Holderness School announces coaching roster for 20-21 season

Exciting additions are coming to Holderness Snow Sports this winter, from the introduction of a Gap Year program for postgraduates to the hiring of three new coaches who bring with them experience at the World Cup and NCAA Championship levels.

“I couldn’t be more excited about our staff and student-athletes for the upcoming winter,” says new Director of Snow Sports Ben Drummond. “My goal for this year is to add to that legacy of the Snow Sports Program with the new Gap Year program, and by hiring these three outstanding new coaches.”

Gap year program

For certain athletes, taking a gap year after graduation is an invaluable opportunity before entering college. This year, Holderness will introduce a Gap Year program that allows graduates to train at Cannon/Mittersill and utilize the facilities and community at Holderness for that crucial extra year.

“For some student-athletes, a gap year is just what they need to develop before entering skiing at the collegiate level,” Drummond says. “This new Gap Year program will allow these student-athletes to reach the next level, while still receiving valuable support from the Holderness community.”

Brennan Smith will coach the Holderness School Gap Year program. Brennan grew up spending his winters pursuing his passion of ski racing in the mountains of New Hampshire. After graduating from Waterville Valley Academy, he chose to fully channel his energy for the next couple of years into reaching his highest athletic potential in skiing. Brennan’s athletic accomplishments include North American Cup Junior podiums and a top-15 national ranking. His athletic and coaching endeavors have provided him with the opportunity to create strong connections and relationships, both domestically and internationally. Brennan is a level 200 coach, previously coaching FIS programs at Plymouth State University, Mammoth Mountain, and Waterville Valley Academy. His commitment to his athletes and his passion for coaching inspires him to help athletes reach their own athletic potential on and off the hill.

Boardman leads U16s

Holderness School is excited to welcome Mike Boardman as our new Head U16 coach. Before coming to Holderness, Mike coached at Franconia Ski Club at Cannon Mountain in New Hampshire for three years. He has been a coach at various ski camps across the country: Mount Mansfield Summer Dryland Camp, Mt Hood Summer Ski Camps, and Peak Performance Ski Camps. Before Mike began his coaching career, he was a member of the Colby College Ski Team. As an athlete, he participated in two NCAA Championships and four US Nationals. He was a captain of the Colby College Ski Team for 2 seasons. Mike will be assisted by returning coaches, Lori Ford and Leigh-Anne Connors.

McCarty leads U19 Boys

This winter, the U19 Boys’ team will be coached by Bryna McCarty. Bryna is an experienced ski racer and coach whose background includes 42 World Cup starts as a member of the US Ski Team. She notched two top-10 World Cup finishes in downhill and is the 2005 US National Champion in Super G. Her coaching career includes two multi-year stints at Burke Mountain Academy and a four-year stint at Franconia Ski Club working with various age groups. She has worked numerous camps and projects throughout her coaching career. She is a 2002 graduate of Burke Mountain Academy and received an Associate of Science degree from Vermont Technical College in Architecture & Building Engineering Technology in 2011. Bryna will be working with returning Head U19 Coach Corey Mckim, and flanked by Ben Moody, the U19 Women’s Coach as well as Janice Dahl, the assistant U19 Coach.

Release courtesy of Holderness School.