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John Russell

John Russell's sports column appears Sundays in Steamboat Today. Contact him at 871-4209 or e-mail jrussell@SteamboatToday.com.

Too often in high school sports the success of a team is tied to how well it does in the playoffs. State champions are viewed as successful, while those that fall along the way - well, they still have some work to do.

This type of view is narrow-minded and lacks a true understanding and appreciation for what high school sports are about. Sometimes the success of a team has little or nothing to do with its final record.

The Steamboat Springs High School Ski Team is a perfect example. Since it began in the late 1990s, high school skiing has flown under the radar in a town that has produced three Olympic medals and more than 50 Olympians.

Sure, the Sailor skiers have won several individual state titles, but the team never has found its way to the top of the podium.

In high school ski racing, like in college, it's the team with the top overall showing in Alpine slalom and giant slalom events and in cross-country classic and freestyle events that earns top honors. The team with the most points in all four events is crowned champion each February.

Steamboat has made several runs in the past, but its top Alpine and Nordic skiers have never been on the same team at the same time. It's not that Steamboat doesn't produce a large number of very talented skiers in both disciplines. After all, the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club has been doing that for more than 90 years. The problem in Steamboat is that many of our top skiers view the high school team as something to do when they have some free time. Many of them are busy chasing their regional and national goals, or even a shot at the Olympic Games.

But not every skier that walks through the doors of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club is determined to go to the Olympics, and the high school ski team represents a great opportunity to ski competitively without the time commitment or pressures that come with pursuing Olympic dreams.

I honestly don't care if Steamboat Springs ever wins the state team skiing title, because I think the importance of this team reaches beyond winning and losing. The high school ski team is a place where elite skiers can find balance, and newcomers can learn to love the competitive side of skiing. Although some of us might struggle to place this team in a certain class or might want to judge it in terms of state titles, we shouldn't. This team is doing exactly what it should - providing a place where student athletes can share a love of skiing.