Alpine Coaches

Dan (Stripper) was a member of the U.S. Ski Team from 1980-87 having competed in World Cup from 1984-87.

He began his coaching career in Lake Placid at NYSEF (New York Ski Education Foundation) where he was the Head J3 Coach and the Head Women’s Coach.

From 1998-2000 Dan was a Coach with the U.S. Ski Team working with the Women’s World Cup SL/GS Team. Beginning in 2001 and through the 2005 season, he was the Head Coach of Team Koznick on the World Cup.

Since his employment at Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, Dan has led the Women's Team to become the strongest women's team in the Rocky Mt. Division, having won the Surefoot Colorado Ski Cup series for several years. He has sent three athletes to the USST in as many years.

He has led numerous Divisional, Regional and NDS camps and projects and sits on the RMD Ability Class Subcommittee, providing leadership and direction in many aspects of the sport.

Dan has two children; Jessica and Tyler.

Rob's was most recently the Head Alpine Coach of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC) for two years, Rob was a U. S. Ski Team Regional Coach from 2006-2009. As an athlete he was both an Alpine and Nordic competitor over 15 years as a member of SSWSC, followed by a career as an amateur and professional bike racer competing in 9 nationals and 1 world championship. Rob began his Alpine Coaching career 24 years ago at the Estes Park Ski Team. He returned to coach in various positions at SSWSC from 1989-1999 including serving as Assistant Women's Ability Coach and Head Men's Ability Coach. In 1999 he assumed the position of Alpine Program Director for Team Summit where he remained until 2004 transferring to a similar position at the IMG Crested Butte Academy.

Rob achieved his National Coaches' Certification at the USSA National Coaches' Academy in May of 2000 graduating first in his class. He also holds the USA Weightlifting Club Coach Certification, ASEP Coaching Young Athletes Certification, Advanced First Aid Certification and the Colorado High School Coaching Association Certification.

Rika was born in Germany, and lived and ski raced there until the age of 15. Her family moved to the United States and Colorado Springs where she continued her ski racing in the Rocky Mt. Division.

Rika raced for CU while earning a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Excercise Physiology and German Language. She is bilingual, speaking English and German.

Between 1979 and 1990 Rika taught skiing in Europe, raced Pro, Rep'd skis, and coached Masters racing in Colorado.

Rika is PSIA and USSA State coach certified, and holds several USSA Officials certifications.

When she is not on the hill with our youngsters, Rika enjoys horses, running and traveling the world.

Scott (“Scoot”) Meyers, SSCV’s Head Men’s Ability coach from 1990-1994, returns to SSCV and brings 28 years of Alpine coaching experience to our staff. He is USSA Level 3 certified and has experience coaching all levels and ages of athletes. In addition to his previous duties at SSCV, Scott was Head Coach for the New Zealand National team at the 2002 Olympics and has also served as Head Alpine Coach at WIN Alpine in Michigan and Western State College in Gunnison, CO where he was responsible for all aspects of the Alpine programs. He has coached numerous US Ski Team projects, regional and divisional projects.

Scott graduated from Northern Michigan University with a B.S. in Recreation and Recreation Management, is a Certified Trainer with the American Sport Academy and Certified Massage Therapist with the Heartwood Institute.

Sara has a long history with SSCV beginning in 1982 when she was the Women’s Nor Am Coach working with the club’s top women racers. From 1983-86 she was the Head J2 Coach for both men and women before leaving for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club where she held the same position until 1991. From 1991-94 Sara was the Head Women’s Coach at SSWSC where she also served as the Director of Recruiting for the newly implemented Ski Racing Program at the Lowell Whiteman School. From 1994- 2009 Sara worked with a number of athletes as a private coach in Vail and Park City. Last year, she returned to the SSCV Alpine staff full time as Assistant J3 coach. For the last 25 years, Sara has also been the Director and Head Coach of Sports Club International, Inc., conducting summer training camps in New Zealand, Sunday River, Whistler, Saas Fe, Mt. Hood, Valle Nevado, Pitztal, Copper Mountain and Vail/Beaver Creek.

As a student/athlete, Sara was in the first graduating class of Stratton Mountain School and went on to compete for Middlebury College where she graduated with a B.S. in Art History. She was a four-time All American and Middlebury College’s Athlete of the Year in 3 of those years. She was also recognized as Ski Racing’s Collegiate Skier of the Year in 1979. From 1980-82 she raced on the Women’s Professional Ski Racing Tour. Today, Sara continues to serve Middlebury as an alumni interviewer for prospective students from the area.

Sara holds the highest level of coaches’ certification from USSA as an International Level 4 Coach. She has also served as an examiner for Levels 1-3 at the National Coaches’ Academy. Sara has participated as an US Ski Team Associate Coach at numerous World Cup, Europa Cup, World Junior Championships, Topolino and Whistler Cup projects, as well as, at all levels of National competitions.