The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Rocky Mountain Division All-Star Team has been announced with 24 Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club athletes making the list across the Alpine, freestyle, ski jumping and Nordic combined disciplines.

The All-Star team honors 65 athletes in total with 32 coming from Alpine, 23 in freestyle and 10 in ski jumping and Nordic combined. This means SSWSC athletes make up nearly 37% of the All-Star Team. 

SSWSC athletes represent all 10 slots for ski jumping and Nordic combined, as it is the only club within the division with available training facilities for Nordic ski jumping. 

---

---

SSWSC Alpine athlete Charlie Welch was honored to make the team a second straight time, and he said it presents a great opportunity to get better. 

“It’s a cool way to recognize athletes that have a solid season, so I’m glad I made it again this year,” Welch said. “I know a lot of the guys that are on it with me are really good guys to ski with and against at races and training, so to be able to know that I can keep pushing with those boys is sweet.”

---

---

Members make the All-Star Team based on their results from the previous season, and they are required to complete a taxing fitness assessment conducted in the fall. The fitness test consists of multiple exercises including pushups, pullups, triple jump, sprints and more. 

For Welch, to see so many SSWSC athletes recognized on the All-Star Team means the world to him. He thinks the Winter Sports Club does an incredible job of getting all of its athletes in the gym and working out in preparation for the winter season. 

“I think it fosters a really good team environment, especially with the boys I’m with here,” Welch said. “We’ve been together since the summer, even a couple years ago for a lot of us, and it just fosters hard work, teamwork, and it’s cool to see all of us on that list.”

In honor of this the achievement, the All-Stars each receive jackets and passes to several resorts in Colorado. 

The passes are gifted by Vail Resorts, Alterra Mountain Company and Colorado Ski Country USA to support some of the top winter sports athletes in Colorado. SSWSC Associate Executive Director Jon Nolting said this has been going on for more than three decades, and he thinks the support plays a big role in the development of all winter sport athletes. 

“SSWSC’s representation on the team with such numbers is remarkable and speaks to the strong peer group these kids train with in Steamboat,” Nolting said. “Their commitment and drive is really impressive, and they are very deserving of this honor.”

SSWSC RMD All-Star athletes
Freestyle — Anabel Ayad, Collin Hassel, Xander Tatar-Brown and Ella Walker. 
Alpine — Jeremy Nolting, Tatum Grosdidier, Nick Demarco, Adrian Beauregard, Abby Olson, Mollie McTigue, Roman Elvidge, Daniel Ferucci, Laiken Roth and Charlie Welch.
Ski jumping/Nordic combined — Alexa Brabec, Haley Brabec, Ella Wilson, Eva Minotto, Emma Russell, Sawyer Graces, Arthur Tirone, Owen Park, Jason Colby and Austin Johnson.