{"id":2458781,"date":"2020-05-23T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-24T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/u-s-ski-and-snowboard-recently-named-wasatch-freestyle-its-freestyle-program-of-the-year\/"},"modified":"2020-05-23T19:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-05-24T01:00:00","slug":"u-s-ski-and-snowboard-names-wasatch-freestyle-its-freestyle-program-of-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/u-s-ski-and-snowboard-names-wasatch-freestyle-its-freestyle-program-of-year\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Ski and Snowboard names Wasatch Freestyle its freestyle program of year"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image p402_hide\">\n<div class=\"caption-container\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/wireSKICLUB-atd-052420-1-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/wireSKICLUB-atd-052420-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/wireSKICLUB-atd-052420-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/wireSKICLUB-atd-052420-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/wireSKICLUB-atd-052420-1.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><\/p><figcaption><strong>The Wasatch Freestyle ski club in Park City was recently named program of the year by U.S. Ski and Snowboard.<\/strong><br \/><em>Courtesy photo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">PARK CITY, Utah \u2014 When Jon O\u2019Brien started the Wasatch Freestyle Foundation 35 years ago, all he wanted was to provide the kids of Park City an opportunity to train for the sport of freestyle skiing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Now, Wasatch Freestyle is the U.S. Ski and Snowboard 2020 freestyle program of the year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The foundation\u2019s headquarters in 1985 in the basement of O\u2019Brien\u2019s condominium consisted of a desk, some folding chairs and a chaotic scene of ski gear, posters and memorabilia signified how small-time the foundation was, especially when compared to the larger, better-funded programs throughout the country.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Because of that, O\u2019Brien made it the goal of the club to teach the young athletes to become responsible adults rather than gold medals.<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col\" readability=\"6\">\n<div class=\"row at-donation at-donation-mobile p-0\" readability=\"7\">\n<div class=\"col-xl-4 p-2\">\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png)\" class=\"p-0 mt-2 mb-2 h-75 text-center rocket-lazyload\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png\" class=\"logo m-0 p-0 invisible\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"d-inline mr-3\">Support Local Journalism<\/h3>\n<p><button class=\"btn d-inline\" type=\"button\" onclick=\"handleDonationButtonClickMidArticle()\">Donate<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cMost of our kids don\u2019t get to the U.S. ski team. \u2026 But we\u2019ve put a lot of our kids into medical school, some have started their own businesses and just give back to the community,\u201d O\u2019Brien said. \u201cOur idea is to instill a direction in young athletes that no matter what they\u2019re doing in life, they\u2019re going to do it really well. Our primary focus is to help the education of the athlete and develop them overall as people. \u2026 It doesn\u2019t happen overnight or by accident, but it is something that we really foster and emphasize.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Ever since those beginning days in that ramshackle of an office, O\u2019Brien and his staff are now getting the recognition they deserve \u2014 and it\u2019s coming at the highest level offered in the country.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWinning the award says that we can consistently offer great programming and a route to the top of the sport for our athletes,\u201d said Bryon Wilson, Wasatch Freestyle coach and a 2010 Olympic bronze medalist. \u201cBut not everyone can be the next Olympic gold medalist and that\u2019s totally fine. \u2026 We develop athletes to be good people and that\u2019s how we all win in the end. We want the athletes to look at a situation, know how to work through the issues and solve the problem, which makes them better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Following the award, Wasatch Freestyle becomes one of five to be named program of the year multiple times since the award started being given out in 1999. According to O\u2019Brien, winning the award back in 2006 was the greatest achievement in the foundation\u2019s history and proved that he and his staff were on the brink of something special.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI still remember when we won, I couldn\u2019t pick my jaw off the floor because I was so surprised,\u201d O\u2019Brien said. \u201cIt was just such a huge honor because we\u2019d only been around for just over 20 years and were going up against some of the biggest and more established programs. But now that we\u2019ve won twice, it just validates us and our nontraditional way of going about things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">This past season was one of the best in Wasatch Freestyle history; 16 athletes qualified for Junior Nationals and 12 more qualified for the National Championships.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Individually, Dylan Marcellini won dual moguls at the U.S. Selections while sisters Madison and Kasey Hogg took home the top two moguls spots on the NorAm tour before being named to the U.S. national team for the upcoming season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI feel like we\u2019ve gotten to this top level just because we have truly have fun skiing, especially doing it together,\u201d Madison said. \u201cA lot of other kids don\u2019t have siblings \u2014 we know a couple that do \u2014 but it makes it a lot more fun and easier to go compete and travel so much when you have someone with you. We are best friends and do pretty much everything together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Nick Page, a member of the U.S. National team, is the embodiment of what it means to come from Wasatch Freestyle. He began his career looking up to brothers Brad and Bryon Wilson and now stands on his own merits, becoming every part of what O\u2019Brien is hoping the kids get out of the foundation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cAll the things they\u2019ve done on snow and outside of it, it\u2019s helped shape my character into the man I want to be,\u201d Page said of the Wilsons. \u201cThey\u2019ve taught me how to really work hard and become a professional; put others in front of yourself, by doing that themselves. You can\u2019t just have someone tell you to be those things, you have to be tight and shown them and that\u2019s what they\u2019ve done for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">According to O\u2019Brien, one of the main reasons for the success of Wasatch Freestyle is its partnership with Deer Valley.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Deer Valley Resort is home to Champion Run, one of the premier moguls courses in the world and O\u2019Brien\u2019s athletes train on it during the winter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWhat really sets us apart from every other program in the country is our relationship with Deer Valley and their pursuit of excellence, which is contagious and just rubs off on us,\u201d O\u2019Brien said. \u201cWe also value our relationship with Snowbird as well. \u2026 And between the two of them, our kids get as much training on some of the best courses in the world, and that\u2019s something that can only help.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">O\u2019Brien received a letter on May 14 from Tiger Shaw, President and CEO of U.S. Ski and Snowboard, detailing why Wasatch Freestyle won.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWasatch is not only committed to developing strong freestyle skiers, but is committed to developing strong people as well,\u201d Shaw wrote in the letter. \u201cThey teach athletes how to manage emotions in high- stress environments and educate them on good strategies for effective training and skill development. They are dedicated to helping athletes keep a good perspective on the balance of sport and life, which in turn contributes to developing a lifelong love for moguls.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Thirty-five years in the making and this small piece of information throughout the two-page letter means the most to O\u2019Brien and his staff because it validates what they\u2019re trying to achieve. Past the gold medals, the professional status and the podiums, Wasatch Freestyle will always be about the betterment of people.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThere are different podiums in life for everyone,\u201d O\u2019Brien said. \u201cOur athletes take the values and lessons they\u2019ve learned from Wasatch Freestyle and apply that to their careers. \u2026 They usually end up being better people for it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><a href=\"mailto:sports@parkrecord.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sports@parkrecord.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/u-s-ski-and-snowboard-recently-named-wasatch-freestyle-its-freestyle-program-of-the-year\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Wasatch Freestyle ski club in Park City was recently named program of the year by U.S. Ski and Snowboard.Courtesy photo PARK CITY, Utah \u2014 When Jon O\u2019Brien started the Wasatch Freestyle Foundation 35 years ago, all he wanted was to provide the kids of Park City an opportunity to train for the sport of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2458781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-17 08:55:58","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2458781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2458781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2458781\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2458781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2458781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2458781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}