TEAM WELCH D-Team Junior Development Alpine Ski Team
The Welch Village D-Team is a ski development program which provides a junior racing venue to develop the skiing skills of each athlete. The program emphasizes safety, enjoyment, fun, and learning at all times. Any skier can join the Welch Village D-Team as long as they fit the age and ability requirements. The D-Team program is available to skiers ages of 7-17. Age eligibility and racing age group is determined by the athletes age on Sept 1st of the current year.
Please read the "Skiing Ability Requirements for D-Team" section below to determine if D-Team is an appropriate program for your son/daughter.
D-Team is an 11-week program, there are 7 practice dates and 4 race days. All practices and races are held on Saturdays. D-Team athletes race against kids in their same age group only and there are separate girls and boys divisions. Much more information on the program will be discussed at the pre-season parents meeting which is held virtually.
!! Skiing Ability/Experience Requirements for D-Team !!
D-Team is very much a family-friendly, recreational junior race league, that is meant to develop not only racing skills but an all-mountain skiing technique for all kids. With that being said, the program does require some basic ability pre-requisites before registering.
Participants are required to be strong intermediate skiers in order to enroll in the D-Team race program. A strong intermediate skier should be able to ski all blue runs at Welch Village while controlling their speed by making parallel ski turns most of the time. Newer skiers or skiers still using a snow plow most of the time should consider our very popular Carvers program. Carvers is a 6 week ski development program that will prepare skiers for the D-Team program for the following season.
Athletes of all ages will be required to ride the chairlift without an adult at certain times in the D-Team program and coaches will not always ride the lift with the athletes. Kids who are not able to ride the chairlift independently on the first week of practice should not enroll in D-Team. The first two weeks of D-Team are considered a trial period for all first-year D-Team racers. If our coaches and program administrators determine that your son/daughter does not meet our program requirements, they will contact the family and arrange either another lesson program if space is available or possibly a partial credit/refund.*Students who do not meet program requirements may be required to pay added fees in order to process a transfer or a refund. If a skier participates in a D-Team practice or practices, a pro-rated refund or credit transfer will be issued*
Equipment Requirements
All athletes are required to wear helmets & goggles at all times during practices and races. For kids racing in the age 10 group and older, helmet chin bars, pole guards, and shin guards are highly recommended for slalom.
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REGISTRATION IS NOW SOLD OUT AS OF 10/27/25
Program Fee: $725
Includes: 7 practice days and 4 race days
Practice days are available on the below Saturdays listed only. Coaching fee does not include the costs of a Welch Village season pass or lift tickets.
2025-26 Welch Village D-Team Schedule
December 20: Practice 9:30 - 12:30
December 27: Practice 9:30 - 12:30
January 3: Practice 9:30 - 12:30
January 10: RACE @ WILD MOUNTAIN
January 17: Practice 9:30 - 12:30
January 24: RACE @ WELCH VILLAGE
January 31: Practice 9:30 - 12:30
February 7: RACE @ TROLLHAUGEN
February 14: Practice 9:30 - 12:30
February 21: Practice 9:30 - 12:30
February 28: RACE @ MT KATO
Questions about the Alpine D-Team? Contact Head Coach Christine O'Brien HERE
Race Carvers (New!)
Race Carvers is held on 6 consecutive Sunday afternoons in January & early February. This progressive skiing development program will introduce ski racing to junior intermediate skiers who have already taken our Carvers program and would like to prepare for our Junior D-Team program. Or, this program can also be a good choice for less experienced racers who would like to get extra technique development as well as extra race gate practice. Race Carver students will be coached in small groups by both experienced Carver coaches as well as junior race coaches. Small groups ensure lots of practice time as well as a high degree of personal feedback.
Program Ability Requirements: Race Carvers is NOT a beginner skiing program. Students must be able to ride all Welch Village chairlifts unassisted and must be able to ski all green and blue runs at Welch Village while controlling speed by making turns. If a student is skiing in a wedge on day one, the Carvers program is a better choice. Students who do not meet these requirements will be asked to enroll in a different program and could be required to pay added fees to transfer or fees to process a refund.
Program Fee: $650 (Space is limited)
- Fee does not include season pass, lift tickets, or rental equipment. A valid lift ticket for each day or a season pass is required in addition to the program fee.
- Race Carvers is open to kids age 7-14 who meet the ability requirements.
- Session Time: 12:30 - 3:00pm
- Session Dates (All Sundays): Jan 4, Jan 11, Jan 18, Jan 25, Feb 1, Feb 8
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