Founders of Cochran's Ski Area, 1961

Mickey and Ginny have inspired generations of skiers through their love of skiing, coaching and after-school ski programs.

Click here to hear about the Cochran family.

Gordon Timothy "Mickey" Cochran (1924-1998)

Born in Manchester, NH, Mickey grew up in Massachusetts playing and loving sports. He was drafted in 1943 and served in the Army's 84 th mine detection unit returning three years later. While completing a mechanical engineering degree at the University of Vermont (UVM) he began skiing at Stowe. Upon graduation he took a job in Connecticut with Pratt & Whitney Aircraft but soon returned to UVM to complete a Masters degree in Education. It was there that he also met Ginny Davis in 1948 and married her in 1950. He took a position in Windsor VT at the high school teaching math, chemistry and physics and began coaching baseball and skiing. The family began skiing at Mt. Ascutney while living in Claremont, NH, where Mickey developed the first lollipop races.

In 1960 Mickey moved the family to Richmond, VT. The children were all skiing with the Madonna Mountain Ski Club, but he wanted a location where they could enjoy skiing right outside the back door. He and Ginny founded Cochran's Ski Area in 1961.

A mechanical engineer by training, who worked for GE from 1968-1975, Mickey applied his love for fixing and inventing things to every aspect of the ski area. Mickey coached in many capacities throughout his life from developing dry-land training programs for the local 5-16 year olds and setting up the first Vermont Junior Alpine Camp in 1967 to being named coach of the US Ski Team during the 1973-74 season. Mickey could often be found traveling with young race teams around the region as coach of the girls National Junior Alpine team and as an advisor to the UVM ski team assisting coach Chip Lacasse.

In their book Teach Your Child to Ski , Barbara Ann and Lindy discuss their parent's philosophy. They wrote: "Mom and Dad never said, 'We want you to win this race.'...They concentrated on the skills they wanted up to learn, not on the final results. What they were doing was helping us develop a game plan."

At Cochran's Ski Area, this lesson is perpetuated.

Ginny Cochran

Formerly Virginia Davis of Chelmsford, MA, she and Mickey met skiing at Stowe during college. They married in June 1950. Ginny was also trained as a teacher - she worked in the Claremont NH school system and at Richmond High School. When Cochran's opened Ginny started the after school program for kids with over one third of the local school children attending. Today over 1,000 children participate in this program each year. In 1985, she and Lindy developed the Ski Tots Program in which parents learn how to teach their children to ski. She served on the UVM Hall of Fame Committee from 1979-1982, holds an honorary doctor of law degree from UVM, and, along with Mickey, was inducted into the VARA Hall of Fame in 1996 on the 25 th Anniversary of Cochran's Ski Area.

She continues to play an active role in the management of and program development at Cochran's Ski Area, which in 1998 became the nation's first non-profit ski area.

Marilyn Cochran Brown

The first American woman to win both the World Cup Giant Slalom title (1969) and to medal in the combined at the World Championships in Val Gardena, Italy (1970).

"Be the best that you can be."

Marilyn began racing with the Madonna Mountain Ski Club in 1959, 2 years before the Cochran Ski Area began operations. As the first born of the "Skiing Cochran" siblings she won her first U.S. Junior Championship Title in 1966 in the Slalom event. As a member of the US Ski Team from 1967-1974, her accomplishments include US Giant Slalom Champion in 1968 and 1974, US Slalom Champion in 1972, World Cup Giant Slalom Champion in 1969, World Combined Bronze medalist in 1970 (the first US women to finish on the podium in the combined since it began in 1954). She even won the 1971 French National Championships in the first year that they allowed international entries. Marilyn was named to the 1972 Olympic team and competed in Sapporo, Japan.

Since the end of her competitive career she has coached at the University of Vermont, the University of New Hampshire, Hanover High School, Quechee Ski Club, and of course, Cochran's Ski Area. She has been inducted into the US Ski Hall of Fame, VARA Hall of Fame and UVM Hall of Fame. She is the mother of Douglas and Roger.

Barbara Ann Cochran

Silver medalist in FIS slalom Val Gardena, Italy (1970) followed by Olympic gold in slalom, Sapporo, Japan(1972).

"Believe in yourself. Go after your goals regardless of what others say."

Barbara Ann won her first US Junior Title in 1966 in the Giant Slalom event. She and Marilyn attended the US Alpine Training Camp in 1965-66 and were both named Athlete of the Month in March 1966. As a member of the US Ski Team from 1969-1974, she was the US Women's GS champion in 1969 and 1970 and won the 1971 Slalom Championship. Named to the 1972 Olympic team, she brought home a gold medal in Slalom, as well as having the honor of carrying the US flag in the closing ceremonies.

After retiring from World Cup competition in 1974 she coached at racing camps, on the pro circuit, and at UVM. In 1976 she was inducted into the US Ski Hall of Fame. After living in Washington DC while writing for the Washington Post, she returned home and is currently Director of Skiing at Cochran's and a teacher at Mount Abraham High School. She lives in Starksboro with her two children Caitlin and Ryan.

Bobby Cochran

Holder of six US National Championship titles (1969-1974). The first American man to win a World Cup Giant Slalom and the Hannenkahm Combined (1973).

"God bless rope tows and the Green Mountains of Vermont."

Bobby's winning began a year after his sisters with the 1967 US Junior Giant Slalom title. He also was on the 1968 US Alpine squad and was a member of the US Team until 1974. During his US Ski Team career he won six consecutive US National titles, 9 total. He too was an Olympian on the 1972 US Ski Team; finishing eighth, he was the top American in the Downhill. In 1973, he captured first World Cup GS by American man in 1973, was the first US skier to win the Hannenkahm Combined, and won an NCAA All American title in Downhill.

After the US Ski Team he raced on the US Pro Tour from 1975-1977 placing third overall during the 1976 season. He currently works in as a Family Practice physician in Keene, NH with three children, Tommy, Jimmy and Amy. He is notorious for skiing in jeans.

Lindy Cochran Kelley

Top American finisher in Olympic slalom and giant slalom Innsbruck, Austria (1976) and member of the 1974 FIS team. Co-developer of the Cochran's Ski Area instructional program "Ski Tots."

"Skiing is one of the few sports the whole family can enjoy together, no matter what age, from toddlers to grandparents. I will be forever thankful my parents showed me the love of the mountains on a pair of skis."

Lindy's first raced in a lollipop race at Mt. Ascutney in 1957. From that early beginning she began winning Junior races in 1966, taking the Northern Vermont Council Slalom and the Can-Am Junior Championships. In 1968 she won the Senior Alpine US Slalom Championship. She was a member of the US Ski Team from 1970-1978, UVM team 1978-81, US National Slalom Champion in 1973 and GS Champion in 1976, and NCAA All American 1979. Named to the 1976 Olympic team traveling to Innsbruck, Austria, she skied to top American finishes in both the Slalom and Giant Slalom.

When Lindy resigned from the US Ski Team in 1978 it was the first time in more than a decade that no Cochran was on the team. She graduated from UVM in 1982 winning the Broderick Award for outstanding achievement in women's intercollegiate athletics. In 1985, she developed the Ski Tots Program. She is currently coaching JIIIs at Cochran's. She lives in Starksboro with her husband Steve and children Jessica, Timmy and Robby.