Frequently Asked Questions

What is it? The Aloha-Southridge ski team is a Metro League ski racing team competing in events sanctioned by the Oregon Interscholastic Ski Racing Association (OISRA) and is part of the OSAA. Teams compete in slalom (SL) and giant slalom (GS) races. Metro League races are held at Timberline Lodge, Mt Hood Ski Bowl, and Mt Hood Meadows, with an occasional race at Cooper Spur and/or Willamette Pass. Skiing is a letter sport in Beaverton district high schools. However, it is not school funded.

What if I’ve never raced before? How good a skier do I have to be? Most of our incoming freshmen are not experienced racers. The majority are intermediate level skiers, but no matter what your skiing ability is, if you have a strong work ethic, we will work with you to improve your skiing skills.

How much does it cost? Since we do not receive school funds, we have to hire coaches, pay league fees, and arrange bus transportation on our own. This runs about $450 per racer, based on a team of roughly 30 racers. We have a pumpkin patch fundraiser in October to partially offset these costs. In years past, this has raised between $150 and $300 per racer. Lift tickets, equipment, and other incidentals are additional.

How much time does it take? The time commitment is similar to other varsity sports. Dryland conditioning begins in early November, Monday thru Thursday evenings from 3:30pm to 5:00pm. We begin skiing as soon as conditions permit, generally around Thanksgiving, and run training camps through December at Mt. Hood. Beginning in January, dryland shifts to a Mon/Tue,Thurs schedule and we take a Raz bus up to the mountain on Wednesday nights to train on-snow. League racing begins on Saturdays in early January and continues thru the end of February. Next year, the state championships will be held in early March at Mt. Hood Meadows, hosted by the Three Rivers League.

Why is it the Aloha-Southridge ski team? For financial reasons it makes sense to have a single team infrastructure. Competitively, the teams will race separately— Aloha as Aloha, Southridge as Southridge.

Are parents involved? Parents are an integral part of this team. Parent involvement extends far beyond simply providing money and dropping the racer off. It is necessary to have parent race workers (gate keepers, course workers, timers, etc.) and officials. Parents are responsible for getting their racer to the mountain on race days. In addition, parents work shifts at the pumpkin patch.