By Maddie Lindgren, intern, Vermont State University, Class of 2025

On a radiant Sunday afternoon, the Central Vermont Mt. Ellen and Chittenden Race Team headed to the slopes for a practice session that left everyone enthused and optimistic. Special Olympic skiers and snowboarders from the Central Vermont and Chittenden Delegations train together out of the Vermont Adaptive program facility at Sugarbush Resort’s Mt. Ellen. They gather for 10 Sundays starting in January to practice for the Special Olympics Vermont Statewide Alpine Ski and Snowboard Competition. The team, composed of passionate individuals with a range of abilities, is gearing up for their upcoming race on March 15 at Haystack Mountain at the Hermitage Club in Wilmington, and the anticipation is noticeable.

One of the team’s seasoned skiers from the Chittenden Delegation, Eric Connolly, 35, has been skiing with the Vermont Adaptive-trained team for around eight to nine years. He expressed his enthusiasm for the unique friendships within the group. “My favorite thing about this race team is everyone gets along, and no one judges each other. It’s a lot of fun,” Eric said. “There’s a lot of laughter on the ski team; I have more than 10 friends here.”

The snow-filled mountains of Sugarbush provided the perfect backdrop for the athletes. Vermont Adaptive volunteer instructors and coaches led the training. As everyone geared up for the day, coaches presented their goal for the afternoon – completing five runs through the course. One coach provided a visual demonstration of the blue and red gates everyone would ski through. By using the colored jackets of two athletes, the coach showed the technique of going through the gates. Along with completing five runs, the athletes also were instructed to practice edging skills. The athletes were told edging would help them curve faster turns through the gates and help with their overall skiing ability.

The sun’s warm rays reflected off the snow, creating an idyllic setting for an afternoon filled with camaraderie, laughter and focused training.

Most of the athletes involved with the Central Vermont Mt. Ellen Race Team have been skiing together since they were six or seven years old, some others joined when they were 10 or 11. They have grown up together and have seen each other evolve as athletes and as people.

Ellen Riley, Head of Delegation for Central Vermont and the ski coach for the Central Vermont ski team, has been with Vermont Adaptive since the beginning. Her son Chris, nicknamed Turtle, started skiing with Vermont Adaptive when he was four. “We wanted Chris to ski, so I first brought him up to Vermont Adaptive when he was four,” said Ellen. “A friend who has a daughter eight years older than Chris was skiing with Vermont Adaptive and told us to check it out. So, I went up and they put him on skis, the rest is history as they say.” That was in 2001. Chris is now 26-years-old, has skied every trail on Mt. Ellen, and can be found ripping down the mountain with the team.

Ellen initially shadowed as a Vermont Adaptive assist for Chris when he began learning to ski, but in 2005 when he was seven, she says she “cut the apron strings” and became a full-time volunteer and instructor so she could become closer to the program. She soon became heavily involved with the race team. She is at all the practices, and after helping to set the course, is at the starting gate sending each racer down through the gates.

“I’ve watched them all grow and progress,” Ellen said, “from novice to intermediate and some even now being advanced.”

The newest member of the team, 18-year-old Mathew Pouliot, started with the race team this season. Mathew treasures the experience. “My favorite part about being on the ski team is being able to learn more, and being able to do this and ski,” Mathew said excitedly. “I’ve been skiing with Jeff for the whole season, and he’s been cool. I’ve made a lot of good friends here, especially Jeff.”

Jeff, a Vermont Adaptive instructor and coach, plays a pivotal role in fostering a supportive environment and taking athletes on adventures beyond the usual practice routine. “My favorite memory so far while being here was taking a new lift over to the other side of the mountain,” Mathew recalled.

As the team is nearing the end of preparation for the upcoming competition, the shared passion for skiing and snowboarding binds them together. The supportive atmosphere allows each member to thrive, breaking down barriers and proving that the love for the sport transcends individual differences. “There is so much joy in starting them off, seeing their smiles, getting them psyched, it’s why we do what we do,” Ellen said. “We see the happiness and the joy in the athletes. I do what I do to bring the love and joy of skiing to others.”