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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.

Steamboat Springs — Each year, hundreds of skiers make their way through the ranks of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.

Some make a name for themselves by winning big races, others go on to represent our country in the Olympics and a few leave a lasting impression that is passed through generations.

These skiers become a part of the fiber of the club and our community. Their stories may fade throughout the years, but their names and what they stood for live on in the hearts of younger skiers attempting to follow in their footsteps.

Some do.

The annual Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club Awards Ceremony, which took place April 15, is one of my favorite events of the year in Steamboat Springs because it recognizes these people and also recognizes the athletes who are carrying on their values in today's world.

While some clubs, coaches and athletes measure their success in terms of times and results, I enjoy this night because it recognize athletes based on other characteristics. Characteristics such as leadership, dedication and desire. Characteristics that are not always measured with medals and trophies, but that are just as important to the young athletes who are honored and the community they represent.

This year's winners included Mary O'Connell, who earned the Bea Kirby Trophy; Alison Crowe, who earned the Hobart Freestyle Award; Bo Randolph, who pocketed the Stahly Award; and Katherine Ingalls, whose inspirational journey to return to skiing after a horrific biking accident earned her the Charles Abernathy Memorial "True Grit" Award.

Natalie Pearl's efforts helped her win the Skeeter Award, Taylor Fletcher soared to the Henry Hall Cup, David Hoff was the top choice for the Tyler Gooding Award and Peter White won the Mary C. Magill Memorial Ski Meister Award.

Mary Rachel Hostetter and Brett Denney shared the Ned Grant Memorial, Hallie Myhre and Max Sauerbrey shared the Buddy Werner Bronze and Elaina Baughman, Quinn Keefe and Decker Dean each earned a share of the Barrett Burch Memorial Award.

I only needed to meet Ashley Stamp one time for her to make an impression on me that will last a lifetime, and I still remember a young coach by the name of Wilbur Madsen who died much too young.

Obviously Lexie Baden, who was named the winner of the Ashley Stamp Award, and Nicholas Madden, who earned the Wilbur Madsen Memorial, made the same type of impression with the coaches and staff of the Winter Sports Club.

This night also recognized winners such as Spencer Vaughan, who won the snowboarding excellence award; Ian Mallams, who won the cross-country outstanding performance award; Ariel Tredway, who won the snowboarding outstanding performance award; Ryan Dyer, who won the Freestyle Coaches Cup; and Skylar Weir, who was honored with the Snowboard Spirit Award.

It also was a night to honor the coaches who give so much of their time and energy to the club each winter. Jim Barker, Chrissy Lynch, Pete Anderson, Timmy Meagher and Andy Kerrigan all were honored at the ceremony. And where would the club be without the help of Lon and Eileen Allen, who were named the winners of the John Fetcher Honorary Sustaining Member Award? Or without the example set by Rosanne Iverson, who earned the Ritter Memorial Courage Cup?

In all, the club handed out 25 awards and recognized 29 different coaches. Not all of these athletes won races last winter, but they all represent why the Winter Sports Club is so important to our community.