| Carrabassett Valley Academy | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| 3197 Carrabassett Drive Carrabassett Valley, Maine, 04947 USA |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Ski Academy |
| Established | 1982 |
| Headmaster | Kate Webber Punderson |
| Student to teacher ratio | 4:1 |
| Color(s) | Green, White |
| Athletics | Skiing, Snowboarding |
| Mascot | Big Dogs |
| Website | www.gocva.com |
Contents |
Carrabassett Valley Academy is a private alpine skiing, snowboard and freestyle academy based in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, at the base of Sugarloaf/USA. Established in 1982, the school has trained and schooled the likes of Olympic competitors Bode Miller, Seth Wescott, Kirsten Clark and Emily Cook. Jeremy Jones, eight-time Snowboard Magazine Big Mountain Rider of the Year, also honed his snowboarding and academic skills at Carrabassett Valley Academy. Since 1982 CVA has produced 11 Olympians, 80 National Titles, 10 X-Games competitors, 19 NCAA and USCSA All-Americans, 28 national team members, and six world champions. The intent and purpose of Carrabassett Valley Academy is to foster individual student development by providing the optimum balance of excellence in athletic training, with a focus on competitive skiing/snowboarding, college preparatory academics, and responsible living. College preparatory academics and world class athletic training combine to produce balanced student-athletes. Programs in alpine ski racing, freestyle moguls and freeride skiing, big mountain riding and skiing, snowboarding, and nordic skiing are available to students from 8th grade to post-graduate.
Carrabassett Valley Academy is the offshoot of the Sugarloaf Regional Ski Educational Foundation (SRSEF), which began operations in 1969 to help racers and freestylers sharpen their skills for competitive skiing. While the tutorial program was successful, members of the SRSEF and others soon became interested in establishing a ski academy at Sugarloaf in order to allow young athletes to stay in the Western Mountains of Maine rather than attend ski academies out of state.
In the winter of 1982-1983, spurred by visionary H. King Cummings and other enthusiastic pioneers, Carrabassett Valley Academy opened its doors for the first time as a five-month, winter-term tutorial program.
CVA's charge was to develop a school for student-athletes based on the Greek ideal of developing equally the body, mind, and spirit. With its initial 15 students, the program was designed to provide young athletes with a high quality college-preparatory academic program while allowing for and emphasizing time on the mountain. The following year CVA relocated to the former Capricorn Lodge as a full-time ski academy and college preparatory program. Since that time, CVA has seen many exciting changes and reached a number of goals and milestones including the first snowboard, big mountain and freeride programs. Following the development of a new campus plan twenty-two acres of land was purchased; a soccer field, 29,000 sq. ft. Antigravity Complex and new residential dormitory have been constructed. Click here for a more detailed CVA historical timeline. [1]
Enrollment/students (as of 1/27/2011[2]
* 99 students * 72% male, 28% female * 57% boarding, 43% day * 37% receive financial aid * Students are from Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois Michigan, Connecticut, Nebraska, Maryland, Florida, Scotland, England, France, New Zealand, Spain, Georgia/Russia, South Korea, Germany, Scotland and Canada.
Faculty
* 14 teaching faculty * 15 coaching faculty * 3:1 student/faculty ratio * average class size 12 students
Notables
* 11 Olympians - 3 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medal * 28 National Team Members * 72 National Titles * 10 X Games competitors - 5 medals * 21 NCAA and USASA All Americans * 6 Times Best Big Mountain Snowboarder of the Year
Campus
* 25 acres * new dormitory opened school year 2007-08 * Antigravity Complex (29,000 sf) with Olympic quality trampoline and weight room, skate park with bowl, full court, climbing wall and aerobics room * Sugarloaf - 2,820-foot vertical drop, the legendary snowfields * Appalachian Trail and miles of biking and running paths.