John Hale to join Ski & Snowboard Club Vail as COO

By Published On: February 4th, 2017Comments Off on John Hale to join Ski & Snowboard Club Vail as COO

Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV) has announced that John Hale, current executive director of Loveland Ski Club (LSC) and a former head coach for the U.S. Ski Team, will bring his extensive experience in ski racing and athletics to SSCV as chief operating officer (COO) beginning in May. Hale will report directly to Executive Director Kirk Dwyer.

As Hale transitions out of his role at LSC, Gunnar Sorensen and Scott Graham assume positions as athletic director and program director at Loveland for the remainder of this season as well as the 2017-2018 seasons. Hale will work throughout the next three months to transfer information to the new directors including all aspects of recruiting, development, training plans, contacts and much more. It is the goal of the LSC board to have the new leadership up and running as the spring training season begins. 

During his tenure at LSC, Hale has been the architect of a highly successful overhaul of the LSC program. In his seven years at LSC, Hale significantly improved the financial health of the club and the quality of the program while developing a highly beneficial partnership with Loveland Ski Area. As executive director, Hale has gained valuable experience in ski club management, and he looks forward to applying his knowledge and energy to his new role at SSCV.

Prior to his tenure at Loveland, Hale was the head women’s Europa Cup and Development Team coach for the U.S. Ski Team. He was also a coach with the women’s World Cup tech team before accepting a position with the U.S. Olympic Committee. While at the Olympic Committee, Hale worked in the sport science division and attended the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Hale’s past experiences also include head women’s coach at Burke Mountain Academy and coaching for the Canadian national team.

“I am thrilled to have John (Hale) join Ski and Snowboard Club Vail in this key role,” said Dwyer. “John is widely recognized for his leadership of the Loveland Ski Club and the initiatives he led in that capacity. I look forward to working together with John on achieving our strategic goals. We have a wonderful starting point and will continue to take advantage of our assets to build a world-class development system for all our athletes and programs.”

Hale is a USSA Level 500-certified alpine coach. During his time with the U.S. Ski Team, Hale experienced first hand the need for development of a fundamental skill base within the nation’s top junior ski racers. He firmly believes that the younger ages are the crucial years for skill acquisition and development, which is relevant to all snow sports at SSCV.

“I am looking forward to working in close collaboration with Kirk (Dwyer), the entire club and its numerous partners in the Vail Valley to raise the bar even higher,” said Hale. “I know there is a 100 percent commitment to achieving excellence, and I look forward to supporting and accelerating the vision of being the premier snowsports club in the world.”

Hale, his wife, Jennifer, and their two daughters, Logan and Taylor, both of whom will be part of SSCV, will be moving to the Vail Valley during the summer of 2017.

Releases from SSCV and LSC

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