Welcome to the Real World: Ski Racing After College

By Published On: January 30th, 2017Comments Off on Welcome to the Real World: Ski Racing After College

After I graduated from Dartmouth College in 1983, I was burned out and done with ski racing. I had competed since age six, worked my way to the World Cup, then chased NCAA titles (and a few pro tour ones, too). I was ready to move on. Then I married a Masters racer who spent his winter weekends competing at different ski areas around New England. If I wanted to spend a weekend with him, I had to continue going to ski races. Much preferring to participate rather than spectate, I entered the first race we went to together. Twenty-five years later, I’m still competing on the Masters circuit and loving every minute of it!

Lots of other college racers have graduated to the Masters circuit over the years. Some compete on both circuits during their college years, as the minimum age for masters racing is now 18 years old. Why? It’s fun to go fast! And you have the opportunity to ramp up your speed more on the Masters circuit than on the college tech tour.

Collegiate racing has only two events, slalom and GS, but Masters also has super-G and downhill. I was a downhiller before college, and didn’t think I missed it until I entered my first Masters downhill. It was tamer than the ones I ran in my teens, perfect with my lack of training, but still a rush. The camaraderie around the start, the finish and the après-ski parties warmed me, and it felt good to be on the ski slopes with a goal again. My enthusiasm for ski racing returned.

But my ski racing history is only one path, and an old one now. So I called Lauren Beckos, the 30-something chair of Rocky Mountain Masters who is a much more recent college racer with a different background, to talk about post-graduate ski racing. Beckos had never raced before joining the USCSA club team at Worchester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts.

Lauren Beckos with her combined gold medal at the 2016 U.S. Alpine Masters Championships. Image Credit: Lisa Ballard

“I loved skiing and had fun dryland training with the team, so I stayed on for the winter,” recalls Beckos, who graduated in 2007 “I found Masters racing through my coach’s wife, [USCSA Executive Director] Laura Sullivan.”

Beckos moved to Colorado after college and entered a few Masters races her first winter in the Rocky Mountains, then a few more her second winter, and now she’s hooked, too.sr_list_v4

“The main difference is you always get a second run in a Masters race,” says Beckos, “It’s not about qualifying for something. It’s about hanging out with everyone afterward, and competing across all ages, abilities and backgrounds. There’s no pressure. It’s just fun to go fast!”

Hearing her echo my sentiments equating “fun” and “fast” reminded me of an important social nuance when comparing Masters to college racing. On a university team, the coolest kids are often the winners, but on the Masters circuit, there’s little social judgement based on results. It’s cool to go fast for the sake of the rush, but to be the cool guy in the lodge, it takes only a big smile and a friendly manner.

What’s more, the Masters circuit is what allows ski racing to be a sport for life. If you play in a soccer or softball league, why not race on the Masters circuit as well? Beckos already answered that question: It’s fun to go fast!

GIVE IT A TRY

If you’re a college racer or a recent graduate who wants to dip your ski tip in Masters racing, follow these four steps:

  1. Get a USSA Masters license. An annual USSA Masters license ($90) is cheaper than a regular competitor license ($150). To enter just a race or two, get a “Short-Term Masters License” ($15 per day). Each short-term license you purchase counts toward a full membership. Use your old USSA membership number if you have one. It’s your number for life. Note: Regional and National Championships are open events and do not require qualification, but you must hold a full USSA Masters license to compete.
  2. Contact your local USSA Masters division. It’s your best source for race schedules and other info. Some Masters divisions have a nominal membership fee in addition to USSA membership.
  3. Enter the race. Register on-line up to 24 hours before the start of a race series. For example, if the series is on Saturday and Sunday, then you should enter by Friday morning. Note: Regional and National Championships require earlier registration.
  4. Show up, have fun and let ‘em run!

To join Lisa Densmore Ballard on snow or for the new 2nd edition of her book “Ski Faster!” visit www.LisaDensmore.com.

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About the Author: Lisa Densmore Ballard

Lisa Densmore Ballard has garnered close to 100 masters national titles and four world masters titles since 1991. This long-time coach, racer and member of the U.S. Alpine Masters Team also chairs USSA's Masters Committee.