The United States Ski Team
The US Ski Team (USST), under the umbrella of US Ski and Snowboard, is the body recognized by FIS to field teams of skiers to compete in international competitions from the Olympic Games and FIS World Ski Championships at the top to World Cup events, foreign Continental Cup events and other events such as Junior/U23 World Ski Championships. The US Ski Team is responsible for creating selection criteria for teams to international competitions, as well as selecting a team of athletes each year who will be supported, to various degrees, throughout the preparation period and competition period as members of the US Ski Team.
The USST first employed a full-time, year-round coaching staff beginning in the mid-1970’s. Since that time, the USST program has fluctuated in size and support depending upon the level of financial resources available to the team. Often the level of support depends upon where a particular year is in an Olympic cycle. Often the Olympic year is the best-funded year, and often the year after the Olympics sees a reduction in support.