Sugar Bowl Academy's Postgraduate (PG) Program provides highly motivated Nor Am, Elite level FIS racers, Nordic racers and Biathletes with an opportunity to further their skills through a year of concentrated and intensive training. The PG Program is an extension of Sugar Bowl Academy’s highly successful secondary school program and is designed as a platform for National Team selection or participation on NCAA Division I collegiate teams.
The highly individualized PG program includes eight months (late August-April) of rigorous world-class training accompanied by a customized enrichment program to ensure continued personal and educational development.
Admission to the program is highly selective; program size is limited to 12. The ideal PG applicant must be of strong character and integrity with the following qualifications:
-Alpine racers with less than 100 FIS points in at least two events, a realistic goal to lower FIS points below 50 in at least one tech event (SL or GS)
-Nordic racers with less than 250/400 FIS distance/sprint points for women and 200/300 FIS distance/sprint points for men
-Biathletes or potential biathletes on a case by case basis
The program provides focused individual training sessions (3-5 hours per day) in season supported by small training groups and a low athlete-to-coach ratio. It includes personalized athlete management with a competition schedule that optimizes athletes’ exposure to high-level racing including starts on both the Eastern and Western NCAA circuits for alpine.
It offers:
30-50 days of early season on-snow training
Up to 3 weeks of on-snow training during our summer season in the Southern Hemisphere, Mt. Hood or Europe
October on-snow training camp in Europe for alpine
Extended training in November as necessary
6-8 weeks of concentrated PG specific strength and conditioning sessions managed by our Director of Athlete Conditioning
Support for injury rehabilitation and prevention by our athletic training staff
Contact Branko Zagar for additional information.
PG athletes are expected to develop an individualized enrichment and community program that will challenge them to prepare for a future of success outside of ski racing. PGs are also expected to be leaders on and off snow and in all aspects of the SBA community. They may satisfy their enrichment/community engagement requirement by obtaining a professional certification, volunteering in the local Tahoe-Truckee community, completing college level course work, taking high school level courses at Sugar Bowl Academy, or through an approved alternative program.
PG student-athletes who have not deferred from a college or university of their choice will meet regularly with Sugar Bowl Academy's Director of College Counseling to ensure admission to one of their top choice schools.
PG athletes must live in an SBSTA-approved adult supervised environment. Options include a local host family with their parents, or in an alternate approved supervised arrangement. PG athletes are expected to provide their own transportation to and from all training sessions.
$19,995 ($16,995 for SBA graduates)
The program fee includes:
Coaching (both on and off snow)
Conditioning (typically twice per day in the fall and once per day in the winter)
Access to sport science assessments, physical testing and nutrition analysis
Contact with athletic trainer
Season pass at Sugar Bowl and Royal Gorge Resorts
SBA courses or TA opportunity
College admissions counseling (if appropriate)
On-campus meals during the school year
Advising, goal setting and personalized athlete management
Tuition does not include housing, camps, or travel costs. Need based financial aid and merit scholarships are available.