Coach Needell trades in his suitcase

Greg Needell is stepping down. A seven year veteran of the World Cup coaching circle with the U.S. men’s team, Needell said he needs more time with his family back in Wenatchee, Washington.

Seven years on the road, living out of a suitcase is an all-encompassing lifestyle and Needell says he’s done it long enough. “After coaching at every level I’m back home at Mission Ridge as the FIS coach,” he said, adding he would add consulting and coaches education business to the mix.Greg Needell is stepping down. A seven year veteran of the World Cup coaching circle with the U.S. men’s team, Needell said he needs more time with his family back in Wenatchee, Washington.

Seven years on the road, living out of a suitcase is an all-encompassing lifestyle and Needell says he’s done it long enough. “After coaching at every level I’m back home at Mission Ridge as the FIS coach,” he said, adding he would add consulting and coaches education business to the mix.

Needell got hooked on ski coaching while a senior in college at St Lawrence University in upstate New York. When he found himself in New York City after college for work and realized he was spending every weekend traveling to Vermont to ski, he decided it was time to move. He got the coaching career in gear with the Stratton Mountain School then moved west landing as the head coach and program director at Mission Ridge and then moving on to head coach at Mammoth Mountain. It was there the national ski team called on him to work with the men on the ski team.

“Greg was one of the best coaches I ever worked with,” said Ted Ligety, the 2009 World Championships giant slalom bronze medalist. “He was always on the cutting edge of advancing my technique and played a huge role in my giant slalom progression, but on top of that, he’s just a great guy to be around.”

For Needell, picking out highlights is difficult.

“With seven years of highlights, it’s hard to pick just a few,” said Needell, who none the less pointed to Bode Miller and Erik Schlopy finishing 1-3 at the 2003 World Championship GS, Ted Ligety’s 2008 World Cup title in GS and this season when five U.S. athletes placed in the top 10 of a World Cup downhill at Val Gardena.

“All those days were big ones and have a special place in my memory, but I also remember the Flachau, (Austria) giant slalom in 2004 when Bode was third and Dane Spencer moved up from 23rd in the first run to finish 12th. He tweaked his back so bad that he couldn’t even ski down to the hotel in between runs, but he sucked it up and put down an inspiring second run. As a coach, those days make you just as proud as podium days,” said Needell.

“Greg made a tremendous contribution toward the success of the men’s World Cup team over the past seven years,” said Hunt. “He is leaving the tour with the respect of his athletes, fellow staff members and international peers. He will be missed and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

So Needell will rejoin Mission Ridge as the FIS coach and has also started a business focused on coaches education and training. It will entail some travel, but he anticipates being joined often by his wife Shannon and 11 year old son Coen.

“I’ll certainly miss the camaraderie,” he says, “but it’s really important for me to be home for my family. I want to be there as a dad and a coach for Coen as he moves up the ranks.

“It has already been a good step for me,” said Needell. “I’ve been able to go to a few of my son’s races this spring and I was there for his Little League tryouts the other day. Those things are huge and I’m leaving the Team at a point where all the guys are just so professional with what they do. It’s hard to tell them that when you’re a coach because you’re always looking to improve, but I can easily step back now and say the Team is in a good place.”