Imagine discovering a lifelong passion and knowing you are going to make a career of it before you even reach the age of six. That is exactly what new BBSEF Athletic Director Shawn Smith experienced on only his second day of skiing. He stands by that conviction today.
Coach Shawn got his start skijoring behind his father’s jeep on the dirt roads in East Corinth, Vermont. They had so much fun ripping around the backroads, that when he was old enough to reach the gas pedal, his dad encouraged young Shawn to take the wheel. His first attempt at driving did not go well. Shawn lost sight of his dad in the rearview mirror. Thinking he lost him, Shawn slammed on the brakes and sent his father sliding under the truck where he became stuck. What does a 9-year-old do in that situation? “I jumped out of the truck and ran away,” said Shawn. “My dad was not happy. I learned a lot of colorful language that day.”
Eventually, Shawn got back behind the wheel with much better results. Then he and his dad turned their attention to the local ski hill – a small but steep operation with two rope tows. It was run by locals and only open on weekends. They took full advantage of the rope tow that got them to some very good intermediate terrain.
The family moved to Upstate New York where Shawn’s father took over food and beverage for Scotch Valley/Deer Run Ski Area and Shawn entered the race program. He raced to age 13, then shifted to coaching. “I started coaching, and didn’t know what I was doing,” said Shawn. “So, my father suggested that I learn how to teach people to ski in order to be a better coach.” And just like that, his childhood dreams began to take shape.
By age 18, Shawn was immersed in full-time instructing and coaching at Mt. Snow in Vermont. By age 19, he achieved a Level 4 Coaching Certification in Canada. Level 4 is the highest certification one can achieve and allows coaches to teach every level of skier, train future instructors and work almost anywhere in the world. This certification combined with the connections he made along the way led to five straight years of coaching racers through New Zealand winters. “If you are serious about coaching, the best route to improvement is year-round coaching. Not only does it strengthen you in all areas of technical development, you also get to enjoy glorious experiences,” said Shawn. “The occasional stops in Tahiti or Hawaii never hurt either.”
Coach Shawn credits his selection to the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) National Demonstration Team with having some of the greatest impacts on his career. “The PSIA Demo Team creates methodologies and teaching and skiing programs for U.S. Skiing. It shares information with instructors and coaches across the country and holds Interski Symposiums with member countries.” In 28 years of membership and coaching with the PSIA Demo Team, Shawn has instructed national team coaches as well as their athletes and skied in almost every skiing country around the world. He lived in Austria for a year and often spent 6-10 weeks instructing and/or coaching in other countries.
Here at home Shawn has worn several hats while serving on the PSIA Demo Team including:
Director of Ski & Snowboard School, Racing and Events
US Ski Team Associate Coach working on coach education and athlete development
Working one-on-one with US Ski Team athletes during spring and summer camps
Senior leadership team member at Stevens Pass Ski Area
Shawn retired from ski area management and returned to full-time coaching in New Hampshire, Vermont, Vail then Telluride
An avid fly fisherman, Shawn said, “I always enjoyed Idaho and was looking for any excuse to get here.” Last fall BBSEF provided a perfect one - welcoming him to Boise as the Head Coach of the U16/19/FIS Alpine Competitive Team.
As Athletic Director for BBSEF, Shawn will dive headfirst into his two greatest passions: The education and development of coaches and teaching kids how to race and compete. “I have benefited from fabulous resources - some of the very best people who have helped me along the way. The payback never ends, and I look forward to passing it along to the coaches and athletes here at BBSEF.”
