As temperatures drop, the girls’ ski team picks up the pace. While most students are preparing for winter break, the ski team uses December to prepare for their upcoming season.
However, there is one barrier to the team’s readiness: the snow. The skiers aren’t able to begin on-snow training as Mount Southington’s slopes are still green.
Regardless, the team finds different ways to stay in shape starting in November, up until races start in January. Coach Rebecca Anderson-Furlong, with the help of Captains Piper Grove ’26, Alexis Robinson ’26, Abby Kane ’26 and Ella Manchester ’26, will lead the team this season.
“For us, preseason starts with captains practice for about two weeks where we do team bonding,” Grove said. “Then we have dryland in December.”
Captains work to lift spirits during preseason by including activities like soccer, kickball and football in their schedules. Everyone is still able to stay active and connected despite the lack of snow so far.
“The energy has been high and people are really excited to get on the snow and start skiing once Southington opens,” Robinson said.
Much of the excitement surrounding ski season comes from the tight-knit environment that the captains foster in early winter. Throughout preseason, the team is able to get stronger together while also becoming more unified.
“The captains have been helpful with preparing our team for the season by not only leading practices and workouts, but also by facilitating team bonding activities,” Stella DiGeronimo ’27 said.
This unity translates to the team’s success during time trials and races. Once the team is able to get onto the slopes, their preparation pays off.
“The girls had a successful season last year, placing third in the league and third in the state,” DiGeronimo said. “We would love to see these rankings increase to number one in the state.”
