“Ursus” sat down with BMS’s own 8th grade social studies teacher Courtney Ruggiero, to find out what it’s like to be a coach in high school and what it means to be a competitive high school athlete.

Why did you decide to become a ski coach?

I skied in college and I coached in grad school. I also coached on Okemo mountain on the weekends so I wanted to coach at a high school level.

What college did you go to? What ski events did you participate in?

I went to Bates College up in Maine and raced for their division 1 ski team. While racing at Bates, I skied slolem.

How is coaching a team different than teaching one on one lessons?

To coach a team, you have to find ways to motivate each student individually. When coaching skiing, it is a different experience. Although you are on a team, it is about improving each students individual performance while bonding as a team.

What are the biggest challenges of coaching the Staples team?

Well, the biggest challenge of coaching the Staples ski team is the amount of skiers on the team. There are 29 skiers on the team, and you have to figure out each of their individual personalities and styles in order to best support them as racers.

What’s is a personality/quality that is good for a skier to have?

Some of the most important qualities for a skier to have is focus, mindfulness, and the ability to really think about their skiing and continue to be determined to get better.

Do you have any examples of this?

I’ve had a lot of good skiers over the years but when I was coaching at Brown.One of my freshmen that I was coaching actually had all of these qualities. She turned out to be the MVP of the entire league and she had the ability to focus on her ski racing while also enjoying herself which was something that makes you be able to last in ski racing a lot longer.

Were those natural qualities that she already had or did she build on that quality to make herself a better racer?

I think it’s a natural quality to be able to do well and continue to persevere.

What’s your favorite part of coaching?

The relationships you build with the kids outside of the classroom.

Is it a big time commitment for you and the kids?

It is a really big time commitment because we have to travel so far to the mountain so it takes a lot of late nights up there. But the season’s not too long so at least it’s a short time frame.

Do you have an example of the time commitment?

Well, for instance this year at Staples, students had to go up the night before midterms so it takes about an hour and a half. All things considered, to get up to Southington and another hour and a half to get down from Southington so three hours of travel time in a night. We left at around 1:30 p.m. and then we skied for about two hours. We didn’t get back until 7:00 p.m., and then they were able to start studying for their midterms. It’s a good six hour night between getting ready and traveling when we have to go up to the mountain for practice or a competition.

Is it a big time commitment for you?

Well, fortunately for me, we only go up to the mountain two times a week. Some other sports that are everyday after school have a more stressful schedule. Thankfully, it allows me to have a couple afternoons to get things done.

Tell me the story of an athlete you are really proud of?

One of my favorite things about teaching at the high school is that I get to see kids that I used to have as eighth graders. One particular example is Roscoe Brown. It was enjoyable to watch him grow as an athlete and person. As a senior, he became a captain and a real leader on the team.

How do you motivate athletes?

I motivate them by having high standards. This encourages them to continually push themselves throughout the season.