Nate McKenzie

After attending the UMF ski industries program, Nate founded the Freeski program at CVA.  Over the last twenty years, he has coached six athletes to the X Games, and he remains the Program Director for the longest running ,and best ,freeski program in the country.   

Each year, Nate works diligently to fold in new training protocols to meet the demands of the sport and keep CVA athletes on the forefront of competition.  He works closely with the coaching staff to keep them on the cutting-edge with their training and certifications, subscribing to the belief that the knowledge of the coaching staff ,and their ability to impart that knowledge to the athletes ,is the backbone of the program. 

He watches for new training opportunities and venues that meet CVA’s needs and facilitates a top competitive program. He also works to understand and focus on each athlete individually,  focusing on detail, fundamentals, individual goals as the basics of the foundation for any successful athlete. The stronger an athletes fundamentals are, the more apt they are to be able to try new skills, to push themselves and the sport forward.

Nate says “There’s no question I truly love, and have loved this sport, right from the beginning. Every year, working with the younger athletes refuels me – I see their fresh excitement, their realization of the passion they have for the sport, it reignites my desire to help them get to their goals.”