Stratton Mountain School

The Stratton Mountain School (SMS), located in Stratton Mountain, VT was started in 1972 as a ski academy for alpine skiers to maximize their skiing and academic potential. In 1977, the nordic program was introduced with Williams College graduate Gary James as the first coach. In 1980, Sverre Caldwell of Putney, VT took over as head coach and continues to direct the program today. The SMS has traditionally been one of the strongest junior nordic programs in the US with over 28 nordic skiers making the U.S. World Junior Team and 18 athletes named to the U.S. National Team. Over the past seven Olympics, 13 SMS alumni have become Nordic Olympians including Vermonters Kristen and Karin Petty, Leslie Thompson, Joe Galanes, Tessa Benoit, and Andrew Newell. Stratton Mountain School started their first postgraduate program in 2013, designed to prepare post collegiate skiers for national and international level competition.