NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ENDOWMENT

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ENDOWMENT

The Wisconsin Alpine Ski Team is fundraising $50,000 to create the National Championship Endowment intended to secure the future of high-level competition. The goal of creating the National Championship Endowment is to reduce the financial burden and make national championships more accessible to team members. A group of Wisconsin Alpine alumni have contributed $12,500 as a seed donation to kickstart the campaign. Every year the team pushes to qualify for the United States Collegiate Ski & Snowboard Association’s (USCSA) national championship and has a history of producing champions. High-level events are expensive, $10,000-$20,000 is required to pay for transportation, lodging, registration fees, and coaching at each national event. The uncertainty of yearly qualification makes budgeting for national championships as the most difficult item in the budget.

Creating the National Championship Endowment will annually produce roughly $2,500 in interest at a 5% rate of return to be utilized to help send the team to national championships. In years when the team does not qualify, the principal will continue to generate interest that will be more useful for the next qualifying year. On average, the team is able to fundraise between $3,000-$5,000 for national championships in three weeks between qualifying and competing. Every year the team aims to keep the personal cost below $500 per racer to encourage participation. In order to do this, the team must rely on an additional $2,000-$8,000 to be budgeted for at the beginning of each season. Having consistent support from the endowment will eliminate any financial uncertainty during budgeting and when the team qualifies, meaning that no athlete is ever stripped of the opportunity to compete. 

The year 2021 marks the 90th anniversary of Wisconsin Hoofers and the Alpine Ski Team aims to continue the tradition of excellence and involvement at nationals for another 90 years. As the oldest collegiate ski and snowboard team in the United States, preserving national championship level results is a very high priority of the team and its many supporters.

The Wisconsin Alpine Ski Team consists of 50-60 student athletes that compete in the Midwest Collegiate Ski & Snowboard Association (MCSA) within the USCSA. Our ski and snowboard athletes come from all levels of racing backgrounds, from experienced competitors to beginners. The wide range of skiing and snowboarding abilities create a unique dynamic and fosters an inclusive and lively time on and off the hill. We race seven weekends during the winter all over the Midwest against other collegiate teams with the aspiration of qualifying for the USCSA national championships. USCSA has nearly six times as many student athletes as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and attracts top competition including the Wisconsin Alpine Ski Team. 

With your support the team plans to establish the National Championship Endowment during the 90th anniversary of Hoofers to continue our legacy of excellence. Donations can be made through our website by clicking on the donate button below or mailed via check to the Wisconsin Union with Hoofers Alpine Ski Team Fund in the memo line. All donations made to the general team fund between September 1st, 2021 and November 14th, 2021 will go towards funding the National Championships Endowment.