Giants Ridge’s Alpine D-Team is a weekly ski racing development program for athletes ages 6–18. The “D” stands for Development—our coaching staff focuses on building well-rounded, all-mountain skiers while introducing the fundamentals of alpine racing.

Participants work on technical skiing, speed, and control, applying these skills to the racecourse in a supportive, team-focused environment. By joining the D-Team, athletes also gain access to compete in the Northland Junior Race Series (NJRS), giving them the opportunity to experience real race events and track their progress throughout the season.

Note: Skiers must be able to ride the Helsinki chairlift independently. This is not a program for first-time skiers.

Our coaches are very goal oriented and place a lot of emphasis on the following areas of athlete development:
The fundamental and technical aspects of alpine skiing provide a solid platform as the elements of racing are introduced and refined
Safety awareness and slope-side courtesy
Physical and mental preparation, discipline and conditioning
Good sportsmanship, fair play, and respect for teammates and competitors

~Practice Times: Saturdays from 1pm-3pm, on the dates below:
November 13: Informational meeting for all new, returning, and prospective D-Team athletes will be held at 6:00 PM in the Giants Ridge Main Chalet, 2nd Floor Great Room.
o December 5(Try it Day) – Ski with coaches
o December 12
o December 19
o January 2 ~enrollment cut-off date
o January 9
o January 23
o January 30
o February 6
o February 20
o February 27
o March 6 (End of season Pizza Party following practice)
o March ? -NJRS Championships is at -Area TBD
o No Practice Holidays (Dec 26, Jan 16, Feb 13)
Once Registration is complete, a Parent Handbook and Team Reach code will be sent out.

To register: click on December 12th on the calendar. This registration date is for ALL practice dates. If you are registering athletes after December 13th, please call us to register at 218-865-8017.