Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club Freestyle Program Director Ann Battelle was honored Wednesday with two awards, distinguishing her as one of the best coaches in the snowsports world. 

Battelle received recognition as the overall 2025 U.S. Ski and Snowboard Development Coach of the Year as well as Freestyle Development Coach of the Year. The awards were presented at the U.S. Ski and Snowboard 2025 Congress Awards in Park City, Utah. 

A U.S. Ski and Snowboard Gold Award, Development Coach of the Year is one of the organization’s most prestigious honors. It is selected between coaches across the sport disciplines — Alpine, freestyle, freeskiing, snowboard, cross country, ski jumping and Nordic combined. 

“The award recognizes the best of the best among development coaches from all sports and is awarded to the coach who has stood out from this select group for their work serving athletes and progressing them toward their goals,” said Dave Stewart, SSWSC athletic director, in a news release. 

The freestyle-specific award is based on input from other coaches and leaders in the sport.

“Ann is an athlete-centered coach who focuses not only on performance, but truly cares about the role that sport plays in each athlete’s personal development. The fun, positive, inclusive culture of ‘Team Steam’ is obvious to anyone who spends time around the moguls program Ann leads,” Stewart said. 

Other athletes and individuals with ties to Steamboat honored by U.S. Ski and Snowboard during the congress were: 

Jaelin Kauf —  Beck International Award, recognizing the top overall athlete across all sports.
Olivia Giaccio — Buddy Werner Award, honoring athlete sportsmanship.
Alexa Brabec — Nordic Combined Athlete of the Year 
Former SSWSC Coach Terry DelliQuadri — Russell Wilder Award, for service to youth.  
Former SSWSC Alpine Director Tony Nunnikhoven —  Westhaven Award, for being an outstanding FIS technical delegate as well as the West Family Award, for being an outstanding official or judge.