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NOTES FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Inside jokes, well-timed hugs, compassionate smiles, and a little bit of bickering are normal behaviors within any family. Also normal for many families are the almost instant connections between extended family members and between generations. All ring true for our GMVS family -- especially as we regroup after a two-week international camp period and prepare for generations of parents and alumni to descend upon campus.
As we look ahead towards Parents' Weekend & Homecoming, I'm reminded of how the family-like nature of GMVS permeates not only this year's group of GMVS students and staff, but also the complete genealogy of GMVS. When I tell people around the Mad River Valley or within the broader ski racing world that I work at GMVS, so many of them have stories -- of the connection (whether direct or indirect) they have with GMVS.
There are a multitude of memories and experiences that unite Gumbies across generations: dorm runs, dish crew, Al Hobart, rainy soccer practices, full-day theater rehearsals, great races, our 5th DNF in a row, late night antics in the dorm. Through all the ups and downs of our sport and our experience here at GMVS, we support one another. We help one another before we're asked, we celebrate with one another (even when it's hard to do so), we do favors for one another. Quite simply, we do what it takes.
Over time and through both the uplifting, celebratory moments and the trying, painful ones, our familial connections strengthen and grow. When students graduate, they're united by a common bond. When they return to campus or reunite with their classmates in other locales, it's like going back in time. Their friendships are as deep and as strong as they were when sharing a bathroom in Poundcake.
At GMVS, the green runs deep. We look forward to hosting our extended family and to welcoming the next generation of Gumbies into our community this weekend. Please join us as we celebrate our 45 years of history. Once a Gumby, always a Gumby.
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2018 GMVS PEAKS MAGAZINE IS OUT!
Our annual magazine full of stories and information is out in print and we are also pleased to present it electronically.
Let us know if you didn't receive a hard copy and would like one or view the electronic version
HERE.
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GALA IS LOOKING GRAND!
BE SURE TO JOIN US!
AT PARENTS' WEEKEND & HOMECOMING
September 28 and 29!
- 9 incredible Live Auction Items including Maroon 5 tickets, Montreal Hockey Get-Away, Costa Rica, Sun Valley, and Turks Vacation Packages, World Cup VIP Luge Experience, Skiing in British Columbia, Parlor Skis and more!
- 60 Silent Auction from fine wine to packages for the pets. Something for everyone!
- Super fun GMVS Trivia with prizes.
- Killington World Cup Prize Box -- only $100 to enter.
- Balloon Prize Packs & Paddle-Ups for Technology and Fund-a-Scholar
- So much fun and excitement.
An evening you will not want to miss and all for a great cause -- to raise funds for GMVS!
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MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR EVERETT MERRIMAN
The Merriman family will hold a memorial service for Everett at noon on Saturday, October 6, 2018 in the main lodge at Crotched Mountain Ski & Ride in Bennington, NH.
Everett was a member of the Green Mountain Valley School class of 2021, and we expect a number of students, staff and members of the GMVS community to attend the service. We will be coordinating student transportation to the memorial in the coming days.
Everett was an intense lover of the outdoors and felt most at home in the mountains. He was an avid skier, hiker and mountain biker. He ski raced for Crotched Mountain and GMVS. He completed New Hampshire's 48 peaks above 4000 feet in 2017 with his father. Everett was creative and artistic. Photography and gardening were his outlets. Always observant and seeking to understand. Forever generating ideas and undertaking projects to achieve them. Over the years he had developed a keen sense of humor that was witty and lighthearted. He'd become the master of the pun.
If it was worth doing, it was worth doing as fully as possible. Pushing to be better, stronger and faster-and pushing those around him to keep up. As a brother he did everything he could to support his sister to be her best and as a teammate he was always encouraging.
His physical presence will be deeply missed but he leaves behind beautiful reminders of the amazing person he was and all that he had achieved in just 15 short years. His memory will continue to push us forward to live life fully.
Memorial donations in Everett's name can be made to the to the National Winter Activity Center (NWAC) to provide children the opportunity to experience and love skiing. Click HERE for more information.
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ALPINE TRIP TO VALLE NEVADO
We skied from Waitsfield, Vermont to Panama City, Panama
Following up a virtual bike ride in the Kelly Brush spin-a-thon spanning the distance from Waitsfield to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, GMVS skiers racked up 4,750 miles of skiing (the overland distance from Waitsfield to Panama City, Panama) in their just-completed trip to Valle Nevado Chile.
In keeping with a goal to provide our athletes with the greatest chance of skill development, more than a third of that skiing was directed,technical free skiing on slalom, gs and sg skis. Athletes' remaining time on snow was split between SL, GS, SG, brush, stubby and panel SL gate sessions -- all sessions finely tuned to each group's needs.
As usual, Valle Nevado was a wonderful playground. For two-thirds of the camp, we enjoyed bluebird (decidedly non-Eastern) skies and hard (decidedly Eastern) snow. We were also lucky to get a good dump of snow for the last block of the camp. Kids cut lots of powder runs. As conditions set up over the days following the storm, conditions for gate training and full-gas free skiing improved. Next year's goal? A virtual ski from Panama City to Tierra del Fuego!
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The Nordies on Stelvio |
GMVS CREW LINES IT UP ON THE STELVIO
Every September GMVSxc heads to Italy for our fall training block. Each year the training is great. This year it was perfect! 14 days of training and we only had one afternoon of rain. Temperatures ranged from low 80s to 50s and did I mention sun? Lots of sun!
The student-athletes had excellent on snow conditions -- perfect tracks on the glacier and clear skies in the mountains. We had an overnight adventure at the Maseben mountain hut and a cultural rest day in Innsbruck with former GMVS coach Garrott Kuzzy who is living in Austria. We joined forces for several days of training with our Italian friends from Sport Oberschule in Mals and were able to experience the best of what the region of Sud Tirol has to offer. It is an amazing partnership we are thankful for! We'll be dreaming of this trip until next yar.
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Fall Sunset at GMVS. - Jennifer White
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A FEW SNAPS FROM OUR RECENT ADVENTURES
Check out great photos of GMVS activities on SmugMug, a photo-sharing website where we post pictures from races, games
, camps, theater and other weekly campus events. The website is gmvs.smugmug.com and the password is GMVScommunity. Enjoy!
The GMVS Nordic Crew in Innsbruck.
TK, Tanner and Brian out for a hike in the hills.
Grace, Kat and Rose. All Smiles on the Stelvio Glacier.
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| September 28 - 29 |
Parents' Weekend & Homecoming Gala and Golf Tournament
Click HERE for the detailed schedule.
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| September 30 |
College Process Boot Camp
We will kick off the college process for juniors and their parents with this food fueled fast paced morning of workshops designed to diminish anxiety, promote joy, and get great results. Our morning will focus on strategies and tips for success in the multifaceted process and will include information about visiting colleges, creating lists, and writing essays. Juniors and parents of juniors please save the date. (Note: this event replaces the one we've previously held in January).
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| October 25-27 |
Theater Production: Footloose |
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GMVS ONLINE STORE
Check out our logowear (Big Truck hats, hoodies, and t-shirts) and gear up to support Gumbies around the world as the season continues.
Order HERE!
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