Snowboard Devo – Grand Targhee Ski & Snowboard Foundation

SNOWBOARD DEVO (6-12)

Full Winter Session, December 9/10 – March 12/24

Snowboard Devo is designed for FUN! Emphasis will be on fundamentals such as exploration, all-mountain riding, etiquette, and sportsmanship. Coaches will provide an all-mountain experience, including hike-to-ride areas and terrain parks. The goal is for athletes to gain experience and build confidence in a fun, motivating environment that incorporates play, fun, basic agility, balance, coordination, and development of endurance. At least 90% of the time will be spent freeriding.

Ages: 6-12: You are under 13 as of Dec 31.
Maximum Participants / Coach Ratio is 7:1

Skill Development/Focus

Emphasis on play, fun, snowboarding, balance, agility and coordination. Riders will learn basic turn shapes and riding styles. Through effective stance and efficient movements, they will learn to control their board and perform a variety of fundamental tasks.

Skill Assessment *required

Athletes should have at least one season of snowboarding under their belt and be able to put on their own equipment, ride the lift without help, get back on their feet from sitting/kneeling, and link turns.

A skills assessment in the first week to determine if the program will be a good fit. The skills assessment criteria are below. If a child is not yet ready for programs, families can leave any payments on their account to be used at a future date or receive a full refund.

Any children who participated in programs last year may register and participate without doing the skills assessment.

We will conduct the USSA SkillsQuest Assessment on the 1st day of practice. The assessment determines which group within the program your athlete will participate. Should your athlete need to work to improve on any of the skills with this assessment, we will recommend moving back to Devo. Athletes will be recommended to move from Devo to Intro on coaches’ recommendations. Athletes will be recommended to move from Intro to U10 Alpine or Freeride on their coach’s recommendation.

Skills Assessment Criteria

Athletes can load and unload all Grand Targhee lifts independently with no assistance, put down the bar, and be aware of lift safety (sit back in the chair).
Ride on Shoshone and Dreamcatcher, at a minimum.
Participants must be able to put on their own equipment.
Ability to turn edge to edge.
Drills to assess turning, stopping, and navigating cat roads.
Coaches may require additional skills not listed here.

Races

Not Required, however, athletes are encouraged to compete in fun-focused local events. Local Events offer lots of comp experience, are inexpensive to enter, and are an excellent way to meet new peers.

Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club events information is found here.
Grand Targhee events are here.
Snow King events here.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort events here.

On Snow Schedule

Saturdays & Sundays for 16 weeks from 9:00am to 12:30pm. 16-week Session: December 9/10-March 23/24.

Ski Passes

Pass prices are not included in GTSSF program fees. Grand Targhee Resort passes must be purchased directly through Grand Targhee Resort. Athletes participating in Nordic are required to have a Teton Valley Trails & Pathways Nordic Sticker. A Grand Targhee Resort, Nordic pass is encouraged.

GTSSF will not be hosting programs on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or New Year's Day, so our coaches and families can enjoy that time with their family and friends. We do intend to provide make-up days for all participants for those three days based on coaches' and athletes' schedules. Look for an email from our coordinator with opportunities for make-up sessions.

Event Transportation

GTSSF vans will be available for the 2023-24 season. Shuttles or other rides will be coordinated by coaches and race parents based on where athletes attend school and the needs of other teams. Transportation is never 100% guaranteed. Travel expenses are not included in program fees.

Payment Plans

If an athlete anticipates participation in multiple competitions over the course of a single season, that family may prefer to set up a payment plan monthly or bi-weekly to cover the estimated costs. An additional invoice will be sent after each event for any balance owed to account for the difference between the deposit and the actual cost. GTSSF does not mark up any event costs.

Payment Policies

GTSSF payment policies can be found in our Parent Handbook, available online here.

Refund Policies

GTSSF refund policies can be found in our Parent Handbook, available online here.

Work Deposit & Family Participation

One deposit of $175 is required per family; purchase your participation deposit here. Positive parental support is essential. Families are encouraged to get involved with club activities and volunteer for race events. The deposit is credited at the end of the year if volunteer hours are fulfilled.