U14
This is where good skiers become great racers.
Your 12 or 13-year-old doesn't need the easy trails anymore. They're skiing the steep stuff, making ice look soft, and they're done warming up. They want to race. Not someday—now.
Welcome to U14. This is where LMRT athletes stop being "pretty good for their age" and start being actually good. Where technique gets dialed in. Where race strategy becomes second nature. Where podiums start feeling less like luck and more like the result of work put in.
This is also where the team thing really clicks. Late-night pasta dinners before race day. Carpools that turn into rolling comedy shows. Parents who've become actual friends, not just people you see at the mountain. Kids pushing each other harder because they know their teammate wants it just as bad as they do.
Some of these athletes will stand on State Championship podiums. Some will be chasing that spot all season and come up just short—and learn more from that than they ever would from an easy win. Some will decide halfway through that racing's not their forever sport, but they'll leave with a work ethic and a crew they'll never forget.
But right now? Right now they're 12 or 13, standing in a start gate with their heart pounding, about to send it down a hill that looked way easier during inspection. And they wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
WHAT WE DO
Let's be real: U14 is where the pressure starts to build. State Championship talk. Ranking lists. Comparing times. Here's what we need you to know: your athlete's podium is still theirs to define.
Yes, we're training for State Championships. Yes, we're chasing qualifications. But we're also coaching 12 and 13-year-olds who are figuring out who they are, learning how to handle pressure, and discovering what they actually want from this sport.
The athlete who qualifies for States? Podium. The athlete who cuts 4 seconds off their time? Podium. The athlete who decides after this season they want to focus on other things? Also a podium—they figured out what matters to them.
All of it counts. All of it matters.
U14 is full-weekend training at Liberty, travel to qualifier races across the region, and the chance to earn an invitation to PARA State Championships.
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 every Saturday and Sunday, January through early March. Gate training in both GS and Slalom. Video review with coaches. Drills that make you better even when you don't realize it's happening. Runs that make you tired in the best way possible.
And then we race. A lot. Because racing is how you get better at racing.
WHAT YOUR ATHLETE WILL LEARN
Technical Precision in GS & Slalom
At U14, the margins get smaller. A half-second advantage comes from edge angle, not just effort. We teach athletes how to carve with intention, how to carry speed through transitions, how to make every turn count. This is where skiing becomes a craft.
Advanced Race Tactics
How to read a tricky course set. How to adjust your line mid-run when conditions change. How to manage your energy across two runs. How to stay aggressive when you're scared and stay patient when you're fired up. Racing is chess on skis, and U14 is where athletes start seeing the board.
Competitive Mindset
How to show up on race day ready to perform. How to handle the pressure of a big start list. How to bounce back from a DQ without letting it wreck your day. How to celebrate your teammate's podium even when you didn't make it yourself. Mental toughness isn't about being fearless—it's about racing hard even when you're terrified.
State Championship Qualification
Every U14 athlete in Pennsylvania is chasing the same thing: an invitation to the PARA State Championships. We teach athletes how to race strategically across a full season, how to peak when it matters, and how to handle the pressure of racing for a spot. Some will make it. Some won't. All of them will grow from trying.
Leadership & Team Culture
U14 athletes are the bridge between the younger groups and the older ability teams. They're learning how to lead by example, how to mentor younger teammates, how to represent LMRT with integrity and pride. This matters as much as their slalom time.
Who This is For
U14 is perfect for athletes who:
Are 12-13 years old
Can make dynamic, carved turns in a narrow corridor on expert terrain
Are ready to commit to full weekend training and significant race travel
Want to compete for PARA State Championship qualification
Have families ready to support a demanding race schedule and team commitment
Minimum skiing requirement: Ability to ski expert terrain (Blue Streak and beyond) with dynamic, parallel turns in a narrow corridor. Athletes should demonstrate balance, edge control, and the ability to maintain speed and line on challenging terrain.
Racing experience required. U14 athletes should have at least one season of USSA racing under their belt (typically through U12 program). New-to-racing athletes 12-13 years old may be considered on a case-by-case basis if skiing ability is exceptional.
Time Commitment
Training:
Saturdays and Sundays, January through early March
Weeknight gates (January onward, strongly recommended)
Early-season training camps (optional but recommended)
Holiday camp (late December, highly recommended)
Races:
8-12 USSA qualifier races throughout the season
Significant travel required—expect weekends at Whitetail, Roundtop, Blue Knob, Seven Springs, and other PA/Mid-Atlantic mountains
Top performers qualify for PARA U14 State Championships (invitational, late February/early March)
Athletes qualifying for States may also be invited to Eastern Regional events (optional)
This is where the commitment gets real. More races. More travel. More early Sunday mornings in hotel parking lots. But it's also where the payoff starts showing up—in results, in confidence, in friendships that last long after the season ends.
RACE SCHEDULE & STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
U14 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 throughout the season
Top performers in each region (Central, Eastern, Northeastern, Western) are invited to compete at the PARA U14 State Championships
State Championships are held in late February/early March at a host mountain in Pennsylvania
LMRT's Goal:
Here's the reality: not every U14 athlete will qualify for States. In fact, most won't. The competition is fierce. The margins are small. And that's not failure—that's the nature of high-level racing.
What matters is the work. The improvement. The learning. The showing up even when it's hard. Whether your athlete makes States or finishes mid-pack all season, they're becoming tougher, smarter, more resilient athletes. That's the real win. And that's what U14 is all about.
WHERE THEY GO FROM HERE
After U14, athletes move into our U16 program at age 14, where the Series competition intensifies, FIS racing enters the picture, college conversations begin, and the pathway forward becomes clearer.
Some athletes race both years of U14 (ages 12 and 13) and continue into U16. 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)
Weeknight Gate Training
Fall Dryland training
Pre-Season Camp Coaching
Christmas Camp at Liberty or in Maine
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
