U12
The real deal starts here.
Your 10 or 11-year-old can rip expert terrain without a second thought. They've either raced before or they're hungry to start. They want competition. They want to see how they stack up against kids from other mountains. They want to find out what they're capable of.
Welcome to U12. This is where LMRT athletes enter USSA-sanctioned racing—the real deal. Where training sharpens, competition intensifies, and every run counts toward something bigger.
This is also where it gets fun in ways you didn't expect. Carpools to away races. Hotel lobby chaos the night before. Team dinners at whatever pizza place is closest. Parents freezing at 7 AM, cheering like maniacs. Athletes pushing each other harder, celebrating podiums louder, learning that getting back up after a DQ is part of the game.
Some of these kids will stand on actual podiums at State Championships. Some will chase personal bests and season-long improvement. Some will race through high school and beyond. Some will realize after a season that racing's not their thing—and walk away with skills and friendships that'll last forever. Every path counts. Every podium is real.
But right now? Right now they're standing in a start gate at a mountain they've never seen before, about to attack a course they've inspected twice, racing against the best in their age group.
And they're absolutely ready.
WHAT WE DO
U12 is LMRT's entry into USSA-sanctioned competitive racing. Full-weekend training (Saturdays and Sundays) with travel to qualifier races throughout Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region.
Weekend Training Schedule:
Morning Session: 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Lunch Break: 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Afternoon Session: 11:45 AM - 2:30 PM
We train at Liberty Mountain, focusing on technical development in both Giant Slalom and Slalom. Our coaches set challenging courses, provide video feedback, and push athletes to refine their skills every single weekend.
And then we race. A lot.
WHAT YOUR ATHLETE WILL LEARN
Advanced Technique in GS & Slalom
Carving. Line selection. Speed management. How to adjust to different terrain, snow conditions, and course sets. This is where skiing gets technical—and where athletes start to understand what "fast" actually means.
Race Strategy & Tactics
Course inspection. Start procedures. Pacing. How to ski a course you've only seen twice. How to manage nerves. How to rally for the second run even when the first run didn't go your way.
Competition Experience
USSA-sanctioned races. Real results that count toward State Championship qualification. Learning how to perform under pressure. Learning how to handle disappointment. Learning how to celebrate your teammate's success even when your own run didn't go the way you wanted.
Mental Toughness
Bouncing back from DQs. Staying focused when conditions are terrible. Pushing through when you're tired or scared or frustrated. Understanding that racing is as much mental as it is physical.
Team Culture
What it means to represent LMRT at away races. How to cheer for your teammates. How to conduct yourself with respect and integrity in the start gate, on the course, and in the lodge. This stuff matters more than you think.
Who This is For
U12 is perfect for athletes who:
Are 10-11 years old
Can make dynamic, parallel turns on expert terrain (upper Blue Streak and beyond)
Are ready to commit to full weekend training (Sat & Sun) and travel to away races
Want to compete at the USSA level and work toward State Championship qualification
Have families ready to support race travel, early mornings, and team commitment
Minimum skiing requirement: Ability to make controlled, linked parallel turns on Liberty's expert terrain (e.g., Upper Blue Streak). Athletes should be comfortable at speed and ready to learn technical race skills.
Racing experience helpful but not required. We welcome both athletes who've come up through Development Team and strong skiers who are new to racing.
Time Commitment
Training:
Saturdays and Sundays, January through early March
Early-season training camps (optional but recommended)
Holiday camp (late December, highly recommended)
Races:
5 USSS qualifier races throughout the season
Travel required to mountains across Pennsylvania (Roundtop, Whitetail, Liberty, and Tussey)
Top performers may qualify for PARA State Championships (invitational)
This is a significant commitment. More training. More travel. More racing. But it's also where athletes start to see real progress—and where the LMRT community really comes together.
RACE SCHEDULE & STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
U12 athletes compete in USSA-sanctioned qualifier races throughout the season. These races are organized by PARA (Pennsylvania Alpine Racing Association) and determine eligibility for State Championships.
How State Championships Work:
Athletes earn points based on race results
Top performers in each region (Central, Eastern, Northeastern, Western) are invited to compete at the PARA U12 State Championships (aka "U12 Derby")
State Championships are held in late February/early March at a host mountain in Pennsylvania
LMRT's Goal
Whether your athlete stands on the podium at States, finishes mid-pack at their first qualifier, or DQs three times before finally nailing a clean run—they're learning what it takes to compete. They're learning how to want something badly enough to work for it. They're learning how to fail and show up again next weekend.
Not every U12 athlete will qualify for States. Most won't stand on a literal podium this season. And that's not just okay—it's part of the journey. Some of the best racers we've seen started slow. Some of the fastest improvers were mid-pack their first year. Your athlete’s podium this season might not have three steps. It might be cutting 5 seconds off your GS time. Or making your first clean slalom run. Or showing up every single race even when it's hard.
That's the podium that matters most. The rest is just icing.
WHERE THEY GO FROM HERE
After U12, athletes move into our U14 program at age 12, where the competition intensifies, the travel increases, the fun continues, and the pathway toward FIS points and college skiing begins to take shape.
Some athletes race both years of U12 (ages 10 and 11) and continue into U14. Some decide after a season or two that racing isn't their thing, and that's completely fine. All of it is success.
We're not rushing anyone. We're building skiers who love the sport and know how to work for what they want.
The rest will sort itself out.
READY TO START?
Get on our list for tryout notifications, training updates, race highlights, and team news. We'll reach out in mid January with tryout details. Tryouts happen each February/March for the following season. Spots are limited to keep groups small and coaching quality high.
Program Fee: $920 per season
Includes:
Sat/Sun training (Jan - March)
Fall Dryland training
Pre-Season Camp Coaching
Christmas Camp at Liberty
End-of-season picnic
Not Included: Lift tickets/passes, equipment, USSS registration fee, and race fees.
Next Steps:
Fill out the form
Attend a Future Stars Tryout Day in late winter
If accepted, register for the following season
