Olympian Julia Ford Joins Cardigan Mountain School As Director Of Alpine Skiing

Cardigan Mountain School is excited to announce the appointment of former Olympian and U.S. Ski Team member Julia Ford to Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Alpine Skiing.

Cardigan Mountain School, also called Cardigan or CMS, for short, is an all-boys independent boarding school for grades six through nine, located on 62 Alumni Drive, Canaan, New Hampshire, USA. It was founded in 1945 on land provided by Dartmouth College.

Cardigan’s Head of School Christopher Day shared, “We are so thrilled to welcome Julia to Cardigan. Not only is she a world-class athlete, but she is also a tremendous person. I know she will have a positive impact on our students, our athletic programming, and our ski team in particular.”

Prior to Cardigan, Ford, from Holderness, New Hampshire, was a member of the U.S. Ski Team and competed at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. She has started over 40 FIS World Cup ski races and is a two-time U.S. National Downhill Champion. While still competing, she completed GroundSwell Institute's business building program focused on strategy, organizational development, and financial management by working directly with a number of business owners.

Ford’s appointment marks a strategic shift in Cardigan’s Alpine Skiing Program. Working with Head Coach Travis Nevins, Ford will help recruit committed alpine competitors, elevate training strategies, and build a program that competes with the best in the Nation and prepares boys—both academically and athletically—for the next step.

“Cardigan’s perfect location, excellent facilities, and supportive community offer an amazing opportunity for junior skiers. They’ll train full-time during the winter and play other sports in fall and spring. I can’t wait to get started,” said Ford, who is also looking forward to coaching soccer at the school.

“We can provide student-athletes a balance that promotes skill development in skiing,” added Christopher Day, “but doesn’t compromise academic development or opportunities to participate in other activities.”

Ryan Frost, Cardigan’s Director of Athletics, says “Cardigan has had a successful ski program for a long time, but we’ve always understood we had the tools to build it into something special. It is exciting to realize that time is here.”

Cardigan Alpine Skiing competes in U.S. Ski & Snowboard, New Hampshire Alpine Racing Association (NHARA) and New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) event