Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club Announces New Alpine Competitive Director. Tyler Shepherd Joins Alpine Leadership Team

Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club is excited to announce the leadership team that will shape the future for the SSWSC alpine programs.

Tyler Shepherd will join the SSWSC as its new Alpine Competitive Program Director beginning July 1st. Shepherd comes to the SSWSC from his most recent position as the Associate Head Alpine Coach at the University of Denver, where he worked with over thirty NCAA All-Americans, won three NCAA titles and was named RMISA Coach of the Year in 2018. As an athlete, Shepherd raced on the U.S. Ski Team for three years and was an NCAA All-American skier at the University of Colorado. Later he worked for the U.S. Ski Team as its Head Skicross Coach, leading the team at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Prior to his work at DU, Shepherd was the Head Coach for the University of New Mexico Ski Team, and he has served as the president of RMISA (Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association) since 2012. Shepherd will be moving to Steamboat with his wife, Amanda, and their three children Soren (9), Ramey (7) and Hansen (4).

“The SSWSC’s mission of ‘creating champions on and off the mountain’ is a mission that I believe in and want to be a part of continuing. Steamboat’s unmatched winter heritage promotes not just skiing but also the love for the outdoors, and I love that! SSWSC is already a top tier club with a tremendous staff and coaches at all levels, which is paramount to having a strong alpine discipline,” Shepherd said of his new position. “I’m already familiar with many of the coaches and can’t wait to begin working with them to continue the long standing traditions in Steamboat. My family is very excited to join the Steamboat community as well, and my kids will no doubt also be involved in the SSWSC. I look forward to this great opportunity!”

For the upcoming season, as part of his director role, Shepherd will work closely with Head FIS Coach Mike Bansmer and his returning staff and will help coach on the hill, particularly working with Robert Baker and the FIS women. Shepherd will also guide a bolstered alpine leadership team with the promotion of two long-time SSWSC alpine coaches, Ben Brown and Michael Britton. This new team will support the SSWSC’s largest discipline’s growth and the future success of the program.

Brown, who was named as the Domestic Coach of the Year by U.S. Ski & Snowboard this week, will step up as the Alpine Technical Director for the program. In this role, Brown will continue as the Head U16 coach while adding his technical experience and training knowledge to ensure the implementation of consistent and clear training plans through the department. The new role will allow Brown to support the alpine director in the refinement of the program’s technical progression and strength and conditioning plans, as well as coordinating on-hill training space to maximize opportunities for all groups.

“I am excited by the opportunity I have to serve the SSWSC community more broadly in this role,” said Brown. “Our club has a long history of ski racing success and I am honored to play a more active role in the development of our future champions. It’s my goal to provide our athletes the best opportunities to succeed by fully utilizing our two incredible training venues and by continuing to provide the best coaching in the country.”

Britton, SSWSC U14 Alpine Head Coach, will continue to lead the U14 program with an expanded role as Associate Alpine Director. In this role, he will also oversee the U12 program, facilitate mentoring programs for the athletes throughout the department, and operate as the school liaison and work to create more consistency in all communication within the department. Britton’s skills to positively shape athletes and teach life skills that are applicable in everyday life as well as in training will now be available program-wide to the athletes.

“I will continue to build well-rounded athletes and make sure every athlete is on track for success on and off the mountain. I’m excited to share my knowledge and unique skill set with the rest of the club and community. Steamboat Springs and the SSWSC has been such a welcoming place for my wife and I since we moved here and I can’t think of any other place we would rather be. I look forward to new challenges,” Britton said.

The SSWSC competitive alpine discipline currently has 120 alpine athletes within its programs. As part of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s “Project 26”, aimed at improving U.S. results at the 2026 Olympics and beyond, the SSWSC has a renewed focus on the broader developmental pool of alpine athletes and in bolstering the support team that will help athletes reach their athletic and life goals.

SSWSC Executive Director Sarah Floyd stated that, “We believe that the addition of Tyler to the SSWSC alpine team and the promotion of both Ben and Michael, along with Mike Bansmer as Head FIS coach, creates the leadership structure necessary to provide alpine athletes of all abilities the opportunity to reach their personal goals both on snow and in life. We are thrilled to charge forward with the current alpine coaching team and this new leadership structure.”

To date, the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club offers youth development programming to approximately 1,000 athletes each year and claims 95 Olympians and 165 Olympic appearances, more than any other town in North America.

Tyler Shepherd