the fact that no one seems to care. This is just one more move that says that ski racing is a sport only available to the world’s elite, and it’s hard to watch the sport erode from a once great sport into a side show to snowboard slope style.