SWATeam's PARENT Responsibility
 
First of all SWATeam would like to "Thank You" for your interest in enrolling your child[ren] to ski, race and compete with SWATeam Racing, Inc.  We hope that everyone finds a mutually satisfying experience.  We truly value your respect and trust we can continue to earn it in the years to come.  Each year, as SWATeam Racing undergoes improvements the quality of skiing gets better and better and we believe our program improves steadily as well.  It is our goal to assure that your child[ren] look forward to skiing and racing, not only with SWATeam, but for life!
 
PARENT RESPONSIBILITY:
*  Be supportative of your Athlete[s]
*  Help out at the Races
*  Encourage your athlete[s] to set goals in skiing & racing
*  Communicate with the coaches
*  Set examples of "Good Sportsmanship"
*  Ask Questions
 
*  Parents/Guardians are responsible for all transporation to and from the races and practice sessions, as well as, the cost of the "Racer" season pass to Alpine Valley Resort for practices and lift tickets at the other ski areas hosting the race event.
*  Parents are responsible for the behavior of their child[ren] at all practices and races. 
*  Parents are required to 'volunteer' at race events to act as gatekeepers, scorers, registration, timing attendants, start/finish assistants, etc.  Each family is expected to voluneer to help out at TWO race day events.  If you have never worked a race before ... don't worry we will teach you.   
*  SWATeam encourages all parents of younger racers to remain at Alpine Valley Resort during practice and other ski areas during races. 
 
VOLUNTEER participation is vital to the success of the SWATeam Program and the WJR Program.  Your effort does make a difference!
 
VOLUNTEER on race days.  Participate in our fundraising activities. 
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION TO SWATeam's PROGRAMS
 
MISSION STATEMENT:
As a ski racing team, we are devoted to managing a program to allow all skiers in the program the opportunity FIRST to SKI BETTER, and later to compete to the best of their ability.  The coach's commitment is to make learning an exciting experience for the race students.  They will encourage the athlete to learn from every opportunity and find the positive aspect in their skiing and racing skills.  Their focus will be on developing well-rounded skills for all levels of skiers, prepare them for the technical and physical demands of ski racing to the best of their ability in a safe and enjoyable recreational ski team setting and encourage a love for skiing.
 
PHILOSOPHY:
The SWATeam Inc., [Southeastern Wisconsin Alpine Team Racing, Inc.] program is founded on the philosophy that sound ski racing techniques develop from a strong skiing foundation and that the learning process should be a positive and fulfilling experience for the student racer.  EARLY emphysisis is placed on LEARNING SKILLS AND FUNDAMENTALS and later emphasis is placed on practicing and testing these LEARNED SKILLS IN COMPETITION.  Sound skiing techniques cannot be learned in just a practice or race course. 
 
The SWATeam training program involves the following seven categories:
  1. DIRECTED FREE-SKIING.  Provides the optimal environment for athletes to learn technique and apply their skills to the demands of terrain and snow conditions.  "Directed" refers to skiing with technical goals in mind.  These goals come from the coaches and instruction.
  2. TURN TECHNIQUES.  Slalom [SL] and Giant Slalom [GS] runs covers information that teaches how the intensity, duration and timing of movements determine the size, shape and speed of the athletes turns.  The athletes will receive an explanation of carved [railed] turns, a description of body movements and ski action, and a list of turn characteristics.
  3. SKILL DEVELOPMENT.  This category covers exercises that are designed to enhance race performance through the development of technique.
  4. GATE DRILLS.   Athletes will be taught gate combinations in Slalom and Giant Slalom courses.  Athletes will practice DRILLS that develop both technical and tactical skills.
  5. COURSE DESCRIPTION.  Athletes will be taught how to technically race through the different courses set.  They will learn how to race courses that flow with good tempo, uses of terrain and challenging turns.
  6. RACE PROCEDURES.  The older athletes will learn about course setting, start and finish procedures and selected rules that racers should know.
  7. TACTICS.  Athletes will learn about selecting proper and maintaining their equipment, sharpening skis, waxing techniques, etc.  They will learn how to select the proper equuipment for the type of race course they are running and about protective gear for the types of races.
GOALS
SKI RACING, like other sports, requires time and patience in learning fundamentals.  During the learning process, it should be the goal of all involved to make the learning experience a positive and fulfilling one.  The coach's will direct the team's focus and engery toward high quality racing experiences for the young athletes.
 
