New families | Timberline Race Team

FAQS FOR PROSPECTIVE AND NEW FAMILIES

Thank you for considering Timberline Race Team. You may be wondering what the world of ski teams is about or what to expect as a family. This section provides some thoughts from some of our members.

How long does a TRT Race Season run?

The TRT training begins during the winter holiday break, usually the week between Christmas and New Year's and runs through the first week in March culminating with the SARA Championship Races.

What is a typical weekend?

A typical weekend is as follows:

Drive to Davis on Friday afternoon or evening
Up early on Saturday to get kids to the hut (preferably by 7:30 – 7:45 am for 8:00 am practice).
Kids head out to practice. Some parents hang out in the hut and socialize; some head right out to ski; others do their own thing. Parents may shadow their kid’s group as long as it doesn’t disrupt coaching [? Input please, not sure what the policy is]. A few do this especially for development and at the beginning of the season.
At noon, practice ends. Parents generally meet their kids at the hut. (Older kids may be independent or ski with friends.)
Kids have access to race on the NASTAR course, some families head back out to ski together for the afternoon, and others may do other activities or have downtime.
Sunday has the same schedule, then for many of us, the drive back to home on Sunday afternoon.

What can we expect of other families?

A warm, inviting, and collegial group of parents – This has been one of the best aspects of the team! Families spend time together in the hut in mornings, at casual events such as pizza nights, and working together to put on races and to run the team. Parents as well as kids will make new friends.

Will my child learn to ski better or just how to race?

We’ve all seen huge leaps in our kids’ ski abilities. They will learn to ski the mountain in any condition – and to be safe. Even kids who do not like to go fast have benefitted from participation. Time on snow and great coaching make better skiers. That said, the team is not a substitute for lessons. If your child is not yet parallel skiing or cannot get themselves from the hut to the lift, etc., they may be better served with ski school for another year.

What if neither parent skis?

We have several families with non-skiing parents and it seems to work out fine for them. They need to work out with the child about afternoon skiing. The mountain allows kids 8 and up to ride the lift alone. Parents may have their own rules about whether and at what age kids can ski alone without an adult.

What Equipment will my child need to ski with the team?

Please visit our Equipment information page.

What should my child wear to practice?

Please visit our Clothing information page.