Featured Image: Jim McCormack with his dog, Chester. Provided by Martin Guyer
Jim McCormack, a passionate skier since childhood, has dedicated his life to the slopes. His journey through the ski industry led him to specialize in alpine ski racing, ultimately achieving the role of competition director at Sugarloaf, Maine.
As a vital member of the Sugarloaf Resort’s competition center, he has significantly contributed to the ski racing community, diligently working to ensure the successful execution of races and various snowsport events.
After decades of hard work in the field, Jim has announced his retirement.
He celebrates the tight-knit circle surrounding Sugarloaf Resort, the racing community, and the competition center that kept him engaged and passionate about his career. Additionally, he takes time to reflect on the successes he had and the challenges he faced from beginning to end.
Early Stages in Sugarloaf
Jim grew up in Lafayette, New York, and learned to ski at a young age. Although he did not grow up alpine ski racing, he loved getting on the hill to shred some laps. He worked at Song Mountain, which immersed him more into the industry.
Then, his journey to Maine began when he was accepted into the University of Maine, where he played football. After graduating from university, Jim earned the opportunity to join the NFL, where he played for a year.
After football, he decided to move to Sugarloaf. “In 1988 I moved to Sugarloaf and started in ski school and worked ski race events with the Sugarloaf Ski Club.”
He immediately felt embraced by the friendly vibe and the community surrounding the ski club.
Jim reflected, “I thought it was pretty cool, and everyone was friendly. I just fell in love with it and always had the support of Sugarloaf, the ski club, and their coaches.”
Competition Director and Dedication to Alpine Ski Racing
Jim fast-tracked his way up the pipeline once they opened the competition center in the early 90s.
“At that point we were doing a lot of different downhill events and various competitions. Once I got there and made a bunch of connections, it snowballed,” he explained.
He highlighted the rich traditions of the mountain, emphasizing the collaborative efforts between the ski club and the competition center.
Jim’s gratitude for the work that these two organizations did together ran deep. The volunteers that were brought in from the ski club to assist him with competitions were applauded by him: “We had a huge core of volunteers.” I probably had a group of at least 80, and probably 30 of them would do every event. Without them we could have never done it.”
Emphasize Safety
“We had a great safety record, so I was always proud of that,” Jim stated.
Jim actively prioritizes safety and stays current with ongoing developments to make the extreme sport of alpine ski racing even safer. “It has progressed so much in protective measures, but you need it.”
When his career first began, his team started off by just using Easy Fence, and then they were the first competition center in the East to have their own B-Net. He explained, “We hosted the Nationals around 1996, and it felt like a big deal; we secured 180 rolls of B-Net.”
“I had so many good people working with us on skiing competitions, so we were never behind. We always seemed to stay ahead of that curve for safety.”
Jim finished conducting the NorAm Finals with 500 rolls of netting. Although it was challenging to keep up with changes in the industry, he reflected on the immaculate progression in safety from the time he started until now.
His Favorite Aspects of Being a Competition Director
Jim has relished various aspects of his career at Sugarloaf, but his true passion lies in organizing major competitions, particularly the championship events. He also takes great pride in the fact that he and his team maintain a speed venue, a rarity in the eastern region.
When talking about the speed venue, he stated, “There’s always been a handful [of speed venues in the eastern region], but over time we’ve maintained it year in and year out, which is a special niche and an art.”
Further, Jim realized that the eastern region had lost downhill for a while and that it was a faltering aspect of the sport in most of the country. But he alludes to how they advocated for speed events by continuing to take care of and offer a speed venue.
“We built it [downhill racing] back. I had 145 athletes in the Eastern FIS downhill this year.”
He further praised the competition center, saying, “It’s cool it was rebuilt because once a sport is lost, it’s really challenging to bring it back. We kept insisting, “No, this is going to happen’.”
Jim strongly supports the idea that speed enhances performance in alpine ski racing, and he hopes future generations will carry on this belief.
Heading into Retirement: Celebrating Achievements and Supporters
After his 32nd year at the competition center, Jim has decided to retire from the director of competition.
Nevertheless, he plans to head up grooming, believing it will be less stressful and provide him more time for his other hobbies.
“Next year I am looking forward to actually being able to ski more with my ski poles. I really love freeskiing, and for a while, I just didn’t have time for it,” he explained.
The decision has been bittersweet for Jim, but he continued to acknowledge the support he has throughout his career, especially from the ski club and the coaching staff.
“The support I had from the Sugarloaf Ski Club and the coaches was huge; without them I would have never been successful.”
He is confident that even with his departure from this job, he will continue to have long-lasting relationships from the competition center. “That’s pretty awesome, and not everyone has that.”
About the Author: Ellie Hartman
