USA Nordic Expands Junior National Teams

For Immediate Release: April 26, 2017

Park City, UT: USA Nordic is excited to announce the expansion of the Ski Jumping Junior National Team and the addition of a Junior National Team for Nordic Combined.  These changes reflect our efforts to further develop our pipeline of talented individuals giving them the best opportunities at age appropriate levels to develop into world class athletes.

Athletes Meeting the Criteria:

Ski Jumping

• Trevor Edlund
• Decker Dean
• Nate Mattoon
• Patrick Gasienica
• Ben Kaiser
• Andrew Urlaub
• Hunter Gibson
• Matt White

Nordic Combined

• Koby Vargas
• Elija Vargas
• Jared Shumate
• Tucker Hoefler
• Beckett Ledger
• Aiden Ripp
• Evan Nichols
• Brendan Andrews

(Not all athletes have decided to participate)

This is a step in the right direction in terms of recognition, improved communication, and continuity between the national team and clubs in an effort to support up and coming athletes. At the same time we recognize that there are still many improvements that need to be made in the years to come with regards to sport and athlete development, but we feel that we are headed in the right direction.

To go along with these newly expanded and formed Junior Nationals Teams, USA Nordic will also be holding National Development Camps prior to the Fourth of July competition in Steamboat Springs, CO and the Flaming Leaves competition in Lake Placid, NY.  In coming years we hope to expand our number of National Development Camps.  Junior National Team athletes and some additional up-and-coming elite juniors will be invited to these camps using criteria that is still being developed, so stay tuned.

It is also our goal to improve the pathway for coaches and expand our coaching base.  Any club coach with an athlete on the Junior National Team will be invited to attend these National Development Camps and work with national team coaches assuming that they have met the criteria set for by USA Nordic, which will include membership and coaches education.

Congratulations to all athletes, and we look forward to working with them as we continue to improve our system of developing the best athletes in the world.

###