US women’s alpine staff adds new energy
PARK CITY, Utah – Former Italian national team Men’s Speed Coach Alberto Senigagliesi has joined the U.S. Ski Team women’s alpine speed team staff as head coach, while former interim coach Brandon Dyksterhouse will head up the women’s alpine technical team.
“Both Brandon and Alberto will bring value to our women’s program with their broad experience, which will help us continue to build strength in our programs,” said Alpine Program Director Patrick Riml.
Senigagliesi has a significant amount of experience in all aspects of the industry, bringing a holistic background to the U.S. Ski Team. His extensive experience includes a 12-year stint skiing on the Italian national speed team, coaching for Carrabassett Valley Academy (CVA), acting as the racing test manager for Rossignol, and – most recently – coaching for the Italian national team. He’s no stranger to the U.S. Ski Team, having acted as a guest coach in 2004 and 2005 for Trofeo Topolino and World Junior Championships.
“I have been looking forward to working with the U.S. Ski Team for a long time. The Team has a really good organization — one of the best in the world,” said Senigagliesi. “I’m really motivated by the group — both coaching staff and athletes. It’s a very strong team, and I believe we will have a very strong group of four or five women consistently on the top. That is what I’m looking for — to continue to build a strong group on the mountain and maintain the energy off the hill as well among staff and athletes.”
Senigagliesi joins longtime U.S. Ski Team coach Chris Knight and will work directly with athletes including Lindsey Vonn, Julia Mancuso, and Stacey Cook, who all contributed to an historic podium sweep in Lake Louise in 2014.
Meanwhile, Dyksterhouse moves from an interim position to a full position with the U.S. Ski Team. This past January, he joined the team as part of a unique partnership with Ski and Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV) providing support to Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin and the women’s slalom and giant slalom squads.
“I’m looking forward to this new role and the ability to work with the U.S. Ski Team throughout the full period,” said Dyksterhouse. “It was incredible to work with someone of Mikaela Shiffrin’s caliber as an interim coach this year and to watch her continue to have success — especially in a high-pressure environment. There are very few athletes who are defending World Champs who are able to repeat in their hometown in front of their home fans. That was quite a feat.”
A graduate of the University of Vermont (where he was the NCAA GS champion in 1997), Dyksterhouse was a three-time All-American during his collegiate career. Following graduation, he was invited to train with the U.S. Ski Team for several seasons before moving on to collegiate coaching, working on the staff of the University of New Mexico Lobos who captured an NCAA title in 2004. He also coached at the Green Mountain Valley School and later worked for BC Alpine in Canada before returning to the U.S. to help lead the Front Range Ski Club in Colorado.
Since Dyksterhouse joined the team in January, Shiffrin successfully defended her slalom World Championship title on home turf and went on to snag first place in the three final Audi FIS Alpine World Cup slalom races of the season, along with her third-straight crystal globe.
Release courtesy of USSA