Carrabassett Valley Academy-CVA-Ski racer carving around a gate at Sugarloaf, Maine.

Carrabassett Valley Academy has been a competitive ski and snowboard training college preparatory school since 1982. It is at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine, which is Maine’s largest ski resort. Their focus is on fostering student-athlete development by providing a balance within academics, community, and “world-class” athletic training.

Carrabassett supports athletic development in the Alpine Ski Academy program for racers from U14 to U21. They also provide alpine weekend programs and off-season camps. Their main focuses are long-term development, technical and tactical ski development, positive mental focus, physical conditioning, imagery, equipment, and leveraging technology.

Academically, the academy asks students to “give us their all on the mountain, in addition to giving their all in the classroom.” Their college preparatory curriculum is designed to give students all-inclusive academic and critical thinking skills that will assist with their confidence in post-secondary education. They strive to be “student-centered,” so they teach students to advocate for their education and are held accountable for their work.

Carrabassett focuses on individual goal setting, limited distractions, small groups, and close connections in training. They work year-round on the development of the athlete and assist in training plans that will cultivate success in and out of the season. The academy knows that the student-athletes’ mental and physical health is important to ensure that they can compete at their best.



Credit: Carrabassett Valley Academy
Carrabassett Valley Academy
Credit: Carrabassett Valley Academy
Credit: Carrabassett Valley Academy

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