 
RACER PREREQUISITES
 
Your child needs to be a "proficient skier" and comfortable skiing "all the runs" at Alpine Valley Resort and be able to load, ride and unload all types of chair lifts without assistance.  We utilize all the runs at Alpine Valley, but most of the training and running gates is done on BIG THUNDER run.  SWAT's race at Alpine Valley for all classes of racers is held on Big Thunder run.  Children should also be old enough and self-sufficient enough to spend the training hours without a parent while on the hill.  From experience, we have generally found the youngest age to be successful in our programs to be 7 years old.  [SWATeam will accept children 5 & 6 years of age, but the coaches in this class will require a 'skiing parent/guardian' to be present at practices & races to assist them in getting the younger skiers on and off the chair lifts safely. Please contact the SWATeam office for further information required for these athletes].  SWATeam is NOT a "Learn to Ski or Ski Better" program ... that is what Ski School does; we take athletes that know how to ski and teach them how to compete. 
 
Athletes and parents, or responsible guardian, must complete all registration forms, sign the release forms and pay the fees to SWATeam Racing before their child[ren] can participate in any SWATeam programs. 
 
If an athlete is participating in the USSA program they must also be a member of USSA.  They need to complete the USSA forms and pay fees to USSA.  Fees to join USSA are NOT included in the SWATeam membership.  USSA is the United States Ski and Snowboard Association, the national governing body for skiing and snowboarding.
 
 
PROGRAMS OFFERED
 
SWATeam usually offers three [3] programs, each at different price levels:
#1 - WJR [Wisconsin Junior Racing] Program
#2 - High School Program
#3 - USSA Program [offered ONLY if enough athletes register to cover costs].
 
IF there is NOT enough interest in any one of these programs due to not enough athletes interested, funding or staffing it could be dropped for a season or two. 
 
CAMPS:  A Thanksgiving Camp and Holiday [Christmas break] Camp are not routinely offered by SWATeam.  IF coaches and a venue is available - SWATeam will orgainize a camp and notify interested members.  Fees for camps would be in addition to membership costs.
 
#1 - WJR PROGRAM. 
WJR is a recreational race program that includes 'three' weekly training sessions at Alpine Valley Resort, East Troy, WI and 6 races held on SATURDAYS beginning in January at ski hills in Wisconsin.  Once race events begin in January the training sessions will be 'two' weekly at Alpine Valley Resort.  A schedule will be posted on the web site and sent via e-mail to members.
 
Training sessions for 2011-12 season will be:
Saturday & Sunday mornings from 9:00 am to noon.
Tuesday nights from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Once racing begins in January of 2012 the Saturday AM training session will cease.
 
Currently the ski hills hosting races on SATURDAYS for the WJR organization that SWATeam travels to are: 
Alpine Valley Resort, East Troy, WI
Sunburst Ski Area - Kewaskum, WI.
Ausblick Ski Area [Private hill] Sussex, WI
Heiliger Huegel [Holy Hill Private hill] Hubertus, WI
Devil's Head Ski Area - Baraboo, WI
 
S.W.AT. provides supervised training (see training schedule for your racers age group), and race day supervision at each event. WJR is a volunteer organization made up of members from each race team. Parents will be required to participate, working one to two events during the season.
 
For TRAINING SESSIONS AT ALPINE VALLEY:   Athletes and Parents driving athletes need to arrive at PRACTICE SESSIONS 30 minutes before start of practice.  Your athlete needs time to boot up, dress appropriately for the weather and get into their ski equipment 15 minutes before the start of practice time for their warm-up session. 
 
