KILLINGTON—Martin Wilson is the new Alpine coach at Killington Mountain School.
Wilson, originally of Thunder Bay, Ontario, has more than 20 years of international experience. He comes to KMS most recently from the National Ski Academy in Canada, where he held the role of head men’s coach. Prior to that role, he also served as the women’s and postgraduate coach at Stratton Mountain School. While at Stratton he was also part of the residential life program, helping oversee the holistic experience of the school’s student-athletes.
Wilson’s diverse background includes coaching NCAA skiing and tennis at Bowdoin College and working at a Maine-based, private post-graduate program called Alpine Racing Elite. These past roles combine to allow Wilson to bring a great deal of perspective and valuable insight to his role at KMS.
Athletic Director Gar Trayner spoke of the addition of Wilson, “We are thrilled to welcome Martin to our coaching team. Martin’s global experience and perspective will be a great addition to our community and a great benefit to our athletes.”
When asked about his new position, Wilson said, “I’m excited to be joining the strong and established staff of KMS. It feels quite comfortable here; our common core values of creating well-rounded, confident and well-prepared humans mesh well together. I love this sport; I love both its challenges and its rewards, and it is clear to me that KMS embraces it all.”
Alpine Program Director Tom Sell said the addition of Wilson is an important step to the progress of the women’s program.
“His passion for sport is contagious, and through his broad experiences he has developed a great understanding of the needs of our athletes,” Sell said. “Combined with our already excellent staff and the fantastic training opportunities we have at Killington, we are able to offer our athletes a truly world-class experience.”
Sell continued, “Martin brings a great perspective to the program, matching closely with the KMS ethos of developing each athlete as a whole person, preparing them for the challenges that lie ahead both on the slopes and in life.”
It was several years ago that Head of School Tao Smith resolved to bring focus and attention to what it is to experience life at a ski academy as a female athlete. KMS launched an initiative titled Ski Academy Life for Girls. The decision to view the elite athletic academy experience through the lens of young women has led to the creation of important programs at KMS like the Women’s Initiative, a group of faculty and students who facilitate everything from the hosting of external speakers that address the experience of young women in high-level athletics and in communities like KMS, to the the organization of movie nights, pizza dinners, outings for ice cream, clothing drives, and holiday gift exchanges. The initiative has also led to the creation of a girls’ lounge at the school and has helped increase enrollment of young women in the program. The addition of a coach with Wilson’s skill and experience is a continuation of this ongoing initiative. Wilson will work in conjunction with the coaching staff and faculty to take both a global and individualized view of the entire KMS experience for all the athletes with whom he works.
Wilson spent two days on campus this May, where he met with faculty members, participated in coaches meetings, and spent time getting to know the athletes with whom he will be working. U19 Alpine athlete Izzy Jenne reflected on this experience: “Martin was really easy to have a conversation with, and I loved that he talked about how he wants to develop not just great athletes, but also strong women. He told us that he is very honest when coaching and he believes in hard work, so I know we’re all going to be pushed this season. I’m really looking forward to working with him.”
Photo submitted
Martin Wilson
