News and Announcements

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Smithers Ski and Snowboard Club (SSSC) is very pleased to share some exciting news for this upcoming season.

As you may have heard, our SSSC Program Director Leslie Firstbrook stepped down over the summer to pursue a unique opportunity with an international ski academy based in France. SSSC Executive wishes Leslie all the best in her future endeavours and thanks her for her leadership these past two years.

We are grateful to confirm that our U16-U18 coach Dillon Prophet will be returning again this season, starting October 1st. He has big plans for the older alpine athletes and is looking forward to getting back after a current stint in Chile helping coach the BC Ski Team.

With enrolment and program goals continuing to be strong for our club, SSSC remains committed to the Program Director position. This pivotal leadership role defines, builds, and manages ski and snowboard club programming and provide oversight to all club coaching and athlete development, in addition to coaching our older alpine ski team (U14 and up) athletes. With that, we are pleased to announce Claire Challen as our new SSSC Program Director! Many of you know Claire already from her significant coaching commitment the last few years supporting Dick Eastmure, Leslie, and Dillon’s athlete groups in so many ways on and off the slopes. Claire began her ski career with the Smithers Ski Club, making her way to the B.C. Ski Team and on to the Canadian National Team, racing in North America and Europe. She completed her racing career with four years on the NCAA Division I Circuit while attending Western State University in Colorado. Following her racing years, she worked as Head Coach/Program Director for the Smithers Ski Club and the Sun Peaks Alpine Racers. During the winter seasons, Claire runs private ski camps and coaches for Rossignol and ski resorts across North America. Claire loves to spend time at Hudson Bay Mountain at the family cabin and has always remained involved with SSSC. We are delighted to have her return to the PD role!

Claire is already actively planning the coming fall and winter season and you will start to see email communications from her on a variety of subjects; please do take the time to review and respond. Claire can be reached at smitherssscinfo@gmail.com and at 250-847-0376. We have an exciting year ahead!

Stay tuned for more updates- (Registration opening, fundraising events, Fall Workbee/Social, Dryland, Event Schedule, Officials courses, Gear Swap, and much more!) As always, any questions or comments- please connect with an Executive member, or email Smitherssscinfo@gmail.com

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SSSC will be conducting its AGM on Tuesday June 6th at 7:00 PM. All club members are welcome!

We will be hosting this meeting in a virtual format. Please select ‘GOING’ to the Facebook invite, or email smitherssscinfo@gmail.com and a Zoom invite link will be sent to you.

SSSC Executive will be sharing Financials, Yearly Program summaries, Election of Board of Directors, and plans for next year.

SSSC was firing on all cylinders this past year with exceptional coaching, athlete success, and event hosting!

Come hear about the exciting year and plans for the next twelve months.

Nearly all Executive members will be returning to their posts but we still have a couple spots open. Come join an incredible Board and get involved in the fun and action!

Hope to see you there!

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After two years of researching and writing followed by another year of selling, ‘A Mountain of Change’,

the colourful, pictorial book documenting the history of skiing on the Prairie of Hudson Bay Mountain,

the writers were elated to present a cheque to Cormac Hikisch, President of Smithers Ski & Snowboard

Club. “This money will be used to help fund coaches and the coaching program for the club,” stated

Hikisch. He also added that the club is very appreciative as well of the community grants and business

sponsors to fund timing and racing equipment.

Referring to the ski history book, Hikisch commented how this is a valuable legacy. The writers

acknowledged that, A Mountain of Change, demonstrates how early cabin owners, volunteers and the

local ski club combined their passion with their vision to promote the healthy ski community that

continues to thrive today. Copies of this book are available at the downtown ski office

and at the local book stores.

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SSSC is grateful to announce the completion of a grant for $4,038 that allowed the purchase of 6 radios from local vendor Tower Communications in Houston. The purchase was completed in December 2022 in time for our winter season. This included radios, chargers, chest packs, and speaker mic’s. Furthermore, SSSC Executive chose to apply additional grant money through the Community Economic Resilience Infrastructure Program and ordered an additional 12 radios. The SSSC Winter Events Centre @HMBR is nearly complete and these additional radios have been a huge improvement in hosting races.
This grant has already allowed us to deliver some exceptional events and programming this year. Radio communication is pivotal for Race Organization Committee communication for both event and safety responsibilities. These events included:
• Our local club ‘Shamrock cup’ event Jan 21- 90 athletes
• BC High School North Zone Finals- Feb 8/9- 171 athletes
• BC Alpine Teck North Zone event Feb 11/12 – 85 athletes
In addition, our regular athletic programming is benefiting, with 14-15 coach-athlete groups on weekends spread out across the mountain supporting 110 SSSC athletes, linked together for Emergency Action Planning and team coordination by these radios. Coaches attending out of town events are now able to take radios they know will work, without affecting local programming. At one point this season we had teams/radios at Canada Winter Games in PEI, U16 Westerns in Rossland, BC, and programming still happening at home. We were also able to loan out radios to Ski Patrol to monitor athlete events.

Thank you Wetzin’kwa Community Forest Corporation!

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Come one come all and enjoy the fun and excitement of our 37th Schussboomer Downhill event! Bring your costumes! Bring your courage! Be ready for laughs and memories.

March 17th- Optional Speed Camp for Adults and SSSC Athletes
March 18th- Schussboomer Downhill!
March 19th- Optional- 2nd Annual Alpine Combined Slalom (afternoon one run event)

Details can be found at https://www.schussboomerdownhill.com/index.php