ADAM CHADBOURNE – ALPINE PROGRAM DIRECTOR, HEAD WOMEN’S ALPINE COACH
This is Adam’s 5th year as Alpine Program Director at Burke Mountain Academy. Before coming to BMA in 2005 he spent six years coaching for the US Ski Team and the USSA. While with the National Team, Adam worked as the head coach of the men’s Europa Cup SL/GS group and as the head coach of the men’s Development Team. Prior to his work with the men’s team he was the USSA Eastern and National Youth Development Coach and Coordinator. Adam lives in Lyndon Center with his wife, Alison, and their daughters Emma and Anya.
MEN'S ALPINE TEAM
DARRELL GRAY – MEN’S ALPINE HEAD COACH, DIRECTOR OF STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
BS, Appalachian State University 1986; Graduate Studies, North Carolina State University 1988-89, USST Domestic Coach of the Year, 2006.
2009-10 marks Darrell’s 13th year at Burke Mountain Academy. This will be his 6th year as Men’s Alpine Head Coach and Director of Strength and Conditioning, with previous years spent working with both the men and women’s programs. Darrell and his wife Lisa are dorm parents in the Willoughby House. The Gray’s have three children; Haley a freshman at Furman University in Greenville, SC, Zach (16) and Kate (11).
SAM DAMON – MEN’S ALPINE COACH
Originally from New Hampshire, Sam grew up ski racing for Pat’s Peak and Waterville Valley. He attended Dartmouth College, where he skied for 4 years, and moved to Colorado after graduating. There, he taught high school Chemistry for a year, and coached skiing for 4 years at the Colorado Rocky Mountain School in Carbondale. At CRMS, he had athletes at all levels from regional FIS to the high school league. During the 2009 season, he coached Warner Nickerson as part of Team Maximum Velocity, traveling all over the world for Europa Cup and Nor-Am Cup races as Warner worked for a berth on the World Cup. This summer, Sam stayed in Carbondale to help teach Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, and kayaking to minority students from around the country. An avid bike rider and kayaker, he is excited to return to his New England roots and to hard snow.
BRENDAN LEVINE – MEN’S ALPINE COACH
Brendan is in his 4th year at Burke, as a member of the Men's Team coaching staff. He graduated from St. Lawrence University with a BA in Fine Arts and a minor in Education. He was a 4-year member of the SLU ski team and participated in many other outdoor activities such as rock climbing, and white water kayaking. After attending Carrabassett Valley Academy for high school, he deferred his entrance to St. Lawrence University for a year in order to attend Oppdal Videregaaende Skole, a ski academy in Norway's Trondelag region. Brendan is our graphic and publications designer. If you do not find him in his office or in his home in Woods, you should be able to find him out ripping powder turns on the mountain, biking, hiking, or just enjoying the fine Vermont weather.
JACOB FISHER - MEN'S ALPINE COACH
Jacob Fisher is entering his second year on our men’s FIS coaching staff. Jake has coached in a variety of positions since 2001. He comes to us via the Mt. Mansfield Ski Club where he has most recently worked primarily with FIS men for the past three years. Prior to his work at Stowe he coached in Utah at The Canyons Resort and before that as an assistant coach at the University of New Hampshire. Jake is smart, driven, organized, and comes very highly recommended. He will no doubt contribute greatly to the continued success of our alpine program and community at large.
WOMEN'S ALPINE TEAM
ADAM CHADBOURNE - WOMEN'S ALPINE HEAD COACH, ALPINE PROGRAM DIRECTOR
See bio above.
ROLF GIDLOW –WOMEN’S ALPINE COACH
1993 USST Domestic Coach of the Year, USSA Certified International Coach
University of Minnesota, Music Theory & Composition, Piano Performance.
2009-10 marks the 20th anniversary of Rolf’s coming to Burke Mountain Academy and he has worked here for most of that time. He has worn just about every coaching hat there is to wear at BMA, including some that no longer exist. Rolf began coaching in 1972; this year marks his 38th year as an alpine coach. Rolf has an extensive musical background, having performed classical, jazz, folk, blues, etc. from concert halls to city street corners. He occasionally teaches music theory and/or does private tutoring. He actively plays piano, guitar, harmonica, anglo concertina, and accordion, and also has experience playing several other instruments. For the past year he has been in the throes of an obsession with Irish traditional music that shows no sign of abating. This past July he spent a week studying with renowned Irish concertina master Noel Hill. His many other interests include poetry, literature, British-style crossword puzzles, star-gazing, and growing plants.
AMBER MCHUGH – WOMEN’S ALPINE COACH
BS, Saint Michael's College, 2003. Business Administration. Amber is entering her 3rd year at Burke as a Women's FIS Coach. She is a native of Southern Vermont. Amber came to Burke after coaching with the Mount Washington Valley Ski Team in New Hampshire. She has experience coaching at both Eastern and USST National Development System camps and competition trips. Amber has worked with FIS aged athletes from development to national levels. In her free time Amber enjoys a variety of activities and being outside.
