About the team
How racing works
Alpine ski racing is timed skiing through a course of gates. Slalom has tighter turns; giant slalom has wider turns. SWMST school teams share coaching and training, then compete under their school identities in Oregon’s Metro Ski League.
What makes high-school racing different
Your results contribute to your school team’s result. Teammates do more than train together: they compete for a shared outcome.
“Ski-club racing” describes a different competition structure. SWMST is an independent club in how it is organized, while its school teams compete in high-school racing.
More about high-school and ski-club racing
The word “club” can mean two different things in skiing.
Ski-club racing usually refers to a dedicated ski-racing program, often organized around age groups and competition through U.S. Ski & Snowboard. Athletes train together, but most competition centers on individual results and advancement.
High school racing adds something special: you race for a team. Your teammates aren’t just the people you practice with. Individual performances contribute to your school’s team result, so you’re competing for something together. Improving your own skiing and cheering a teammate through the finish are part of the same goal.
That shared purpose brings recreational skiers discovering racing and experienced racers into one school community. It combines real competition with school pride, friendship, and the chance to contribute to something beyond your own time.
Southwest Mountain is also a club, but that describes how we’re organized: an independent, self-funded program supported by coaches, families, and volunteers. Several school teams share our coaching and training while competing under their school identities.
You don’t need to have grown up in a racing program to become part of that team.
Explore the history: Listen to Chris Dawkins discuss the history of Oregon high school ski racing on the Mt. Hood Podcast.
Who can participate
New and experienced racers are welcome. If you have never skied, ask the coaching team about an appropriate starting point before registering or buying equipment.
Eligibility can come through residence within a served school’s attendance boundaries or attendance at a served school while living elsewhere. The schools shown on this site are not an exhaustive list of eligible students.
ISB racers may compete as ISB or through a composite team. Composite-team placement is a separate process from registration. For an individual placement question, share your school and general attendance area through the contact form.
Where we train
Training is mostly at Mt. Hood Meadows, with training and races at Skibowl and Timberline.
Schedule · Passes and ticketsWhat participation involves
Plan for training, races, travel, and equipment preparation. Families also help with team communication, travel arrangements, race-day volunteering, and fundraising.
Coaches
- Jason HatteryHead coach
- Jesse GanttAssistant coach
- Corin HartnellAssistant coach