Youth Sports Alliance shares skiers, snowboarders, skaters, sliders’ success stories

PARK CITY, Utah — The Youth Sports Alliance (YSA) held it’s annual Circle of Excellence recognition ceremony at the St. Mary’s Church on Sunday where being good athletes in the previous winter season had almost as much importance as being good people.

One quarter of families in the building and out on the hills are recipients of YSA need-based financial scholarships.

The seven clubs supported by YSA are Wasatch Luge, hockey’s Ice Miners, Speed Skating Club of Park City, Utah Olympic Park Bobsled and Skeleton Club, Figure Wasatch Freestyle, Figure Skating Club of Park City, and Park City Ski & Snowboard.

Olympic medalists, collegiate competitors, jr. national, and national team member athlete panelists spoke about  relatable, realistic situations like overcoming injuries, feeling homesick when traveling, embracing off-season quality time, being the new kid in town, and acknowledging that being slowest on the team at some point in everyone’s sport journey is not a permanent placement.

The first award of the night was, just like most of them for the evening, a total surprise to the recipient. YSA Executive Director, and 2034 Utah Olympics Sports and Venues Committee member Emily Fisher successfully caught one of her co-emcees Ryan Walsh off guard with the Spirit of Service Award after his decade of volunteerism not only within the YSA as an annual announcer for this event, but also throughout the local sport community.

Next the Hall of Fame Inductee Award was presented to Park City native and 2018 Ski Jumping Olympian Abby Hughes Ringquist. 

Rinquist then handed the Leadership Award to Park City High School senior, and fellow ski jumper Seth Rothchild. She gave him a hug as the two have become friends via camps and comps at the Utah Olympic Park. 

The Sam Jackenthaul Showstopper of the Year Award was then given to an athlete in the sport making its Olympic debut in 2026, ski mountaineering (skimo). It recognizes an exceptional moment that left a lasting memory. Nominees included Jackson Crocket, Tory Hoffman, Sam Kirshner, Autumn Boyd, and Wyatt Osmundson.

Breakthrough Performance of the year is an award given to an individual who pushed personal limits. Dash Williams won the award and Luke Miller and Brooke Greenfield were both nominees.

YSA is nationally known for it’s afterschool programs of Get Out And Play (GOAP) and Active 8. As a testament to the overall sport culture Park City fosters, there were 25 first timer and exploring student-athlete’s nominated for the elementary schools’ award for the Core Values of sportsmanship, perseverance, optimism, respect, and teamwork. Nearly three-quarters of that age range of Parkites participated last year.

The Middle School Active 8 programming also had standout Core Values athletes John Bradley and Anna Reed there.

All-Star Awards call out the following athletes who attained significant results in regional competition.

The Champion Award highlights athletes who attained significant results in national and/or international competition.

Youth Olympic Games medalist Josie Johnson’s bio was profiled in the event’s program.

After the ceremony, the food truck dinners, and the opportunity drawing, people lined up to take pictures with their friends, family, and coaches.

The number of Olympic medals earned by YSA-connected athletes since the 2002 Games, which is when the nonprofit started, is 13.