For RACES:  Athletes and Parents driving athletes need to arrive at the ski areas hosting RACES approximately 1 1/2 hrs to 1 hour before start time.  You should arrive at the Race events between 8:00-8:30 am.  You need time to purchase lift tickets and the athletes need to meet their coach's by 8:45 a.m. for warm-up exercises and COURSE INSPECTION which usually begins at 9:00 am.  Races normally start around 9:30am and finish near 2:00pm (see WJR race schedule).  Racers must purchase a lift ticket at these events.  S.W.AT., along with Alpine Valley will play host to one race this year.  All racer families are expected to participate as needed on S.W.AT. Race Day.

 
#2 - HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM
SWATeam's high school program differs from the WJR progam in that it offers only TWO practice sessions weekly and then only ONE practice session weekly once Race Competions begin in January.  The cost of this program is lower than the WJR program.  The practice sessions offered at Alpine Valley Resort are still the same days and times as the WJR program; only the HS athlete will attend either a Sunday morning practice or a Tuesday night practice.
 
SWATeam began this program for the HS student because come January of each year the HS athletes will be competing in HS race events each week and some found they did not have enough time for school work - which always come before training! 
 
#3 - USSA PROGRAM 
USSA program is available for racers wishing to pursue competition on a Regional and National level.  SWATeam coaches will provide all training sessions as described in the WJR program PLUS and additional weekly session if needed and as determined by the coach.  This programs fee is higher than the WJR and HS program. 
 
S.W.AT. is part of Region 2 in the Central Division of USSA. S.W.AT. will provide supervised training and race day supervision at 3 - 4 events (TBA) during the ski season. USSA races (see USSA race schedule) run multiple days; require considerable travel and expenses not covered in the application fee.  You must be a member of USSA and also register in the Region 2 program.  If you are considering USSA racing, please contact us for more information.
 
 
FAQ’s
 
S.W.A.Team Racing Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ section is geared towards new S.W.A.Team members and potential new members.

What is S.W.A.T.?
S.W.A.T is a recreational competition junior ski race club. We have programs for competitive athletes from age 6 - 18.

How does S.W.A.T. differ from ski school?
S.W.A.T. is not in the business of teaching your child how to ski. We take proficient skiers and help them reach their full potential as competitive athletes. If your child has outgrown ski school and has expressed an interest in competing, you’ve come to the right place.

How do I enroll my child in S.W.A.T.?
Open enrollment takes place each fall, usually starting in September/October. All enrollment forms are available as PDFs on our website under the Member Info area. However, you cannot directly enroll on-line; complete the form on-line, save the form on your computer, print them, sign forms in the appropriate areas and mail them along with payment to the S.W.A.T. business office:
     S.W.A.Team Racing
     W327 S8068 Oak Tree Dr.
     Mukwonago, WI   53149

Which program is right for my child?
This is difficult for us to answer. Only you know your child well enough to really answer this question. We usually offer three programs. One is the WJR [Wisconsin Junior Racing] program, two is the HS [High School] program and three is the USSA program.  It's best to read the information offered under each program and if you have additional questions please feel free to contact us!
 

What are the prerequisites for enrolling my child in S.W.A.T.?
As mentioned above, your child needs to be a "proficient skier" and comfortable skiing all the runs at Alpine Valley Resort.  The coaches utilize all the runs at Alpine Valley Resort, but most of the training is done on BIG THUNDER run at Alpine Valley.  SWAT's home RACE is held on BIG THUNDER for all classes.  Children should also be old enough and self-sufficient enough to spend the training hours without a parent while on the hill.  From experience, we have generally found the youngest age to be successful in our programs to be 6 or 7 years old.
 
Your child should:
Of course, our coaches spend training times with the athletes, but the coaches are not babysitters.

