YOUR AD HERE »

Sunlight team sends two to Winter Park

Amanda Holt Miller
Post Independent Photo/Kara K. Pearson Kevin Hartman speeds down the slalom course at Sunlight Mountain Resort during a practice Thursday afternoon. Hartman, of Glenwood Springs, and Kourtney Mitchell, of Rifle, will compete in the J4 division of the Junior Olympics.
ALL |

The Sunlight Ski Team is sending two of its eight skiers to the J4 Junior Olympics in Winter Park from March 16-20.Hartmann, an 11-year-old from Glenwood Springs, finished first at the qualifying event in Crested Butte Feb. 11-13. Kourtney Mitchell, a 12-year-old from Rifle, also qualified. She finished in the top 15 out of more than 120 skiers.

“Kevin Hartmann is the best skier in the division,” said Sunlight Ski Team coach Harry Maybee. “I don’t think anyone in the four Western states can touch him.”By the time the season ends, all the kids on the Sunlight Ski Team will have spent 110 days training and racing with Maybee.”These kids are all very dedicated and self-motivated,” Maybee said. “They have to be.”

Mitchell said she feels prepared for the Junior Olympics because of her training. “I train by doing whatever Harry says,” Mitchell said. “I know it sounds really simple, but it works.”Maybee said training begins in early October with dryland exercises to get the kids in shape for the season. After the snow flies, they ski every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon until it gets too dark. Includes as part of the team’s training is a weekend camp, held during Thanksgiving break.During Christmas break from school team members train for 13 out of 17 days with Maybee.



Hartmann said he started skiing when he was about 2 years old. Both of his parents are instructors at Sunlight. He began racing about two years ago in the Buddy Werner program, which is a group of about 25 kids younger than of 10, also coached by Maybee.”I really like the slalom and the super-G,” Hartmann said. “I like the super-G because you get to go really fast and I like the slalom because I get to turn a lot.”Mitchell said her parents first sent her down the slope when she was about 3 years old.”I really like racing because it’s competitive and fun,” Mitchell said. “But I really couldn’t have done it without my family.””I really like racing because it’s competitive and fun,” Mitchell said. “But I really couldn’t have done it without my family.”


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.