Gould Academy hires Alex Norden

Gould Academy is pleased to welcome Alex Norden as the new head women’s alpine coach for the school’s competitive On Snow program.

Norden recently completed her fourth season as head coach of the Division I Brown University women’s varsity ski program and the head coach of the men’s club team. In her first year with the Bears, Norden led the team to their sixth-straight MacConnelll Division Regular Season Championship and a first-place showing at the USCSA Eastern Regionals. At the USCSA National Championship, Norden guided the Bears to a third-place finish and two All-American selections.

“We are thrilled to have someone with Alex’s experience joining our Gould team,” says Chris Sparks, assistant head of school for institutional advancement. “Hailing from a Division I Ivy program, Alex carries a history of connecting talented student-athletes with universities. Her expertise on snow will allow us to continue to offer an experience that is second to none. We can’t wait to see the wonderful outcomes of her coaching here at Gould.”

Norden was also named MacConnell Division Coach of the Year. Norden and her staff were also awarded MacConnell Division Coaching Staff of the Year laurels in 2019.

The 2020 campaign saw the Bears finish third in the country in the slalom at the USCSA National Championships and finish fourth overall at USCSA Eastern Regionals. Three skiers qualified for NCAA Regionals and achieved All-MacConnell Division Team honors.

Before Brown, Norden was the head men’s and women’s varsity alpine ski coach at New England College, where she reinstated the program to varsity status in 2016.

Also in 2016, Norden was also the Board Chairman and Treasurer of the MacConnell Division. In the position, she was in charge of scheduling division races with mountain management, clubs, USSA and FIS.

Prior to NEC, Norden spent three years as the graduate assistant and strength and conditioning coach for the men’s and women’s alpine ski team at St. Lawrence University. While at St. Lawrence, Norden earned her master’s degree in education leadership. From 2010-12, Norden served as the U19 women’s ski coach at Killington Mountain School in Vermont. A 2010 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Norden was a four-year member of the Wildcats’ alpine ski team, captaining the squad in 2009 and earning NCAA All-Academic honors. Norden also competed with the UNH track & field team. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in sports studies.

“I’m very thankful to Gould to have been selected as the women’s head Alpine coach,” says Norden. “I’m excited to be a part of a well-established institution while getting to work alongside a talented coaching staff. The combination of Gould’s enriching academic community and partnership with Sunday River makes this a great opportunity.”

Gould’s distinctive partnership with Sunday River Resort, only six miles from campus, makes for unparalleled athletic and academic opportunities. Gould’s Kailey Competition Center, located slopeside in the Barker basin, houses ski-tuning facilities, video analysis rooms, and study space. Sunday River’s team of mountain professionals work directly with Gould’s On-Snow Programs on a daily basis to ensure top-notch conditions on courses and dedicated terrain for gates. Consistently the first mountain to open in the east, Sunday River offers Gould’s student-athletes access to rideable terrain as early as October. And Gould’s new surface lift along the length of Monday Mourning means greater training efficiency for our student-athletes—decreasing lift time by almost 40 percent and providing more engagement with coaches—and no wind holds.

Gould Academy is a co-ed boarding school of 220 students at the eastern edge of the White Mountains in the picturesque village of Bethel, Maine. Its mission is to prepare academically motivated students for college and help them become independent-minded, ethical citizens who lead lives of purpose, action, excellence, and compassion.

In addition to a top-notch academic program and 11 Advanced Placement courses, Gould students take advantage of the school’s science center with BSL-2 research lab, design lab and makerspace, art cottage with private studios and blacksmith shop, and 456-acre campus complete with its own Nordic and mountain biking trail network and a yurt.

Release courtesy of Gould Academy.