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St. Luke's Ski Team: Season Preview
The St. Luke’s Ski team has been working hard in preparation for the 2018-19 season and is hoping for some snowfall soon so they can hit the slopes.
All of the team’s preseason workouts so far have been on dry land, but Head Coach Chris Phelps has been thrilled with his group of athletes: “Preseason has been great, as always. One of the things I really love about our team is that we have a really eclectic group of kids. They are doing this because they love the sport and they are having a ton of fun with it.”
The main focus for Phelps this year has been body mechanics and form to make sure the skiers are ready to go once they hit the mountai. “Some of the kids are terrain park skiers," he said, "a very different style of skiing. A lot of our preseason drills have focused on getting their feet in the position they need to be in when they are ski racing and the mechanics that will help them go faster.”
The team hopes to start skiing after winter break and will have a couple of days of practice before the first race of the season. “It’ll be great to get on the mountain a couple of times before our first race,” Phelps said. “I am looking forward to that and we will emphasize the right mechanics coming down the hill. In theory, we will only have five weeks of racing so we need to be prepared.”
This year’s squad includes seven girls and four boys and will be captained by Curtis Camp ‘19. Phelps believes the senior knows what the St. Luke’s team is all about. “Curtis really encapsulates what our philosophy is and has a very easy-going demeanor and leadership style. He has taken a much more balanced approach to preseason and has said to the team 'let’s have a good time but work hard.' I see him growing and coming into his own which is really nice,” he said.
Phelps is expecting another big season from Phoebe Kurth ‘20 who, despite battling some injuries last year, had another excellent campaign for the Storm. “Phoebe is a very accomplished skier. She is extremely fast and can go on to ski at the next level if she chooses to. She will be pushing in every race and hopes to make the state team again.”
Kirsten Pastore ‘19 will be right on Kurth’s tailcoats and Phelps has been extremely impressed with the senior's approach this season: “I look at Kirsten as a defacto girls captain. She is a really good calming force and I see her being very strong again this year.”
Other members of the team include Harper Boege ‘20, who is skiing her third season for the Storm; Hannah Dekker ‘19 skiing for the third year; and Ellie Lyon ‘22 in her second year with St. Luke’s ski team. Phelps believes the three will help push each other to go improve their times: “I think the competition between Harper, Ellie, and Hannah will be very healthy. They will challenge each other all year which will be fun to watch.”
The girls’ team is rounded out by two eighth-grade skiers in Sarah Volpitta and Claiborne Beurle. Phelps is eager to see what the two youngest members can achieve. “This is the first year we have had two eighth graders ski with us so I am very excited to see what they can do on the mountain. They have been awesome so far so I am really looking forward to seeing them race," he said.
Eddie Boris ‘21, Calvin Stuart ‘22, and Keilan Rosow ‘22 will ski alongside Camp on the boys' team. Phelps, in his 11th year as head coach, sees enormous potential in all three: “Cal is a terrain park kid and skis with his skis glued together and way back. He is well aware that he has to make that transition forward if he is going to be more competitive and survive the ruts. Eddy will be right up there too as he is a strong guy and can go pretty fast down the course. Keilan is another freshman and, although I haven’t seen him ski yet, I think he is going to be great for us.”
The Varsity Ski team has its first race of the season at Mount Southington on Thursday, January 10 at 4pm.
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All of the team’s preseason workouts so far have been on dry land, but Head Coach Chris Phelps has been thrilled with his group of athletes: “Preseason has been great, as always. One of the things I really love about our team is that we have a really eclectic group of kids. They are doing this because they love the sport and they are having a ton of fun with it.”
The main focus for Phelps this year has been body mechanics and form to make sure the skiers are ready to go once they hit the mountai. “Some of the kids are terrain park skiers," he said, "a very different style of skiing. A lot of our preseason drills have focused on getting their feet in the position they need to be in when they are ski racing and the mechanics that will help them go faster.”
The team hopes to start skiing after winter break and will have a couple of days of practice before the first race of the season. “It’ll be great to get on the mountain a couple of times before our first race,” Phelps said. “I am looking forward to that and we will emphasize the right mechanics coming down the hill. In theory, we will only have five weeks of racing so we need to be prepared.”
This year’s squad includes seven girls and four boys and will be captained by Curtis Camp ‘19. Phelps believes the senior knows what the St. Luke’s team is all about. “Curtis really encapsulates what our philosophy is and has a very easy-going demeanor and leadership style. He has taken a much more balanced approach to preseason and has said to the team 'let’s have a good time but work hard.' I see him growing and coming into his own which is really nice,” he said.
Phelps is expecting another big season from Phoebe Kurth ‘20 who, despite battling some injuries last year, had another excellent campaign for the Storm. “Phoebe is a very accomplished skier. She is extremely fast and can go on to ski at the next level if she chooses to. She will be pushing in every race and hopes to make the state team again.”
Kirsten Pastore ‘19 will be right on Kurth’s tailcoats and Phelps has been extremely impressed with the senior's approach this season: “I look at Kirsten as a defacto girls captain. She is a really good calming force and I see her being very strong again this year.”
Other members of the team include Harper Boege ‘20, who is skiing her third season for the Storm; Hannah Dekker ‘19 skiing for the third year; and Ellie Lyon ‘22 in her second year with St. Luke’s ski team. Phelps believes the three will help push each other to go improve their times: “I think the competition between Harper, Ellie, and Hannah will be very healthy. They will challenge each other all year which will be fun to watch.”
The girls’ team is rounded out by two eighth-grade skiers in Sarah Volpitta and Claiborne Beurle. Phelps is eager to see what the two youngest members can achieve. “This is the first year we have had two eighth graders ski with us so I am very excited to see what they can do on the mountain. They have been awesome so far so I am really looking forward to seeing them race," he said.
Eddie Boris ‘21, Calvin Stuart ‘22, and Keilan Rosow ‘22 will ski alongside Camp on the boys' team. Phelps, in his 11th year as head coach, sees enormous potential in all three: “Cal is a terrain park kid and skis with his skis glued together and way back. He is well aware that he has to make that transition forward if he is going to be more competitive and survive the ruts. Eddy will be right up there too as he is a strong guy and can go pretty fast down the course. Keilan is another freshman and, although I haven’t seen him ski yet, I think he is going to be great for us.”
The Varsity Ski team has its first race of the season at Mount Southington on Thursday, January 10 at 4pm.
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 35 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Center for Leadership builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
