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About Racing

Racing at MRG  |  Junior Race Program  |  Race Department Staff  |  Mad River Ski Club


Racing at MRG

Since the beginning, Mad River Glen has been a venue for racing. From sanctioned F.I.S. events to fun, family-oriented competition, our history is steeped in racing. Today, Mad River Glen offers a range of traditional and non-traditional races and events with it’s own “Ski it if You Can” twist. The Mad River Glen Race Department is wholly owned by Mad River Glen and headed by Jim Komarmi who oversees its season long children’s junior race program as well as college, high school, club and fun races. To learn more about our programs and events, please see the event description or link below. For additional information, please contact the race department at [email protected]

Mission of the Race Department: 

“The Mad River Glen Cooperative Race Department’s Mission is to provide racing, training and competitive programs and services in accordance with international, national, regional and local guidelines while continuing to operate and embrace the Cooperative’s mission, vision and values.”


The Junior Race Program (Season Long)

The Mad River Glen Junior Race Program is the season-long racing program for children ages 6-18 run by the  Mad River Glen Race Department. Our program is dedicated to providing quality training and competition experiences to skiers. We create athletes that are competitive at all junior levels of competition through high quality coaching, focused training and a premier skiers’ playground. Our program is focused on creating an environment for healthy competition, sportsmanship and character development. Depending on the age, we offer a limited Saturday only program or our full program, which gives the athlete access to over 70 days of organized training per year. The Junior Race Program, through the Race Department at Mad River Glen, provide the coaching and technical support necessary for junior athletes to achieve their personal best. Our group size is usually less than ten and we always have two coaches working with each group, therefore an excellent athlete to coach ratio. We believe that family support and participation though the Mad River Ski Club are essential to our program’s and each individual athlete’s success.

Mission of the Junior Race Program: 

“The Mad River Glen Junior Race Program seeks to teach higher-level, technical skiing and race techniques to junior athletes in a fun, supportive and secure environment. Our Program will do so by challenging athletes in conventional drills and training courses, USSA competitive events, and recognizing and utilizing the rich natural terrain that Mad River Glen has to offer. Central to our mission is core belief that good ski racers come from good skiers and good skiers love and enjoy their sport.”


Our Staff

Shelly McSweeney

U8 Coach

Shelly McSweeney is an avid long-time skier at Mad River Glen and mother of two former MRG club racers who went on to race at the FIS level.  During the week she mentors/coaches parents in at-risk families as part of the Children’s Treatment Program at Lund.  She especially enjoys working with and motivating young kids to learn basic technique while developing a love of skiing, hot chocolate and MRG.


Kathy Haskell

U8  Coach


Kathy Haskell

U8  Coach


Caitlin Stanley

U8 Coach


Sam Ruback

U10 Coach


Barclay Rappeport 

U10 Coach

Barc grew up skiing on the short hills in Central New York and fancies herself a better skier than walker or runner. She has numerious ski teaching and coaching palmars and is a huge asset to our program and larger MRG community as a Co-op board member.


Jim Komarmi

Race Department Director, Head Coach, U10/U8 Coach

Jim grew up skiing up and down his (very flat) driveway in Western New York and on the short hills in Buffalo’s Lake Effect snow belt. He Alpine raced from age 10-15 before taking up teaching and coaching. A USSA Certified Coach and PSIA Level II certified instructor, Jim has 20+ years coaching experience (mostly Alpine) at Green Mountain Valley School (Academy and Ski Club), as Alpine Program Director/Head Coach at Mad River Glen, at DEVO Ski Camps and Ford Sayre-BLK Program. He is still considered an expert in on-hill safety and security having lectured and presented during coaching clinics and USSA workshops/panels on behalf of World Cup Supply & SPM. Outside of skiing, Jim wears many hats as the managing partner at Eventset, LLC, an event infrastructure company that specializes in venue design, presentation and athlete/spectator safety. When Jim’s not skiing (or thinking about skiing), he’s probably working on his house built in 1806. He lives on a (very small) farm Lyme, NH with his wife Alicia and their 3 children.


