Jim McClellan, '89, Alpine Racing
Young Jim McClellan's first run down Mouse Run at 6 months old o­n his Dad's back with his Mom and Aunt Kathy skiing shotgun fueled a love of skiing that continues today. Jim started his competitive career cross country skiing in the Bill Koch League and soon decided downhill was the way to go. He was turning heads skiing the moguls under the single chair at Mad River and at the age of 7 he wanted to ski in the Hopeful's at Killington.

The KSC and it's programs opened up many opportunities: summer camp in Oregon and South America, European FIS trips, '83 1st place in the national Equitable Family Ski Championships in the Father-Son and Mother-Son events, record for the most runs down Bear Mt. for the first Skiathon, Chocolate Tobler Series Winter '89, 9th at JI National Downhill, Mt. Bachelor, Dartmouth Carnival Team, NCAA Championships, EISA Team '92, KMS '86 & '88 Skiing and Academic Excellence Award, '87 KMS Skiing Excellence Award.

Jim went to Dartmouth and majored in engineering graduating with a BA, took a year to teach and coach at KMS and went back for a 5th year for his BE. He is working for Wiremold as a manufacturing engineer and going to school nights through RPI, working o­n his Masters.

All his coaches, KMS Faculty and loyal equipment sponsors K2, Nordica, and Swix paved the way for Jim to have a very successful racing and now coaching career. Most of his friends and their families created strong bonds that still continue to support him today in his career, skiing, windsurfing, biking, etc.

To KSC kids Jim says, "All the world Class Skiers started in programs just like the o­nes at KSC. Take advantage of the opportunities. All the coaches have had similar ski racing or freestyle careers. Also, a collegiate ski coach can put you o­n their athletic priority list if you can improve the team. This may give you the edge you need in the admissions office. And if you're nice to Roy, maybe he'll hire you back someday!"

Steve Desovich, '85, Freestyle

Steve "Sid" Desovich began his very successful freestyle skiing career at the age of five. It is rumored that Steve did not like skiing very much in his early years. In order to keep peace between parents and son, Steve and Anita enrolled him in a program for youngsters at Pico, while they went skiing at Killington. During his early teen years, Steve developed into a talented football running back. Over time, however, a passion for mogul skiing also developed. Soon he traded his helmet and pads for mogul skis and enrolled in the Killington Mountain School when he was a sophomore in high school.
While at KMS, Steve became known for his intense approach to training and mogul skiing. Back then, freestyle skiers were expected to compete in all the freestyle disciplines: moguls, aeriels, and ballet. Steve wanted to concentrate all his efforts o­n moguls. Ballet skiing did not interest him. It is said that just before a competition Steve's ballet skis mysteriously disappeared and may have been stolen. His friends were pretty sure the skis found their way into the woods behind the Alpine Training Center and were never seen again.

Now that Steve was free to focus o­n mogul skiing, success came very fast. Steve earned a place o­n the US Freestyle Team in 1984 at the age of 17. He was the National Mogul Champion in 1984 and 1986. In 1988, Steve competed in the Calgary Olympics and finished 5th. Steve's greatest achievement, however, was in 1986 when he was World Cup Mogul Champion. Unfortunately, Steve seriously injured his knee at the 1989 World Championships. While he recovered well, the injury marked a turning point in his career.

In 1990, Steve became the head mogul coach for the Canadian National Freestyle Team. During his nine years as head coach, he brought the Canadian men's team to a position of dominance with the likes of World and Olympic Champion Jean Luke Brassard and others. Currently, Steve is the Australian National Freestyle Team head mogul coach with a contract through the 2002 Olympics. In addition to his national team coaching, Steve is an owner and coach of World Mogul Camp which operates out of Blackcomb during the summer. WMC has just completed it's 11th season and is o­ne of the most successful summer freestyle camps in the world.

While not typical of American skiers, Steve has clearly made a very productive career out of skiing. It is nice to think that KMS and KSC made some early contributions to Steve's success.