Steamboat Springs moguls skier Anabel Ayad is among the first group to join the Moguls National Development Group. 

Introduced by U.S. Ski and Snowboard, the group was created to help further develop the sport’s next generation and grow the pipeline of moguls skiers at the national scale.

The Moguls National Development Group is made up of the best developmental moguls athletes in the country. Athletes were selected to the group based on head-to-head performances at NorAms, U.S. Championships and other domestic FIS events. They earned invitations to national development projects. 

The goal of the program is to act as a bridge directly to the U.S. Ski Team. 

Among those selected to the team are two-time FIS Freestyle Junior World Championship medalist Reese Chapdelaine and 2025 U.S. National Championship bronze medalist Jackson Crockett. 

Ayad, 19, qualified for the program with a number of impressive accolades this past season. She placed in the top-6 three times at the Junior World Ski Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan, including 4th in dual moguls and earning a bronze medal in the dual moguls team event. 

She also managed five top-5 finishes in Nor-Am Cup events including two second-place podium positions. She closed the season with 11th in moguls and 14th in dual moguls at the U.S. National Championship event. 

The group will work with U.S. Ski and Snowboard Freestyle Sport Director Matt Gnoza, serving as its head coach in the first year of the program. Gnoza will emphasize conditioning through the summer to help establish improved performance this winter. 

Throughout the summer, there will also be a number of expert guest coaches at the athletes’ disposal to fully understand what will be expected of them when competing at the highest level. Guest coaches include PSIA National Team members; World Cup and gold medal-winning Olympic coaches; along with sports psychology and strength coaches. 

Athletes will also have access to CARV, a ski-analysis program which collects data and offers feedback to athletes on how they ski.

“The Moguls National Development Group is exactly what we need to continue to promote moguls skiing in the United States and ensure our athletes have what they need to become the best in the world,” said Gnoza, in a news release. “We’ve built a legacy of greatness in our sport, and I think this group will help us continue to build on that legacy.”