February 28, 2020 at 12:59 p.m.
Springers to represent RHS/NP ski team in national events
Springers to represent RHS/NP ski team in national events
Ty Springer is representing Team Wisconsin this week in the Eastern High School Championships in New Hampshire while Tommie Jo, his younger sister, is taking part in the US Ski & Snowboard Associations U16 Rocky/Central Championships in Colorado.
Ty Springer, a junior, made Team Wisconsin by virtue of his performance at the WIARA state championships. The WIARA takes the top six finishers in giant slalom and the top six finishers in slalom not already on the team. Springer crashed out in giant slalom but was seventh overall in slalom and fifth among skiers who had not already qualified.
Springer becomes the first Rhinelander/Northland Pines skier to make Team Wisconsin since Grant Olson, the son of RHS/NP Alpine ski coach Rod Olson, did in 2010.
"It's a great trip for Ty and a lot of fun because he's going with competitors to make up a team from Wisconsin. It's great competition," coach Olson said.
Using those metrics, Tommie Jo Springer also qualified for the Eastern High School Championship team as well. She finished third in giant slalom and fifth in slalom at state en route to a runner-up finish overall. However the competition, which runs March 4-7 in Franconia, N.H., conflicts with the Rocky/Central Championships, which runs March 2-7 in Golden Park, Colo.
Tommie Jo Springer was one of 47 qualifiers from the Central Division for the event by virtue of performances during U.S. Ski-sanctioned races over the last year.
"For her, at this age, it's a bigger deal than the high school nationals. She's only got these few years to make that, so she's doing that out in Winter Park," Rod Olson said. "To have two of them qualify and, both with what Tommie's doing at her national and Ty at his, very awesome season."
Olson said for both Springers, the trips will provide opportunities to challenge themselves on longer race courses that are typically available in the Midwest, simply because of the more mountainous terrain.
"They're going to more than double their gate count in every event," he said. "When Grant went (to the Eastern High School Championship), the pitch of the hill was actually less than what we race around here, but when you go a mile an a half and have 60 gates in GS, the speed that just keeps compounding is incredible. It's a thrill to race out on those bigger hills.
"Wisconsin always tends to have a tough team and we tend to shine in slalom. I think that's because your requirements for FIS for length of slalom is pretty similar here in the Midwest as it is out East, whereas the giant slalom is much longer. In the Midwest, we're not able to duplicate that."
Olson said the postseason trips highlight strong seasons for both, and the RHS/NP program as a whole.
"We hoped for better with individual placements (at state), but I think a grueling season and I think we were a little tired. We had a full week of racing and training leading up to that. Next year, they'll be able to up their state placements," he said.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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