Park City, UT – Fly Freestyle, based at Utah Olympic Park in Park City, has been named both the 2012 USSA Club of the Year and the 2012 USSA Freestyle Club of the Year by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA), also based in Park City.
“We are extremely excited about these two awards,” acknowledges Utah Olympic Park spokesperson Lindsey Wolff. “The USSA Club of the Year award is the highest honor within the organization. Overall, we had a great year with a U.S. Freestyle Nationals win by our Fly Freestyle athlete, Maddy Olsen, at Stratton (Mountain ski resort, in Vermont) last month.”
Founded in 2001, Fly Freestyle has consistently grown from year to year and now claims around 40 members in their program ranging in age from 7 to 25. On the elite team they had six athletes performing doubles for the first time this year with Kendal Johnson working his way up to double full-full and full-double full both triple twisting double flips. Two athletes earned domestic World Cup starts and three athletes qualified for Jr. World Championships. They received two podiums at National Championships and one at Jr. National Championships.
Fly Freestyle Coach Sharlee Holland was a former U.S. Freestyle Aerials Team athlete, World Cup competitor, NorAm and National Champion. Development Coach Tony Bushi was a former competitive freestyle skier who has been coaching for over ten years and has his level three coaching certification. Aerial coach Ryan St. Onge was a former U.S. Freestyle Aerials Team athlete, World Champion, World Cup winner and Olympian. Andre Dumas, Assistant Coach with the development program is a former aerials, moguls and freeride athlete who starting coaching four years ago.
“The USSA’s Gold Awards represent the single highest honors in the organization,” Bill Marolt, USSA President and CEO, confirmed in a letter sent to Fly Freestyle. “Among the USSA Gold Awards, the USSA honors a deserving representative from each sector of its structure: an athlete, a volunteer, a coach and a club. The USSA clubs provide the backbone for athletic programs, with coaches and dedicated volunteers providing the direction under which athletes can be successful. These recipients represent the vision, mission and core values of the USSA.”
The past four winners of the USSA Freestyle Club of the Year include the Steamboat Springs (Colo.) Winter Sports Club, Nyroba Freestyle, New Hampshire’s Waterville Valley BBTS, and Sugarloaf/CVA Freestyle in Maine.
Fly Freestyle will receive both awards during the USSA Congress 2012 at the Chairman’s Awards Dinner, scheduled for May 11 in Park City.