For the first time in many years, Hastings High School will be offering students the opportunity to participate in a scholastic ski team. The Hastings Board of Education has approved a Hastings Ski Team pilot program for the upcoming 2 winter seasons through Section 1 Athletics, making it an official team offered through the school the same as Basketball or Soccer is. The ski team will compete with Ardsley as a joint team in the Section 1 Skiing South League against teams from schools including Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, another joint team between Bronxville and New Rochelle, as well as other teams from the Westchester and Rockland County area. Before the team can become an official sport offered through the school, the Athletic Department agreed to begin with a two year pilot program that will be used to gather information on whether Hastings will officially have a Hastings Ski Team during the 2025-2026 school year.
Even with the program beginning on short notice, 24 Hastings student-athletes showed interest in joining the team, far more than anticipated by the athletics department. This is a good sign, as it shows that there is a lot of interest in the sport and potential for it to grow into a fully fledged scholastic team in the upcoming years. Students who have joined the team are excited to participate and have the opportunity to improve their skiing skills while enjoying the comradery aspect of the school team bringing friends together.
For this two year pilot program, Ardsley has kindly offered Hastings students their coaching staff, as well as some of their transportation to events. However, more Hastings students showed interest in the skiing program than expected, and it has exceeded the capacity for Ardsley to be able to accommodate in their transportation services, so most athletes will have to provide their own transportation to the mountain. The team plans to practice two times per week at local mountain Thunder Ridge located in Patterson, New York, and hopes to compete in at least two ski races before the end of the winter sports season at larger mountains further north.
This is a great opportunity for many student-athletes who already enjoy skiing and want to be able to ski competitively while representing their school, as well as making the sport more accessible and easier to enjoy for those who may not already ski. With the amount of interest shown this first year for the two year pilot skiing program, it is likely that this team will only grow and continue to attract more students in the future years.
