Snowboard Jasper Free Mountain finished up the season with a dinner for coaches, parents, volunteers and students on April 2. 

Sean MacCarron, one of the lead organizers of the snowboard club, says the team will be losing many students this year, as they age out of the program. He hopes to gain enough interest to hold a coaches course for those students, to bring the team full-circle. That course could happen as early as this month, or in November. 

“A lot of them, this was their last hoorah at snowboarding,” MacCarron said of the students who are turning 18 this year. Many will be moving on to part-time jobs and other commitments.

Snowboard Jasper Free Mountain has grown substantially in its second year of existence, and a bigger and better course is planned for next year. It was originally an eight-week curriculum of core snowboarding skills, but it has grown to 10 weeks for the 2010/11 season, and will further expand to a 12 week program in 2011/12. 

To kick off the season next year, MacCarron said the team will celebrate World Snowboard Day around Dec. 20 with an orientation day to help encourage new members to sign up. 

At the April 2 dinner, MacCarron thanked tireless volunteer Sally Ruttiman for her work. Ruttiman was presented with an honorary coach’s vest to acknowledge all the hours she put in to finish up paper work and other jobs. In accepting the vest, Ruttiman turned the tables back on MacCarron and thanked him for his work in getting the team off the ground. He was greeted with a round of applause from the 40 dinner guests. 

“It was because of Sean that the club did get up and running,” Ruttiman said. 

MacCarron said a great success this year was the coaching and parent involvement. The team was split into two larger groups this year, and MacCarron hopes to attract at least 21 students for next season to be able to support three groups. 

“We just need more kids,” he said.

MacCarron is grateful for the amount of students they had this year, considering the many activities Jasper has to offer youth. 

“There’s so many sports for kids,” he said. 

The goal of Snowboard Jasper Free Mountain is to be heavily involved in the community, with a strong presence. MacCarron said he hopes the coaches will be a large part of their community and be visible to the students off the mountain. He said this provides comfort and security to the parents. Another goal is to provide affordable coaching for youth and their families. All coaches are trained by the Canadian Snowboard Federation. 

More information on Snowboard Jasper Free Mountain can be found online at www.freemountain.org