U16
Where good gets great. Where great gets unstoppable.
Your 14 or 15-year-old isn't here to mess around anymore. They've been racing for years. They know what a clean line looks like. They know the difference between fast and fast. They want FIS points. They want to see their name climb the rankings. They want to know if college skiing is in their future.
Welcome to U16. This is where LMRT athletes transition from regional competitors to serious contenders on the Eastern circuit. Where training intensity ramps up, where race schedules expand, where every run starts to matter in ways that didn't before.
This is also where it gets real in the best possible way. The athletes are older now—organizing their own gear, taking ownership of their racing careers, showing up ready to work. The friendships run deeper. The rivalries sharpen. The team dinners get louder. The hotel lobbies get crazier.
Some of these athletes will earn FIS points and race in college. Some will chase State Championships and personal records. Some will realize after a season that they want to ski recreationally instead of competitively—and that's fine too. Every path counts.
But right now? Right now they're standing in a start house at a mountain three states away, about to attack a course they'll only see twice, racing against the fastest 14-15 year olds in the region.
And they're absolutely ready.
WHAT WE DO
U16 is LMRT's competitive racing program for 14-15 year old athletes ready for Eastern-level competition. Full weekend training, weeknight gates, travel to U16 Series races and beyond.
Training Schedule:
Weekend Sessions: Saturday & Sunday, 7:45 AM - 3:00 PM
Weeknight Gates: Wednesday & Thursday, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM (January onward)
Christmas Camp: Late December in Maine
Speed Camp: January in New York (Super G training)
Early Season Training: Optional December camps in Vermont
We train hard at Liberty Mountain—technical work, tactical refinement, speed development, video analysis. Our coaches set challenging courses that mirror what athletes will see at races. We push. We refine. We get faster.
And then we race. A lot.
WHAT YOUR ATHLETE WILL LEARN
Advanced Race Technique
Carving at speed. Line optimization. Terrain adaptation. How to ski different snow conditions, different pitches, different course sets. This is where the technical work from U12 and U14 pays off—and where athletes start to understand what "race-ready" actually means.
U16 Series Competition
Seven statewide races against the best U16 athletes in Pennsylvania. GS, Slalom, and Super G. Points. Rankings. State Team selection. Learning how to perform when it counts.
FIS Racing Pathway
Introduction to FIS (Fédération Internationale de Ski) points system and what it takes to compete at the international level. Optional FIS race opportunities for qualified athletes.
Mental Game
Managing pre-race nerves. Recovering from mistakes mid-run. Staying focused under pressure. Learning how to want it badly enough to push through when it's hard.
Race Strategy & Course Management
Advanced inspection skills. Pacing strategies. How to adapt tactics between runs. Understanding what separates a good first run from a great second run.
Leadership & Team Culture
What it means to be a veteran on the team. How to mentor younger athletes. How to lead by example. This is where athletes start giving back to the program that got them here.
Who This is For
U16 is perfect for athletes who:
Are 14-15 years old
Have significant racing experience (typically 3+ years)
Can make dynamic, high-speed parallel turns on expert terrain (Upper Ultra and beyond)
Are ready for serious training commitment (weekend + weeknights + camps)
Want to compete at the U16 Series level (GS, SL, Super G)
Are considering FIS racing and/or college skiing pathways
Have families ready to support extensive travel and time commitment
Minimum skiing requirement: Expert-level skiing with ability to make high-speed dynamic turns on Liberty's most challenging terrain. Strong technical foundation required.
Racing experience required. U16 athletes should have multiple seasons of USSA racing experience.
THE REALITY OF U16
U16 is where racing gets serious. It's also where the pressure can get real—FIS points, Series rankings, college conversations starting to surface. Here's what we want you to know:
Your athlete's podium is still theirs to define. Yes, we're training for the Series. Yes, we're chasing State Team spots. Yes, FIS points matter if college skiing is the goal. But we're also coaching humans who are 14 and 15 years old, figuring out who they are, learning how to handle pressure, and discovering what they actually want from this sport.
The athlete who earns their first FIS points? Podium.
The athlete who cuts 3 seconds off their GS time? Podium.
The athlete who decides after this season they want to ski recreationally instead? Also a podium—they figured out what they want.
We're coaching athletes to be fast. We're also coaching them to be thoughtful about why they're doing this. Both matter.
Time Commitment
Training:
Weekend sessions (Sat & Sun), January-March
Weeknight gates (Wed & Thurs, January-March)
Christmas camp in Maine (late December)
Speed camp in New York (January, Super G training)
Early season training camps in Vermont (optional but strongly recommended)
Dryland training (fall, optional)
Races:
7 U16 Series races (GS, SL, Super G - statewide travel required)
Optional FIS races for qualified athletes
Potential qualification for Eastern Regional Championships (March, invitational)
Travel to mountains across Pennsylvania and beyond
This is a significant commitment. More training hours. More travel. Higher expectations. But it's also where athletes see the payoff from years of work—and where the path to college skiing starts to come into focus.
RACE SCHEDULE & STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
U16 athletes compete in the U16 Series—seven statewide races throughout the season in Giant Slalom, Slalom, and Super G. These races determine State Team selection and eligibility for Eastern Regional Championships.
How It Works:
Athletes earn points based on performance across all seven Series races
Top performers are selected to the Pennsylvania U16 State Team
State Team members qualify for Eastern Regional Championships (typically held in Vermont or New Hampshire in March)
LMRT's Track Record:
We consistently place multiple U16 athletes on the Pennsylvania State Team. We expect our athletes to compete for State Team spots—and we train them accordingly.
WHERE THEY GO FROM HERE
After U16, athletes move into our U18 program at age 16—where FIS racing intensifies, college recruiting conversations begin in earnest, and the pathway forward becomes clearer.
Some athletes race both years of U16 (ages 14 and 15) and continue pushing toward U18 and U21. Some decide after U16 that competitive racing has run its course—and transition to recreational skiing or other pursuits. All of it is success.
We're not rushing anyone. We're building athletes who know how to work, who understand commitment, and who have the skills to compete at whatever level they choose.
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: $1,025 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
