Buck Hill recognized for cranking out winners

Small hill, big accomplishments. The success of Erich Sailer’s Buck Hill Ski Racing Club has been proven at the highest levels of alpine racing for years. But unprecedented success for current club racers and one notable alum this past season led to Buck Hill being recognized as the USSA Club of the Year during a ceremony Friday night at the organization's annual Congress meetings in Park City, Utah.
    “Naturally I am proud of the club, its parents and how much work everyone has put in over the years,” Sailer said. “It’s difficult to do what we have done in the flatlands. It takes work and a lot of training. It’s nice to be recognized for what we’ve done.”
    World Cup overall and downhill champion Lindsey Vonn is one of three Buck Hill athletes currently on the U.S. Ski Team. “I think Erich is very deserving of this award,” Vonn said. “He’s been so dedicated to the sport and the award couldn’t go to a better person. He’s Erich. He’s the man.”
SMALL HILL, big accomplishments. The success of Erich Sailer’s Buck Hill Ski Racing Club has been proven at the highest levels of alpine racing for years. But unprecedented success for current club racers and one notable alum this past season led to Buck Hill being recognized as the USSA Club of the Year during a ceremony Friday night at the organization's annual Congress meetings in Park City, Utah.
    “Naturally I am proud of the club, its parents and how much work everyone has put in over the years,” Sailer said. “It’s difficult to do what we have done in the flatlands. It takes work and a lot of training. It’s nice to be recognized for what we’ve done.”
    World Cup overall and downhill champion Lindsey Vonn is one of three Buck Hill athletes currently on the U.S. Ski Team. She’s joined by Sterling Grant and Michael Ankeny.
    “I think Erich is very deserving of this award,” Vonn said. “He’s been so dedicated to the sport and the award couldn’t go to a better person. He’s Erich. He’s the man.”
    Sailer, an Austrian native, started the Buck Hill program nearly 37 years ago after completing his career as a ski racer. For his lifetime of dedication to the sport, Sailer also was awarded the Tom Reynolds Lifetime Coaching Achievement Award on Friday night.
    “The success of Buck Hill Ski Racing Club junior athletes over the years has been consistent, with very few valleys in their performance levels,” USSA CEO Bill Marolt said in a letter to Sailer.  “The system that Erich has installed over the years is very important. Erich usually hires alumni of the team or former World Cup athletes bringing that important perspective to the junior realm. Thus most staff have participated and benefited from the system as junior racers, know the system, believe in the system and are dedicated to giving something back to the sport of ski racing and to the current members of the club.”
    Buck Hill’s coaching staff was star-studded this season. Tasha Nelson, a former U.S. Ski Teamer and a two-time Olympian, and Uros Pavlovcic, a former Slovenian National Team member and top World Cup skier, highlight a current staff of former racers that brings fresh perspective and experience.
    “We had an unbeatable coaching staff this season,” Sailer said. “We haven’t seen a team like this in many years. Tasha knows everybody on the team, she’s always upbeat and she’s a modern skier. Uros, a former World Cup skier, and all the others who are all former racers are a big part of the team’s success.”
    “Demonstration is the main thing we can show the athletes,” Nelson said. “All the coaches forerun the training courses. The kids see it and they mimic it.”
    Ankeny, who earlier this month was nominated to 2009 U.S. Development Team, had a spectacular season in winning the J2 Nationals slalom, placing second in the giant slalom, third in the super G and second in the downhill. Paula Moltzan won the J3 Junior Olympic slalom, giant slalom, overall title and placed third in the downhill; and Madeline Wiltgen got second in the super G, third in the slalom and third in the overall. At the J4 Junior Olympics, Thea Zerbe snagged gold in both slalom races and was second in the overall. Jack Post was second in the slalom and was among the four Buck Hillers to make it into the top 15.
    “This season was a super season,” Sailer said. “Vonn proved what you can do coming from Buck Hill. We are proud of her, naturally. Sterling Grant being named to the team again and Ankeny qualifying for the team was another huge success this season. The club is strong, but so much because of the parents. They do so much fundraising for the team and are huge supporters of the sport. We could not do it without them.
    Vonn said racing at Buck Hill “was the perfect start to my career.”
    “Erich taught me the basics and taught me to believe in myself. He commands so much respect,” Vonn said. “In that way, nothing has changed since I’ve left. It’s unbelievable that he’s been able to produce so many U.S. Ski Team athletes.”
    “I am proud that Buck Hill is a true grassroots team,” Sailer said. “We are bringing a lot of opportunity to the flatlands. We have no rich donors, just people working really hard and staying really motivated. I am proud I am a part of this organization and that they are honoring the club with this award.”
    With freezing temperatures blowing across Buck Hill as the sounds of gates slapping the snow echo across nearby Interstate 35, the loud sound of Sailer’s thick Austrian accent still rings through the ears of any junior skier barreling down 400-plus gates a night, “Right Shki, left Shki!” No matter the race, no matter the athlete, Sailer and his world-class coaching staff are always there to make sure no juniors slip through the cracks and that the ones with national team potential are groomed for success on the World Cup stage.
    "The key to my success at Buck Hill is repetition," Sailer said. "Freeskiing isn't the key to racing, but rather repetition because it creates muscle memory. This is a theory that has been proven over and over again and is seen through the success of Buck Hill too. The rope tow allows so many runs and our coaches demonstrate such modern skiing. This combination has allowed for our athletes to succeed."
    And Sailer insists he’s not about to stop coaching.
    “I’m not looking forward to ever leaving. There’s promising talent to develop.”