About Us
Who Are We?
The DCWST is a parent-run, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the development of young athletes in the winter sport of alpine ski racing. Our group of outstanding coaches provide personalized instruction in a small group setting in order to nurture a lifelong passion for skiing. In addition, we focus on developing athletic, social, and emotional skills that will serve our young athletes well in competition and, just as importantly, in life.
The DCWST program consists the following teams:
- The Alpine Team - Open to athletes age 7 to 18 who meet the basic ability requirements. Provides training in a structured group setting that blends all mountain skiing, drill work, USSS SkillsQuest activities, and slalom and giant slalom training. Members of the Alpine Team enjoy training at Wisp Resort starting in December and running through early-March (weather permitting), plus they receive coaching at local (MD/PA) USSS events. Athletes who compete in USSS events may also qualify for, and receive coaching at, PA State Championships. Alpine Team athletes may also become eligible for speed (Super G) training and/or USSS Eastern Region competitions that occur in late March/early April.
- The Race Ready Adult Team - This “apres minded” program for experienced skiers and snowboarders (age 18 and up) is perfect for local legends and parents of DCWST members who want to run slalom and giant slalom gates throughout the season. Members of the Race Ready Adult Team enjoy training on at Wisp Resort from early January through early-March (weather permitting) in preparation for non-USSS races (i.e. the WV and/or Maryland Governor’s Cup, Nastar racing, etc).
A Brief History of the DCWST
It all began with a question, "Why isn't there a ski or snowboard team at Wisp?". There had been various forms of teams in the past, but in the summer of 2003 it had been quite some time since the last racing club had ceased to exist.
In the fall of '03 the roots of the Deep Creek Winter Sports Team had begun to grow and when the snow arrived in '04 the team was operational. The next several seasons were a time of growth and development, but by 2010 the team had evolved into the full program that it is today.
Over the course of the time the DCWST has proudly provided training and competition programs for hundreds of young winter sports athletes and their families from all around the mid-Atlantic region. Many DCWST athletes have competed in high level state and regional competitions, with several achieving high regional and national rankings. By providing these opportunities to our athletes and their families for over 20 years, the DCWST has made a tradition out of passing along our passion for skiing and competition.
For more information about the history and traditions of the team, check out the stories (below) of some of those who have been part of the team over the years!
Deep Creek Winter Sports Team Stories
Being part of the team isn't just fun, it is also part creating a personal foundation upon which successful and happy lives can be built. These stories from past DCWST members share how their team experience impacted them, and has had a role in shaping who they are today.
Gregory Morris
Years as a DCWST Athlete: 2010 - 2021
Accomplishments: 2x Gov Cup Winner, 6x PARA State Championship qualifier, U16 PARA State Team Member (U16 Eastern Finals qualifier), 3x DCWST Racer of the Year Winner, Savage Squirrel Awardee.
Where Is He Now? After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University with a BS in Finance with an additional major in Statistics and Machine Learning with University Honors, he now works in family wealth management with a company called Pathstone.
Thoughts on DCWST: "The team has taught me a number of skills that I’ve used both throughout college and in the early stages of my career as a wealth manager. The first lesson is hard to accept in the moment but pivotal in life outside of skiing and that is accepting failure. Not every race will end in a podium, most don’t, and some end with a DNF. It doesn’t mean waking up early, course inspecting, and shivering in the cold was all for nothing because its in the disappointment that ambition is born. The second lesson I’ve taken away from the team is that the way you convey a message often matters just as much as the message itself. Turning complex motions and physical feelings into digestible coaching instructions forces you to deeply understand the skills you are teaching and the audience you are presenting to. The third major lesson I’ve learned is that competition doesn’t have to be a zero sum game. Some of my best memories come from cheering on the very people I was racing against who to this day are some of my best friends. Celebrating each other’s successes and showing respect- like shaking hands on the podium- creates a culture where everyone is motivated to push their limits, not just to win, but to grow."
Sydney Willig
Years as a DCWST Athlete: 2009 - 2021
Accomplishments: PARA U14 State Championship Qualifier and Savage Squirrel Award (2019)
Where is She Now? After playing college soccer and graduating from Geneva College with a special education / elementary education degree, she now teaches elementary school in the Pittsburgh area.
Thoughts on DCWST: "It has given me friendships that will last forever. It has also taught me to work hard even when I am not in practice."
Elizabeth Ware
Years as a DCWST Athlete: 2004 to 2013
Accomplishments: Gov Cup Overall Winner, Wisp Cup Winner, PARA U12 and U14 State Championships Qualifier, NASTAR Nationals Gold Medalist, Savage Squirrel Award (2007).
Where Is She Now? After graduating with her Master's from Frostburg State University she went on to direct the choral and band programs at the local high school. Now, she is a successful real estate agent in the Deep Creek Lake area. She loves to practice yoga, run, go hiking, jump in the lake, and play saxophone with the community band.
Thoughts on DCWST: "The coaches and team community taught me the value of resilience and positive attitude in sports and life. Like anything, ski racing isn't something you get the hang of overnight - it is a long-term commitment and having a positive attitude makes it so much easier to embrace the challenging process. I fell in love with music and band when I was in high school, and it was a really familiar long-term commitment to getting better that helped me become the drum major at the University of Maryland. I love being able use those experiences to help students and athletes navigate the challenges of life with an "I *get to* take on this obstacle!" attitude."
Aryne Riley
Years as a DCWST Athlete: 2006-2011
Accomplishments: Gov Cup Overall Winner, Wisp Cup Winner, United States Military Academy (USMA) Ski Captain, United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) Nationals
Qualifier
Where Is He Now? Currently a Captain in the US Army, flying UH-60 Blackhawks. Successfully convinced wife Emily that skiing is fun and looking forward to teaching daughter Etta Jo the
very same thing.
Thoughts on DCWST: "DCWST absolutely helped pave the way for a lot of my successes in life thus far! With experiences gained from the team, I was able to go to Green Mountain Valley School to train for a period of winter and attend Killington Mountain School for a season. I was able to train with the West Virginia University Ski Team when they trained at Wisp. The leadership experience gained from this team helped me understand how to coach and mentor in ways I never knew existed. A major aspect of being accepted into USMA is your leadership experience and the DCWST was certainly a chunk of that resume. It is amazing to me that friendships I made on this team like with John Wagner and Elizabeth (Formerly) Green are still people I stay in touch with to this day (almost 10 years later). I love this team and how much it has grown!