Varsity Ski: Season Outlook

The St. Luke’s Ski Team welcomes a new coaching staff for the 2021-22 season, with Erin Hupal heading up the program and Paul Foley as the assistant coach.

 

Hupal, who brings years of coaching experience to the Storm, will work closely with coach Foley, who served as an assistant coach at Amity High School. Foley is a lifelong ski instructor with extensive racing and coaching experience. Coach Foley will take the lead with the on-mountain sessions and work with Coach Hupal on the dryland training plans.

 

Hupal is excited for the season ahead and can’t wait to get on the mountain: “I am eager to explore the race course at Mount Southington and watch the team learn to navigate it. I look forward to seeing the team’s racing skills and getting back on the slopes myself, after taking the 2020 season off from skiing.”

 

Hupal has welcomed the support and leadership of captains Dakota Kelly ‘22 and Pearse Connell ‘24: “Dakota and Pearse have been instrumental in helping the younger racers become comfortable with the expectations of a varsity sport, as well as led warm-ups and team building activities. Their leadership has been great. They have advocated for their teammates, offering advice and insights.”

 

During the preseason, the Storm has focused on dryland training, which they will continue until after winter break. Hupal believes the team has really benefited from the workouts: “Preseason has been a lot of fun. Our team members, led by their captains, are working on increasing their strength and endurance. Our dryland activities include relay races, basic gate approach training, and, of course, fun team building activities, such as capture the flag and ultimate frisbee.”

 

Once the ski squad returns from break, they will spend more time on the mountain, where Hupal wants her racers to ski with confidence: “I am hopeful with a little practice and fine-tuning, the racers will attack the Mount Southington course with poise and excitement. I want them to learn how to consistently improve their scores, as well as offer insights to their peers, including tactics that work best based on the conditions.”

 

The St. Luke’s Ski Team has its first race on Thursday, Jan. 6, at Mount Southington, and Hupal says the team has set several goals: “First and foremost, we want the new racers to develop a love for the sport. Secondly, we want to support each other by evaluating mechanics on the course so everyone can improve with each race. Finally, for our returning racers, we want to help them improve on their previous scores.”