Ski Racing Publisher Among USSA Honorees

PARK CITY, Utah (May 19) - Gary Black (Sun Valley, ID), who has dedicated 25 years of his life to the sport of ski racing, was awarded the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) Julius Blegen award. The Blegen award is presented annually to a USSA member who contributed outstanding service to the sports of skiing or snowboarding in the United States. It is the organization's highest volunteer award.

As the publisher of Ski Racing Magazine, an active U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation Trustee, a FIS committee member, a local club supporter, athlete and athlete parent, Black has always set aside his own interest to ensure the success of athletes and the sport.

"I was both surprised and very honored to receive the Blegen award. It was something that I was aware of but never thought it would come my way," Black said. "I feel honored and really quite stunned at the fact that the Blegen winners would even consider me for this award. It really is a surprise and I would not have believed it. Now that I have it, I'll just have to work harder."

A Maryland native who grew up with a passion for skiing, he blended his personal love for the sport with business in 1984 when he purchased Ski Racing Magazine. He grew the magazine to become the most widely respected journal in the sport worldwide.

Black was also honored by the USSA as the 2003 recipient of the John Clair Award for service to the U.S. Ski Team and the 2005 Russell Wilder Award for contribution to youth. In addition to serving on the FIS PR & Mass Media Committee since 1988, he also sits on the FIS Alpine World Cup Subcommittee.

In 1997 he was named a trustee of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation where his service has included financial generosity and, even more, a guiding light for fellow trustees in helping them understand the sport.

Today, Black is enjoying the fruits of his labor as he watches his young daughter climb the ranks as a racer in the Sun Valley Ski Educational Foundation program.

Cook Honored for Sportsmanship
The U.S. Freestyle Ski Team's Emily Cook (Belmont, MA) was the recipient of the 2008 USSA Buddy Werner Award as the outstanding competitor who demonstrated leadership and good sportsmanship in national and international competition.

This season again proved challenging for Cook, as she was coming back from a chronic back injury. Despite these issues, minor in comparison to her 2002 season, Cook won her first World Cup in downtown Moscow on a venue built entirely out of scaffolding and in extremely challenging conditions. Her results also included three other top 10's.

Cook is the unofficial team captain as the undisputed veteran, always helping the athletes and staff both on and off the hill. She supports her teammates in all aspects, cheering them on, advising them and reassuring them when they have doubts. Called "mother-hen" by the rest of the U.S. squad, Cook is always willing to go the extra mile.

Mendes Honored for Work With Youth
A member of the U.S. Ski Team for over a decade, Jonna Mendes (South Lake Tahoe, CA) was the recipient of the 2008 USSA Russell Wilder Award, presented annually to recognize outstanding effort in focusing the interests of American youth on the sports of skiing or snowboarding.

Mendes, who won a bronze medal in the 2003 World Ski Championships in St. Moritz, scored many World Cup Points for the USA and skied to numerous National Championship titles, retired from the team in the spring of 2006.

Throughout her athletic career, she always was an ambassador for ski sport and for athletics as a way of life. Since her retirement from the Team, she has enthusiastically engaged with the National Development System providing leadership to young racers and coaching expertise at many events including the Beaver Creek Junior Speed Camp and the June NDS Fundamentals Camp.

Mendes' commitment to the young racers is outstanding. She has set the stage for the model of participation USSA sees from alumni.

Aspen Club Honored
The Aspen Valley Ski Club, under the direction of Jeff Kai was honored with the 2008 USSA Paul Bacon Award, given annually for the greatest contribution in the field of race organization. AVSC has been a host for USSA competitions for many decades. Under the direction of Kai, the AVSC alpine department has aggressively picked up USSA Junior Olympic events. In the spring of 2007 discussion began between USSA and the AVSC regarding hosting the USSA Junior 2 Olympics, which offers four FIS events for each gender in all of the disciplines. The event in March, 2008 was a blockbuster and will be hosted at Aspen again in March, 2009.

Freestyle Official Simson Recognized
Jay Simson (Niskayuna, NY) was honored with the 2008 USSA Bud and Mary Little Award for his significant contributions to USSA through a long-term involvement in the FIS or Olympic sports communities, internationally or nationally.

A longtime USSA and FIS volunteer, Simson provides the leadership and knowledge necessary in freestyle to have the rules keep pace with the development of the sport. He has helped the degree of difficulty chart for moguls and aerial skiing evolve while embracing the newer disciplines of halfpipe and ski cross. Simson loves the sport of freestyle and continuously strives to make the judging system better - not just in the United States but also in the world by attending every FIS and USSA meetings while always bringing helpful ideas to the table.

Late Paul Robbins Acknowledged for Service
The late Paul Robbins, a phenomenal writer who dedicated 30 years of his life to documenting the history of the accomplishments of USSA athletes, was the recipient of the 2008 USSA John J. Clair Jr. Award for outstanding service that benefits the U.S. Ski or Snowboard Teams.

Robbins passed away unexpectedly this February. From the moment he was introduced to the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team in 1978, Robbins became not just a devoted journalist but also a friend of the sport. His prose would trumpet the success of U.S. athletes and his humor would break up the tears of that medal that was just missed.

Slattery Receives Westhaven Award
The 2008 Westhaven Award, which is given annually to recognize an outstanding USSA/ FIS technical delegate, was presented to Bill Slattery (Buffalo Grove, IL) for his service in the sport over the years. Slattery has served as a volunteer committee leader and technical delegate over the span of four decades. His leadership as a technical delegate has had a profound impact on the sport through his outreach to aspiring officials.

Alpine Masters Honored
The 2008 Al Sise Outstanding Masters Award, which is given to female and male alpine masters racers based on results at the annual USSA Masters National Championships, was presented to Matt Savage (Reno, NV) and Carolyn Beckedorff (Wellesley, MA).

The USSA National Alpine Masters Committee makes the selections for the award, which in honor of Al Sise, the acknowledged father of alpine masters racing, having raced in nearly 1,000 races over his 60-year life span.

Intermountain Official Recognized
Steve Schowengerdt (Ketchum, ID) was honored with the 2008 West Family Award, which recognizes an outstanding USSA certified alpine official for dedication to the sport. Schowengerdt is a longtime USSA Intermountain Division official.

Dr. Steadman Receives First Sosman Award
Dr. Richard Steadman (Vail, CO) was the recipient of the inaugural USSA J. Leland Sosman Award, which is presented to a member of the USSA Physicians' Pool who has made great contributions as a volunteer medical provider. Steadman has headed the USSA's renowned volunteer physicians' program over 30 years.

In 1976, he was named chief physician for the U.S. Ski Team and helped develop surgical and rehab techniques which allowed many of the world's top skiers - including Phil and Steve Mahre, Tommy Moe, and Picabo Street - to resume their careers after major knee injuries. In 1989, his work was recognized with his election to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame.

One of the key accomplishments in his role with the Team was providing early direction in the little known area of sport science and sports medicine. Today, the USSA's $1.4 million sport science program is considered the best in the world within the sport and one of the most important factors in the recent success of U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding athletes.

The award, which is named in honor of the late Dr. J. Leland Sosman, was presented to Steadman in a ceremony in Park City in April.