Programs
Sugar Bowl Academy fosters a lifelong love of the outdoors for our skiers and riders. Our programs provide the world-class training needed to excel as an elite athlete and prepare college-ready students while nurturing character development built on grit, grace, and courage.
We offer two types of programs based on age and the competitive level of the athlete:
Teams for skiers and riders ages 5-23
School for grades 6-12
Our programs are designed to progressively support athletes as they become more advanced and have increased training demands to compete at elite levels. Athletes seeking to compete at the highest levels should be in a school program, which combines world-class athletic coaching with college preparatory academics and allows athletes to maximize their time on-snow.
Please note: All ages are the athlete’s age as of December 31.
Ages 5-7
Our U8 program for ages 5-7 is a foundational ski and ride program with training primarily on Saturday and Sunday during the winter, with additional weekdays during holiday breaks. The training focuses on the foundational techniques and skills needed to ski or ride. This program builds the fundamental skills athletes need to move into a more specialized program in Alpine, Backcountry, Freeride, or Freeski as they grow and mature. Groups are formed based on age and ability with a ratio of 1 adult per 8 athletes.
Ages 8-9
Our U10 program (ages 8-9) for skiers and riders continues to build on the foundations established in the U8 program. Training includes Saturday and Sunday during the winter, with optional training on Fridays. Additional weekdays are also offered during holiday breaks. This program continues to focus on the foundational techniques and skills needed to become an expert skier or rider and allows athletes to begin to move towards a more specialized program in Alpine, Freeride, or Freeski if their skill level meets minimum requirements for the discipline.
Ages 10-13
Beginning at age 10, our program offers increased specialization and the option to advance to full-time training:
School program for advanced ski/ride competition in Alpine, Freeride, Freeski, or Snowboard
Team program for specialized ski/ride development in Alpine, Backcountry, Freeride, Freeski, Ski & Ride, or Snowboard
Both programs offer a winter or full-year option to allow athletes to select a training plan that best meets their goals.
Ages 14-18
We offer two programs for ages 14-18:
School program for advanced ski/ride competition in Alpine, Freeride, Freeski, or Snowboard
Team program for specialized ski/ride development in Alpine, Backcountry, Freeride, Freeski, Ski & Ride, or Snowboard
Both programs offer a winter or full-year option to allow athletes to select a training program that best suits their training and competition goals.
Post Graduate
The Post Graduate (PG) program offers athletes the opportunity to continue competing following their high school graduation. Our PG athletes receive an individualized approach and train and race in both Europe and the U.S. The Alpine program has two coaches with World Cup experience and provides a low athlete-to-coach ratio, with one coach for every three to four athletes.