HISTORY

NYSEF began to take shape in the late 1960s when ski areas across New York State saw an increase in young athletes’ desire to engage in competitive racing. Rising costs for individualized training left top skiers facing a difficult choice: leave the sport or leave the area to train elsewhere.

In 1973, Bruce Colon, then the Alpine Skiing Program Director for Northwood School, reached out to Faris Taylor, a former Chair of the New York State Ski Racing Association (NYSSRA) with an idea - to create a new kind of ski education program for aspiring alpine racers. Faris knew exactly who to contact to help, Senator Larry Lane. With both Faris and Larry’s support, Bruce presented his plan at the Environmental Conservation Meeting in Albany to the Northwood Head of School, Board Members of NYSSRA, and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), among others.

After the presentation, Bruce got the go-ahead for $160,000 to start the Whiteface Alpine Training Center. A Director was hired to be the liaison to the DEC/State, and three dedicated coaches built a small training center at the base of Whiteface.

Knowing the funding would not last, Bruce, Faris, and NYSRRA board member, Dick Denninger, began the process to create a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Through the support of the New York State Ski Racing Association, a small cabin constructed at Whiteface Mountain Ski Area in Wilmington became the headquarters of the newly established Whiteface Alpine Training Center, which would later become the New York Ski Educational Foundation. NYSEF had begun.