Katie Westhelle

U12 Coach


Alanya Morelli

U12 Coach


Will Reicher

U12 Coach


Hilary Clark

U12 Coaching Assistant

Mad River Glen is Hilary Clark’s second home. She grew up learning to ski at Mad River Glen at a tender age of two!  She participated in the Mad River Glen Ski School, Mad River Ski Club Race Program and raced on the Harwood Union High School Alpine Ski Team.  Since becoming an alumnus from the MRSC, she has been an assistant race coach for the club and the MRG Ski School.  When she is not at the mountain she works part time as an office clerk working for the State of Vermont in the Corrections Department and is the NEAT Project Outreach Coordinator for Green Mountain Self Advocates in Montpelier.  She also works at Mad River Garden Center part time.  In the off season, you will find her at Thunder Road International Speedbowl or other race tracks cheering on her brother, Brooks while he races his late model race Car #68.  Her other hobbies of interest are snowmobiling and horseback riding.  She loves being part of the MRSC and sharing her passion for ski racing and skiing!  She lives just 3 miles from MRG on Route 17 in Fayston.


Mike Riddell

HS Coach

Mile was born in Ridgefield, CT. He always enjoyed playing outside as a child.  Mike attended St. Michael’s College, where he met his wife Ali.  They have two wonderful children, Lydia their youngest is in eight grade and attends GMVS and Ethan their oldest attends Harwood Union High School. Mike has coached alpine skiing for four years. He encourages children to dream big to attain their goals.  He loves Mad River because of the beautiful terrain and smiles he sees on the mountain.


Rick Ruback

Rick is a staple of the Ski Club having raised three ski racing children and now his grandchildren. He’s well known in our program for catchy and silly songs that help kids remember proper ski technique. You can usually find him making laps on Quacky–> Canyon.


Eric Palola

Eric Palola is a USSA certified coach with an extensive ski racing background as a member of two junior national teams, eastern Nor-Am and University of Colorado NCAA teams, and several years on the North American Pro Skiing circuit.  He has volunteer coached all levels at MRG over the years and currently serves on the MRG Cooperative Board of Trustees.  Eric is Executive Director of the Guanacaste Forest Fund, a non-profit group that supports biodiversity conservation in northwest Costa Rica and a father to two former MRG racers.


Carolyn Stone

U14 Coach


Mad River Ski Club

Mad River Ski Club traces its roots back to the early days of ski racing in the Mad River Valley. Long before Glen Ellen became part of Sugarbush, Al Hobart and friends founded the Mad Academy (now the Green Mountain Valley School), and the Mad River Ski Club was born as the original downhill race program in The Valley.

Today, the Mad River Ski Club is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports its member athletes and their families, and others who have a vested interest in ski racing and freesking at Mad River Glen. It is a wonderful community that connects athletes, young and old, who share a love of competition and our home mountain. While not all athletes in the Mad River Glen Ski Club race or freeski competitively, everyone is welcome to join and become part of the Mad River Ski Club. Memberships are by family and dues are collected at the beginning of each season.

Mission of MRSC: 

“Our goal is to support amateur athletics by fostering a love of skiing and the outdoors as a lifelong pursuit.  Mad River Glen provides an exceptional experience with regard to its powerful natural beauty and unique terrain.  Partnering and supporting the Mad River Glen Competitive Ski programs, the MRSC is uniquely positioned to help the Race and Freeski Programs deliver training, skiing opportunities, coaches, and teammates while providing time to experience the pure joy and adventure of skiing Mad River’s rugged terrain. The club also recognizes the importance of Mad River Glen as a place where family and community come together and strives to financially support all Mad River Glen race and freeski athletes by helping programs and other competitive opportunities remain accessible. The club strives to reflect the unique aspects, traditions and philosophies associated with the Mad River Glen Cooperative.”

Role of MRSC: 

The Mad River Ski Club is a booster organization that supports the Mad River Glen Junior Race and Freeski Programs. It raises funds that benefit the mountain’s junior competitive athletes and programs, while also providing support and the Mad River Ski Club name for USSA and IFSA competitions as needed. The Mad River Ski Club also hosts social functions for both race and freeski families to further build and support the community.

The Board of the Mad River Ski Club is comprised of the following members. They meet regularly throughout the year.

  • Jeannie Nagle, President
  • Rick Schiffmann, Treasure
  • Lisa Healy Lacey, Secretary
  • Anne MacWilliams Killian
  • Kim Hall
  • Stephen Sands
  • Sarah Pashby
  • Donna Liparulo
  • Sam Ruback