Winter Sports School and US Ski & Snowboard join forces to support young athletes

Photo: TownLift // Michele Roepke

PARK CITY, Utah — The Winter Sports School (WSS) has received a substantial donation from US Ski & Snowboard to bolster its $5 million Reaching New Peaks capital campaign. So far, WSS has collected $2.8 million and is appealing to the community and winter sports industry to gather the remaining $2.2 million needed to launch the project this fall.

Since 2014, 24 student-athletes who are members of the US Ski & Snowboard Team have benefited from WSS’s tuition-free, college preparatory education.

“This support from US Ski & Snowboard enhances the credibility of our expansion project and strengthens our natural partnership, as many of our student-athletes have earned the honor of competing for our national teams,” said Whalen Louis, President of the Winter Sports School Board of Trustees.

“We hope this will attract more donors to help us achieve our fundraising goals. We’ve reached capacity, and with Salt Lake City likely to be announced as the host for the 2034 Winter Olympics, we must act swiftly to accommodate the expected increase in enrollment.”

The Reaching New Peaks campaign includes plans for an 8,732-square-foot addition to the current building, renovations to existing facilities, and the creation of an amphitheater for community gatherings. The project is set to begin this fall, contingent on the necessary funding.

“We are thankful for the Winter Sports School’s proximity to our headquarters in Park City, Utah, and for their education of our student-athletes during the summer months, allowing them to concentrate on their athletic competitions during the main season,” said Trisha Worthington, Chief Revenue and Philanthropic Officer for US Ski & Snowboard. “They are the only public charter high school in the US with an April to November academic calendar, which helps produce well-educated, highly trained athletes ready to compete on our teams for years to come.”

The donation from US Ski & Snowboard was made through its Community Task Force, established in 2022 to support local nonprofits in Park City. Over the past two years, the Task Force has focused on contributing to programs that promote broad-based participation and retention in local youth sports.

“Having been a WSS student and a US Ski & Snowboard athlete, I am grateful for US Ski & Snowboard’s commitment to the WSS Reaching New Peaks campaign,” said Ted Ligety, a 2002 WSS graduate, retired ski racer, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and co-founder of Shred Optics. “I’ve witnessed the school and community grow together, and this next chapter is the most exciting yet. This expansion coincides with the potential for another hometown Olympics, and today’s WSS students will soon be the world’s top competitors.”

Now in its 31st year, WSS has 110 student-athletes enrolled. The school offers a tuition-free educational experience. As a public charter school, WSS receives less funding per student than the public school district, making private donations crucial for supporting its students’ academic and athletic endeavors.

For more information about the Winter Sports School and the Reaching New Peaks Capital Campaign, visit the Winter Sports School website.