The Durango High School Alpine skiing team came to compete this season. They’re halfway through their season and off to their best start in years, with thirteen skiers qualified for state (nine boys and four girls). They’ve had several very strong performances, including senior Mathilde Roskam taking the women’s individual title at the slalom meet in Loveland on Jan. 9, the men winning the team title at the Loveland meet the following week and the women finishing first at the Giant slalom meet on Jan. 24 in Keystone.
A significant part of their success has been due to the team melding and displaying strong student leadership, along with some healthy competition among athletes.
“I only take 12 men and 12 women to the first four races and we've added a competitive element where you have to qualify,” said Durango Alpine ski head coach Jill Carithers. “Similar to something like golf, you have a qualifying match. We've been really transparent with timing and getting some times. That’s new this year where we're giving them a competitive atmosphere at practice.”
Besides the competition driving athletes to be at their best, Carithers also credits her senior leaders with helping DHS to have so much success. She’s coached them and watched their growth since they were freshmen, which makes them even stronger leaders. They often do Carithers’ job for her, giving their teammates pointers and helping them in practice.
“I had a talk with my senior leadership group, which is actually quite large (at least three senior girls and five senior boys traveling each week), and I said, ‘You guys need to help me pump every single one of these athletes up,’” Carithers said. “I'm very clear in my goal of raising every athlete to their fullest potential and to me, that means being competitive, getting to that next level.”
Carithers’ message of leadership and being a role model has led to Durango becoming known as one of the most spirited high school skiing teams, with athletes cheering and ringing cowbells at the bottom of the course for every racer. That spirit and selflessness is part of why Carithers loves her job so much and is so excited for the rest of the season.
“It's such an individual sport but I absolutely love that,” said Carithers. “There's this team element; these students really pump each other up because they know if we can get three people in the top five, we've got a chance of beating Summit. Allowing and understanding that there is a team. Competing and saying, ‘OK, I may not get first place but if I get second and my teammate gets third and we get fifth, we just beat Summit’s first fourth and sixth.’ They get it.”
Summit is the top Colorado high school skiing team, with several racers competing internationally. They will be the leading contender at the state meet, along with Steamboat, Aspen and Battle Mountain. With her team’s recent success, Carithers believes Durango has put itself on other teams’ radar and will have athletes competing for top-five finishes individually at state. She also likes her team’s chances to be competitive in coming seasons.
“I really feel like we have depth in this team,” Carithers said. “(Sophomores) Nathen Mehaffie and Johan Souders, (junior) Corbin Horrocks, (freshman) Izzy Ratcliff, are all rising up and I think they will take on the spirit of this grittiness in the senior group. We do whatever it takes and we’re going to do what it takes to put DHS on the map in ski racing.”
The Demons are looking forward to the state championships on Feb. 20 and 21 in Aspen.
