CARRABASSETT VALLEY – Carrabassett Valley Academy is pleased to announce the hiring of Garrett Lashar as its new Alpine Program Director. Lashar will be responsible for the staffing, programming, implementation and supervision of the Academy and Weekend Alpine Programs.
Over the past three decades, CVA has helped shape the competitive future of Olympic athletes, like Bode Miller and Kirsten Clark, current U.S. National team member, Sam Morse, World Cup competitors, NCAA Division 1 athletes and countless young skiers with a passion for their sport. Lashar will seek to continue the long tradition of excellence at the Academy; a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Gold Certified Club and a U.S. Ski & Snowboard High Performance Center.
“It is with great excitement that we welcome Garrett back to CVA,” said Kate Webber Punderson, Head of School. “As a Sugarloafer, CVA alumnus and former CVA Alpine coach, Garrett’s roots in the Valley run deep. He returns to Sugarloaf having gained valuable experience in a range of programs and with a reputation as a hard-working coach, dedicated to inspiring athletes and coaches alike. His love of skiing and CVA is apparent from the moment you meet him and his energy is infectious.”
After graduating from CVA in 2000, Lashar attended Plymouth State University. He was a member of the PSU Alpine ski team, serving as team captain both his junior and senior years. After graduating with a degree in Management, Lashar began his coaching career with Waterville Valley Ski Club, working with the Men’s and Women’s U19 program. He returned to CVA for two years coaching the Men’s U19 program.
Following that, from 2007-2012 Lashar served as the Head Coach of the Men’s and Women’s Alpine Ski Team at Colby-Sawyer College. While at Colby-Sawyer, Garrett’s student-athletes achieved 38 USCSA All-American honors as well as multiple National Championship titles. In 2010, Lashar, working closely with the college administrators, elevated the ski program from USCSA to NCAA. Throughout this time, Lashar gained valuable experience working with multiple departments to ensure athlete and program success – from academics, to off-season training, to admissions and financial aid. After five years with a collegiate program Lashar shifted his focus back to the club level and began coaching at Mount Mansfield Ski Club, where for the past six winters Garrett has coached athletes across genders at both the U16 and the U19 levels.
On his return to the Academy, Lashar said: “I can’t tell you how humbled, honored, and ecstatic I am for this opportunity. The return home to Sugarloaf was something that was bound to happen, and the timing for me could not be any better than right now. Every resource and piece of infrastructure is here for a student-athlete to succeed, and I’m excited to foster a team, and ‘athlete-centric’ approach with the staff and the CVA community. The support and positivity has already been tremendous. And I am just so thrilled to hit the ground running for this community, for the alumni, and most importantly the current and future kids here at CVA.”