What time is training?
Saturday and Sunday mornings:  9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
Tuesday evenings: 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
** Coaches expect the athlete to arrive 30 minutes before the start of training so they have enough time to boot up, dress appropriately for the weather and get their gear on. 15 minutes before each practice time is spent outside doing warm-up exercises.  A late athlete is a rushed athlete.  
 
Where are the drop off and meeting locations at each of the ski areas?
SWATeam meets in the Fairview Cafe at Alpine Valley.  This meeting place could vary depending on the public crowds expected or scheduled by Alpine Valley Resort.  Your coach's will notify athletes and parents about alternate meeting places when necessary. 
 
 
Will my child have the same coach all season long?
The same group of coaches and athletes generally stay together for the entire season. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule and occasionally one or more members of a group may be reassigned to better match a group of athletes with similar skill levels. Especially in the entry level programs, we try to group athletes together that are similar in skill level and age.

Are competitions mandatory?
Competition is part of our programs. Athletes are encouraged—but not required—to participate in competitions. Athletes learn new skills and experience different emotions and energy levels on competition days than they do on training days. If your child chooses not to participate in competitions, there will not be training available on those days.

What are the licensing requirements for S.W.A.T.?
S.W.A.T. is a member club of the Wisconsin Junior Race League (WJR) and the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA). If your child chooses to compete at the USSA or higher level, they are required to hold a USSA license. Older athletes may also need an FIS (International Ski Federation or Fédération Internationale de Ski) license to participate in national or international competitions. There is no license requirement to compete at the WJR level.

For USSA applications you need to go online to http://www.ussa.org/and print an application. All forms and payments are made to USSA or USSA Central.  SWATeam will not make out forms for you.  Athletes that will not race in a scored USSA race (J4 and under) will need a youth license. Athletes skiing in scored USSA races (J3 and over) will need a competitor’s license. You will also need to pay your Region II Division dues.

Does my child need a helmet & goggles?
Absolutely!
USSA rules state:  Helmets designed and manufactured for the particular discipline of ski racing [slalom or giant slalom] being contested are requred for all competitors and forerunners in all USSA events and offical training.  Helmets must bear a DC mark and conform to regognized and appropriate standars such as:  CEH.Din1077, ASTM F2040, SNELL S98 or RS 98.  Helmets MUST cover the head and ears.  Protective features integral to the discipline being contested, such as, chin guards on slalom helmets are permitted.  Your athletes helmet must be a complete "hard shell" product that covers the athletes ears. SWATeam Racing & WJR must follow USSA rules. The helmet must cover the head and ears.  We also recommend the helmet be worn during 'free-skiing' time.
NO helmets with spoilers or deges that stick out.
NO bicycle helmets.
NO 'partial hard shell' which is a hard shell over the head, but consists of 'soft materials' over and around the ears.
NO "Free-Ride" helmets.  
A good fitting helmet manufactured specifically for skiing is MANDATORY for all S.W.A.T. training and free skiing.
 
GOGGLES:  TWO pair of goggles are recommended for your athlete incase during practice or competition one of them is not functioning well.  The goggles need to fit inside the 'face frame' of your athletes helmet.  It is best to have the helmet along when purchasing goggles and for the athlete to try both of them on to assure a proper fit.  The goggles should have 'interchangeable' lenses - a lens for sunny days and clear for night skiing or something suitable that they are comfortable skiing with.
It is the sole responsibility of the competitor, parent[s] or guardian[s] of the competitor to select an appropriate helmet for accident protection in ski racing.  USSA, SWATeam Racing, Inc. & Wisconsin Junior Racing, Inc does not specify, nor recommend, nor make any warranties as to the fitness for use of any particular ski helmet design or brand name.  USSA, SWATeam Racing, Inc. & Wisconsin Junior Racing, Inc. undertakes no responsibility, liability or duties to any competitor in connections with the requirement that helmets be utilized.  
 
Seek the guidance and assistance on purchasing a helmet from a ski shop of your choice.   


Thank you for your intrest in SWATeam Racing.  We hope you give us the opportunity to ski, train and race with your children.