JOHN DWYER – WOMEN’S ALPINE COACH
John will join the women’s FIS coaching staff. John has nearly ten years experience in the ski racing world working for Dynastar/Lange. During his tenure there he was responsible for their race department in the US. In this capacity he worked closely with Dynastar/Lange in Europe, managed contracts for the US Ski Team, handled extensive budgetary responsibilities, performed US Ski Team boot service, served as a direct consultant with the US Ski Team technicians in regards to skis, boots, bindings, and specific technical issues with equipment set up and at the very highest levels of the sport. Simultaneously he has run all junior program race support and service for athletes in the US, worked as the Lange Project Manager, and created a community of athletes that became the force behind the growth of the brand. He is a 1998 graduate of Johnson State College. In addition to his work with Dynastar/Lange John was a successful lacrosse coach for both Johnson State and St. Michael’s college. John will coach directly with the women’s team but will also oversee much of our equipment work, handle communication with industry representatives, and serve as an overall equipment advisor to our staff and athletes at large.
J3 PROGRAM
KIRK DWYER – HEADMASTER, HEAD J3 COACH
BA, Johnson State College, 1975. USSA Domestic Coach of the Year 1989, International Coaches Certification, Past Chairman of Eastern Development Committee and National Development Committee. Eastern Alpine Competition Committee Chairman. Prior to BMA Kirk worked at the Green Mt. Valley School for 25 years. Responsibilities included: Assistant Headmaster from 1989-2000, Head Women’s Coach from 1987-2000, Head Coach 1980-86, Head Men’s Coach 1979-86, was the primary coach of 26 US Ski Team athletes while at GMVS and taught English, Humanities, and Economics. Kirk and his wife, Robin, have an eleven-year-old son, Chase. Kirk has been BMA’s Headmaster since 2000.
CHRISTIN LATHROP – DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS, J3 COACH
BA, Dartmouth College 2005. Christin is returning to BMA for her fourth year as Director of Admissions and J3 Coach. She never saw working and living in the Northeast Kingdom in her future, but she thoroughly loves it. Who can ask for a better out-of-doors playground, at the base of Burke Mountain with a community of playmates who are energetic and passionate about life?! Christin came to BMA after many years of competitive ski racing including time with the U.S. Development Team, racing the Nor-am and Europa Cup circuits, and the Dartmouth Ski Team. While at Dartmouth she was an All-American and earned Academic All-American honors too. This summer she coached at two Mt. Hood BMA ski camps and traveled to Europe, but she looks forward to getting back to the green of Vermont!
STEVE BERLACK - JUNIOR ALPINE PROGRAM DIRECTOR, J3 COACH
BA, University of New Hampshire 1981, USSA National Certified Alpine Coach
Steve is entering his 4th year with the BMA Junior Program following six years with the BMA Alpine FIS groups. Steve coached FIS men at BMA for three years and FIS Women for two years. He also served as alpine program director for one year. Prior to coming to BMA Steve, and his family, lived in Europe where he coached for Poland with the Europa Cup and World Cup group. Steve and his wife Cindy, 11 year old Carolyn (BMA J4), and 15 year old Ronnie (BMA 10th grader) live in Franconia, NH and East Burke, VT
NORDIC TEAM
PETE PHILLIPS – HEAD NORDIC COACH
BA in Scandinavian Studies and English, U of Washington 1969. This is Pete’s 4th year as head Nordic Coach at Burke. Pete previously worked with programs in Sun Valley, Idaho, Whitefish and Bozeman, Montana, and in Lake Placid, New York. He has been a coach for the US Scandinavian Cup Team, and the US World Junior Team, as well as having organized summer and spring training and competition trips to Sweden and Norway. He brought "The Sweden Trip,” a training tour in cooperation with the Solleftea Ski Gymnasium in Sweden, to BMA with him, and ran it for the 9th summer this year. Pete has also arranged for visiting Scandinavian athletes to spend time with US programs, and is chairman of the NENSA Jr. Committee. Special interests for the program at BMA are to continue to develop the classroom side of xc ski racing with courses in the "why's and how's" of training, building a solid program for resident and PG athletes, and creating an active exchange of people and information with European ski academies. Interests beyond skiing are sailing, reading, bird hunting, fishing and food.
MATT JOHNSON- ASSISTANT NORDIC COACH
Matt starts his second year as The Burke Nordic Team's assistant coach. Matt raced for Middlebury Nordic Ski Team for 4 years, serving as captain his senior year. He graduated from Midd in spring of '08. He raced in the Junior World Championships in 2006. He is excited to be working with a highly experienced coach and a motivated team. This year Matt will take on additional duties with BMA's website, and with Nordic recruiting. Outside of skiing he's really into music- especially the guitar, tennis, and pretty much anything else outside.
JUNIOR PROGRAM
STEVE BERLACK - JUNIOR PROGRAM DIRECTOR, J3 COACH
See above.
ATHLETIC TRAINING
GREG DELUKE – ATHLETIC TRAINER, WOMEN’S STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH
BS Secondary Education Exercise Science, Butler University. Masters in Athletic Training, Texas Tech University. Greg is returning for his 3rd year as our athletic trainer. In addition to his work with injury prevention and rehabilitation Greg has continued to assist Darrell in our strength and conditioning program, and will also be coordinating the women’s strength and conditioning for the upcoming season. Prior to working at BMA Greg worked with athletes at the high school, Div 1 and professional levels. Previously, Greg worked directly with the Div 1 Texas Tech football team. Greg is an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. In his free time he enjoys a variety of activities such as mountain biking, surfing, and lacrosse.
