U14

General U14 information

Ages: 12 and 13

The U14 program is intended for 12 to 13-year-old racers with the desire and ability to compete at a higher level. U14 racers must commit to a rigorous race schedule (up to 9 races/events), be developmentally ready to learn multiple disciplines (GS, Slalom, Super G), and have the ability to compete on far more challenging trails and courses. Regular training is from 9-11 am and 12-2 pm on Saturday and Sunday, with some early Saturday morning trainings starting at 8 am. There is also an option to train on Friday afternoons from 2:30-4 pm. 

The U14 racers may at times be training off-site at partner mountains at the coach's discretion to get exposure to more difficult racing terrain.

U14 Athlete Requirements

Athletes MUST intend to, and meet, the following requirements to register and participate as a U14 on the Quechee Ski team. This applies to all official training sessions, including preseason training, camps and the regular season.

1. U14 athletes must plan to compete in a minimum of two VARA MVC races (this is the number of races to satisfy the VARA rules for qualifying for VT States). Training at this level is targeted for racers who wish to train and compete. With limited hill space, we must be prudent about the number of racers we can accommodate and limit it to those intending to compete. Additionally, athletes participating in races need to be able to navigate the courses so that the coaching staA does not have to request extra time for a racer to complete the course. Although this is rare, it does present a safety concern. If an athlete does not possess the necessary skills to complete the race without getting caught by the next racer (lapped), then safety dictates that we ask this racer to opt out of the U14 team.

   Any requests for exceptions or other considerations must be made to the Head Coach (Frank).

2. Athletes must begin the season with appropriate equipment, including both Slalom (SL) and Giant Slalom (GS) skis. These are required for both training and races. We will ask athletes to bring both pairs of skis to the Holiday Camp Week to verify dimensions and fit. We get “surprised” each season with non-compliant equipment, which takes away from training time as coaches get athletes onto the correct gear.
   1. SL Ski requirements: Minimum ski length of 130cm. Note, this is too short for almost all athletes at this age.
   2. GS Ski requirements: Minimum turn radius of 17 meters, which is printed on the ski. The length should be 15-20 cm longer than their SL skis as a general recommendation.
   3. Athletes must train on appropriate skis
      1. Example: no GS training (in gates) on SL skis.
      2. No tactical training on “all mountain” skis will be acceptable. Athletes must be on the required race equipment.
   4. For SL training, pole guards and a chin guard (correctly and securely affixed), as well as shin guards, are required. For GS training, all SL guards must be removed (hence the reason for two sets of poles). Forearm guards for GS training are optional, but a good idea if your athlete is “brushing” the gates.
   5. Mouth guards (teeth protectors) are not required, but chipped teeth do happen, and a very inexpensive mouth guard would protect that, hint, hint.

1. Athletes must begin the season with hard-eared helmets that have an “FIS” approval certification, which is found on the rear of the helmet and looks like this:

Without this certification, the athlete will not be allowed to train. Note: that SL training and racing do allow for SL-specific helmets to be used. These can have soft ears and include a chin bar (gate blocker), which looks like this:

Some athletes prefer these because it’s easier to remove and reinstall the chin bar from SL to GS. This change is unnecessary if they have separate helmets. Athletes MAY NOT free ski in SL race helmets, unless the chin bar is removed. Note: If your athlete plans to use a single helmet, it needs to be the “FIS-approved” hard-ear style only, and the chin bar must be removed when not participating in SL training or racing.

General questions about equipment should be addressed to the Head Coach or to the Lead Coaches. Please note: Sometimes ski shops make improper recommendations. They generally sell recreational equipment and do not know the skills of each skier, which can significantly factor into the equipment (mostly skis, bindings and boots) recommendations for each athlete.

Fees

• Program cost for the 2026-2027 season to be announced.  
• Each U14 racer needs to have a Quechee Ski Hill season pass that is included in your QLLA membership or can be purchased at the Quechee Club (QLLA family members are required to purchase a season pass).
• Also, each racer must join USSA and VARA.
• Tickets for racers and training at other mountains. These fees will vary.

Equipment

• General information on equipment requirements can be found here.
• For specific questions, please reach out to lead coach Frank Dorman, [email protected]