The “Hunt” for a new USSA alpine director continues

After former USSA alpine director Jesse Hunt resigned in early May to accept a leadership role with the Park City Ski Education Foundation, speculation about who his replacement would be began to fly immediately. While no names have come from the U.S. Ski Team camp, top USSA officials confirm the “hunt” is well underway.   

In a recent media teleconference, USSA CEO and President Bill Marolt told reporters that the organization had narrowed its search for the new alpine director to four candidates. Marolt added that he hoped the search would produce a strong replacement within “a few weeks,” but he felt it too early to disclose any names of the frontrunners. 
 
“We’re making continual progress, we’re about to wrap up our second round of interviews,” USSA Vice President of Athletics, Luke Bodensteiner said last week of the effort to replace Hunt. “We’ll get into the final interview phase shortly, and bring it down to one or two people we will look at seriously at that point.”

Bodensteiner added that the USSA was in no rush to fill the job before the Olympics eight months from now. “We’re all prepared for that. The elite programs are solidly in the hands of the head coaches right now, whether we have a director guiding them here in the last eight months is kind of inconsequential,” he said. “Even if we ride out the rest of this year without a director we’re still in really good shape.”

Although USSA brass are still operating without a timeline to fill the position, Bodensteiner says they won’t hesitate to pull the trigger when the right person is in the sights. “I’m not going to waste any time if we get the right guy for the job, if he’s available right away we’ll make that hire as soon as we can,” he said.

Hunt worked for the USSA as a coach and program director for 16 years, leaving some big shoes to fill, shoes Bodensteiner says the new director will have to grow into. “We’re looking for many of the same characteristics that Jesse had,” he said. “When Jesse started the job he didn’t have all the skills he has today, and I don’t think it’s possible to find someone who can walk in the door day one and perform all the tasks Jesse could at the same level, so we’re really looking for someone with a similar background and personality for the job.”

Bodensteiner and Marolt have been working closely with the alpine head coaches, development staff and team leadership to land the perfect person for the job. “The point is to get somebody that everybody who is going to work with this person is comfortable with, believes in and shares similar philosophies with,” he said.    
  “It’s a pretty unique individual for sure, it’s not the easiest hire to make, but we have talked to several people who could fit the bill.”

After former USSA alpine director Jesse Hunt resigned in early May to accept a leadership role with the Park City Ski Education Foundation, speculation about who his replacement would be began to fly immediately. While no names have come from the U.S. Ski Team camp, top USSA officials confirm the “hunt” is well underway.   

In a recent media teleconference, USSA CEO and President Bill Marolt told reporters that the organization had narrowed its search for the new alpine director to four candidates. Marolt added that he hoped the search would produce a strong replacement within “a few weeks,” but he felt it too early to disclose any names of the frontrunners. 
 
“We’re making continual progress, we’re about to wrap up our second round of interviews,” USSA Vice President of Athletics, Luke Bodensteiner said last week of the effort to replace Hunt. “We’ll get into the final interview phase shortly, and bring it down to one or two people we will look at seriously at that point.”

Bodensteiner added that the USSA was in no rush to fill the job before the Olympics eight months from now. “We’re all prepared for that. The elite programs are solidly in the hands of the head coaches right now, whether we have a director guiding them here in the last eight months is kind of inconsequential,” he said. “Even if we ride out the rest of this year without a director we’re still in really good shape.”

Although USSA brass are still operating without a timeline to fill the position, Bodensteiner says they won’t hesitate to pull the trigger when the right person is in the sights. “I’m not going to waste any time if we get the right guy for the job, if he’s available right away we’ll make that hire as soon as we can,” he said.

Hunt worked for the USSA as a coach and program director for 16 years, leaving some big shoes to fill, shoes Bodensteiner says the new director will have to grow into. “We’re looking for many of the same characteristics that Jesse had,” he said. “When Jesse started the job he didn’t have all the skills he has today, and I don’t think it’s possible to find someone who can walk in the door day one and perform all the tasks Jesse could at the same level, so we’re really looking for someone with a similar background and personality for the job.”

Bodensteiner and Marolt have been working closely with the alpine head coaches, development staff and team leadership to land the perfect person for the job. “The point is to get somebody that everybody who is going to work with this person is comfortable with, believes in and shares similar philosophies with,” he said.    “It’s a pretty unique individual for sure, it’s not the easiest hire to make, but we have talked to several people who could fit the bill.”