Athletes - About

  • Mission
  • Snowboard Criteria
  • Ski Criteria

Vision

At the USDSSA, our vision is a vibrant, and healthy, community of alpine athletics. Our long-term vision is to have our athletes who contribute back to their communities long after they have participated in alpine competitions. We strive for strong community ties and relations.

Mission

The mission of USDSSA is to encourage and nourish the love and passion for alpine sports. USDSSA strives to provide high quality resources, programs and training for our athletes and members in order for them to reach the level of athletic excellence. We constantly strive to meet or exceed our athletes and member’s needs and expectations of resources, programs and training. To this end, we will perform periodic reviews of the other alpine organizations to improve our offerings. This includes reaching out to other organizations, associations and even schools to ensure awareness and growth.

Values

  • The core reason of the existence of USDSSA is to bring together a community of deaf and hard of hearing people involved in the sport of ski and snowboard through competitive and recreational experience.
  • All parties to any decision will be treated with respect, dignity, integrity, honesty and humanity.
  • USDSSA believes in the philosophy and actions of organizational growth through cultivating partnerships.

2011 Winter Deaflympics

The Winter Deaflympics will be held in High Tatras, Slovakia from, February 11- 20, 2011. Athletes who are selected are expected to participate in a 1-1 1/2 week training camp prior to the Winter Deaflympics. They will also be responsible for raising funds to cover the cost of training and participation in the Winter Deaflympics. The exact amount needed to fundraise will be announced during Summer 2010.

Requirements For All Athletes
Athletes selected to the US Team must satisfy the following requirements:

    1. Be a USA citizen who is eligible to represent USA in the 2011 Winter Deaflympics.
    2. Have a hearing loss of at least 55 db in the better ear (3-tone frequency average at 500, 1000 and 2000 Hertz, ISO 1964 Standard)
    3. Be at least 13 years of age by Dec. 31, 2010 to compete in the 2011 Winter Deaflympics.
    4. Be a member in good standing with USASA, USDSSA and USADSF.
    5. Agree to, sign and abide by USADSF Honor Code.
    6. Submit him/herself without any reservations to all doping control policies and procedures of the USADSF, International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) and World Anti Doping Agency (WADA).
    7. Commit to train year-around from the time of selection to the 2011 Winter Deaflympics.
    8. Maintain contact with the US Team coaching staff and keep informed about training regimens and competition results from time of selection until the 2011 Winter Deaflympics.
    9. Exhibit good sportsmanship and character.
    10. Complete the US Team application packet, which includes providing proof of having or in the process of obtaining a United States passport, and
      paying a non-refundable US Team application fee of $100.00 within 30 days of the selection. Note: The passport shall be valid for at least 6 months past the conclusion of the 2009 Summer Deaflympics.

How Athletes will be selected
  1. The initial Deaflympics Team selections will be made at the end of the tryouts held during the USASA Intermountain Series regional races February 26-28, 2010.
  2. The final team selections will be made during the team training camps to be held prior to the 2011 Deaflympics.
  3. At the discretion of the Selection Committee, athletes qualifying under Requirement B, or other circumstances as described in the following two sections will be considered in the selection process:
Team candidates must satisfy either requirement A or Requirement B. Selection ultimately must be approved by the Selection Committee (composed of the USDSSA Director of the sport discipline, the Head Coach and Assistant Coach of the sport discipline. The USADSF 2011 Winter Deaflympics Team Director (TD) can assist if needed.

Requirement A (Strongly preferred):
  • Compete in the 2010 USASA competition at Park City during February 26 – 28, 2010.
  • Perform competitively at the USASA event. Tryout participants will be ranked based on their performance.
  • Show positive attitude, coach ability, commitment, and conditioning.
Requirement B:

  • Be registered with USSA or USASA as an alpine or snowboard competitor
  • Submit proof of competition at 5 or more USSA or USASA sanctioned events in 2008-2009 and 2009-2010
  • Any use of USSA or USASA competition results and FIS points for future Ski or Snowboard Team eligibility must be announced prior to the end of the 2009-2010 winter season.
  • The Selection Committee may require a US Team Coach to observe the athlete in competition prior to selection.
  • Submit supporting documents from your coach(es)
  • Show positive attitude, coachability, commitment, and conditioning

Development Team Selection

Rank-order development team selection will be made by a committee, composed of the USDSSA Director of Snowboarding, the Head Coach and Assistant Coach of the sport discipline. The USADSF 2011 Winter Deaflympics Team Director (TD) will be an observer and give some feedback if necessary if the TD shows up. The number of development team members selected will depend on available development funds, the number of Deaflympics events for that sports discipline, and the prospective development team members’ standing against that of other candidates.

4.The team tryouts will be held February 26 and 28, 2010 in Park City at the USASA Intermountain Snowboard Series event. Publicity will be done through (1) the USADSF website, (2) the USDSSA website, (3) the USSA website, and (4) through press releases to USSA, skiing publications, snowboarding publications, and deaf-related publications 5.The selection of athletes will be subject to approval by the USADSF Board.

Replacement Procedures
Any athlete will be withdrawn from the US Team if, for any reason (including injury or illness), that he/she is unable or unwilling to maintain a training regimen that is necessary for his/her peak performance in the 2011 Winter Deaflympics or does not abide by selection criteria requirements. Athletes will also be withdrawn from the US Team if they do not satisfactorily perform their fundraising duties required by USDSSA and USADSF. If an athlete is withdrawn from the team, the next place athlete will be placed

Other circumstances
The committee shall have the discretion to evaluate other circumstances, other than injury or illness, which preclude an athlete from participating in the Team Tryouts. A letter must be furnished to the Team Committee prior to the US Team Tryouts. For circumstances where an athlete comes to our attention after the tryouts, Requirement B shall apply. At the Head Coach’s discretion, athletes who have missed the tryout due to extenuating circumstances may be invited to training camps, to compete for a spot on the US Team.

Selection Committee
The selection committee shall consist of the following individuals: USDSSA Director of Snowboard, Head Coach, Assistant Coach, and a former Deaflympics athlete.

Due Process
All athletes have a right to obtain due process in accordance with the USADSF by-laws if they feel the selection criteria were not followed properly.


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