Teton Valley is a paradise for recreation enthusiasts of all kinds. Here at the Teton Valley Ski Education Foundation (TVSEF) our specific brand is skiing and snowboarding…of all kinds! There is such a rich culture within our community centered around these activities, and TVSEF wants to ensure that all children in the area are able to participate fully if they want to. Whether it be alpine skiing, cross country skiing, freeriding, or snowboarding.
TVSEF helps young athletes meet their individual potential for excellence through education and opportunity for competition by offering affordable ski and snowboard programs. This past winter we saw tremendous growth within our programs, introduced some new program offerings and saw great competition successes from our athletes. The growing population in the Valley provides some great opportunities and also presents some unexpected challenges such as needing to purchase additional equipment and other necessary overhead costs.
The influx of families looking to get their kids on skis or snowboards has allowed us the flexibility to try out a few new things. In the 21/22 season, we introduced in-week training for our competition-level athletes, partnered with Coombs Outdoors to reach out to lower-income families, and offered more training options for our more advanced young athletes. All of these programs were a great success and have helped inform and embolden our programming for this upcoming season.
The additional and more specialized training time paid off in the competition season. TVSEF sent 9 alpine racers to all of the championship events at their respective age levels. We also sent 4 freeride skiers and 1 snowboarder to the IFSA North American championships where two athletes clinched 2nd place finishes and one secured a 3rd place finish. Still, the love of being outside, recreating with friends, and tearing up the slopes or trails is always at the forefront of what we do at TVSEF, and none of this could be possible without the community support that we receive year-round!
As we look toward Tin Cup 2022, one thing that continues to be a big need in scholarship funds. This past season scholarship expenses were our number one expense, behind payroll. Approximately 1 in every 5 athletes receives some sort of scholarship throughout the season. TVSEF awards scholarship funds for program fees as well as fees for competitions – registration fees, additional coach hours, lodgings, travel, etc. This is a huge help for families and allows athletes to really get after it and chase their dreams without the full financial burden. TVSEF currently has a number of scholarship funds that supporters can donate to, and we would greatly appreciate gifts of any size to help build these funds. – General scholarship fund – funds program fees and competition fees as funds are available – Rich Beesley Alpine Race Scholarship – specific funding for alpine race athletes – Pete Dexter Scholarship – specific funding to support an athlete making the transition from development to competition level program – Streubel Legacy Scholarship (NEW THIS YEAR) – specific funding to sponsor the competition season of a cross country athlete.
Please join me in sharing the joy of winter sports to all youth in Teton Valley when your gift has the biggest impact by making a donation to the Teton Valley Ski Education Foundation during the 15th Annual 2022 Tin Cup Challenge. Your donation ensures that all Teton Valley youth have the same access to quality programs and activities that can last a lifetime!
