Future of USSA Snowboarding Ready For Project Gold

Press Release

• May 21 2009
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U.S. Snowboarding Rookie Coach Bud Keene will continue to mold the rider youth of America into the best adult athletes in the world as he spends the next month at two different resorts coaching athletes ages 9-19 in each of the snowboarding disciplines.

All athletes participating in the camps qualified for a spot under Keene’s tutelage through the U.S. Snowboarding Revolution tour overall standings and USASA Nationals results.

“This is a camp we have every year where the most promising junior riders from the U.S. are invited to interact with the U.S. coaching staff and select coaches from across the nation,” Keene said. “It’s a really powerful camp and the atmosphere of friendly one-upsmanship, the relationship with the coaches and the perfect terrain all combine to push the progression.”

Keene who started things off at Mammoth Mountain in CA on May 16 is pushing halfpipers to work on fundamental skills that they can take with them and work on at competitions throughout the season. ”We’re here for progression so that these kids turn around and go to other riding sessions with another trick or two under their belts,” Keene said.

While in Mammoth Keene will also coach a Junior Gold camp for athletes ages 9-14. ”It’s just a younger version of Project Gold with a younger crew and a full-time dedicated staff. We have the time and man power to reach down younger and help these riders with talent earlier on,” Keene said.

From Mammoth, Project Gold moves on to Mt. Hood in OR June 9-19 for separate alpine and snowboardcross camps.

“There is a strong riding group there and they will be pushing each other and it will all make for a lot of growth,” Keene said. “We’re also really excited about the Project Gold SBX camp. It’s tough to get a snowboardcross course and we’ve been successful in securing good tracks at hood. We’re really excited and fortunate to have that.”

For Keene, the most important thing about the Project Gold camp series is giving the athletes the tools they need to succeed and be the future of their sport.

“All of these athletes at these camps get a glimpse of what it’s going to be like in the future and that’s all they need to do is see it and then they’ll do it,” Keene said. “What we’re doing here is formalizing, strengthening and deepening our pipeline.”

Project Gold Schedule:
May 16-23 Project Gold, Mammoth (15-19 year olds)
May 23-30 Project Junior Gold, Mammoth (10-14 year olds)
June 9-15 Project Gold, Mt. Hood for Alpine (15-19 year olds)
June 12-19 Project Gold, Mt. Hood for SBX (15-19 year olds)