Carrabassett Valley Academy Hires Garrett Lashar as Alpine Program Director

By Published On: February 12th, 2018Comments Off on Carrabassett Valley Academy Hires Garrett Lashar as Alpine Program Director

Carrabassett Valley Academy (CVA) is pleased to announce the hiring of Garrett Lashar as its new Alpine Program Director. Lashar will be responsible for the staffing, programming, implementation, and supervision of the academy and weekend alpine programs. Over the past three decades, CVA has helped shape the competitive future of Olympic athletes like Bode Miller and Kirsten Clark, current U.S. Ski Team member Sam Morse, World Cup competitors, NCAA Division I athletes, and countless young skiers with a passion for their sport. Lashar will seek to continue the long tradition of excellence at the Academy, which is a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Gold Certified Club and a U.S. Ski & Snowboard High Performance Center.

“It is with great excitement that we welcome Garrett back to CVA,” said Head of School Kate Webber Punderson. “As a Sugarloafer, CVA alumnus, and former CVA Alpine coach, Garrett’s roots in the Valley run deep. He returns to Sugarloaf having gained valuable experience in a range of programs and with a reputation as a hard-working coach, dedicated to inspiring athletes and coaches alike. His love of skiing and CVA is apparent from the moment you meet him and his energy is infectious.”

After graduating from CVA in 2000, Lashar attended Plymouth State University (PSU). He was a member of the PSU Alpine ski team, serving as team captain both his junior and senior years. After graduating with a degree in management, Lashar began his coaching career with Waterville Valley Ski Club, working with the men’s and women’s U19 programs. He then returned to CVA for two years, coaching the men’s U19 program.

Following his time at CVA, from 2007-12 Lashar served as the head coach of the men’s and women’s alpine ski team at Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire. While at Colby-Sawyer, Lashar’s student-athletes achieved 38 USCSA All-American honors as well as multiple national championship titles. In 2010, Lashar, working closely with the college administrators, elevated the ski program from USCSA to NCAA. Throughout this time, Lashar gained valuable experience working with multiple departments to ensure athlete and program success – from academics, to off-season training, to admissions and financial aid. After five years with a collegiate program, Lashar shifted his focus back to the club level and began coaching at Mount Mansfield Ski Club in Stowe, Vermont, where for the past six winters he has coached athletes across genders at both the U16 and the U19 levels.

“I can’t tell you how humbled, honored, and ecstatic I am for this opportunity,” Lashar said on his return to CVA. “The return home to Sugarloaf was something that was bound to happen, and the timing for me could not be any better than right now. Every resource and piece of infrastructure is here for a student-athlete to succeed, and I’m excited to foster a team and an ‘athlete-centric’ approach with the staff and the CVA community. The support and positivity has already been tremendous. And I am just so thrilled to hit the ground running for this community, for the alumni, and most importantly the current and future kids here at CVA.”

Release courtesy of Carrabassett Valley Academy.

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