STORY BY BENJAMIN LERNER
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY SYDNEY KOOP
Stratton Mountain School’s new Junior Program Director, Sydney Koop, shares the full-circle journey that led her back to Stratton
Stratton Mountain School (SMS) is a renowned Southern Vermont institution that is celebrated for its dynamic integration of winter sports and academic programs. This fall, SMS is welcoming a new leader to its exemplary Junior Program: Sydney Koop. A proud alumna of SMS, Koop’s journey as a student-athlete has now come full circle, enabling her to channel the same values of hard work, determination, bravery, and strength that she learned at SMS towards her work as their Junior Program Director.
Growing up in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Koop’s love for skiing began at a young age. “I started skiing when I was two. My dad taught me how to ski race, and it was a big part of my life when I was growing up.” This early start led her to a successful run of ski racing competitions across the Midwest, but Koop eventually realized that she needed a more specialized program to reach her goals. “I knew I had to go to a bigger mountain and get some more professional coaching,” notes Koop. This pursuit of excellence led her to SMS, where she fell in love with the school’s balance of high-level coaching and strong academics.
Joining SMS as a sophomore in 1999, Koop embraced the holistic approach that the school offered. Her experiences at SMS laid a firm foundation for her collegiate career at the University of New Hampshire, where she excelled as a Division I skier. “The SMS program is bigger than just winter sports,” shares Koop. “It helps to shape student athletes into really strong humans.” Koop adds that at SMS, the emphasis is not solely on athletic and academic prowess. The key tenets of SMS’ program are centered around building well-rounded individuals. “SMS really taught me to balance all of the different aspects of my life,” she notes. This balance was crucial when she transitioned to the University of New Hampshire, where the pressures of being a student-athlete could have been potentially overwhelming. “I came into college confident that I would have no issues balancing my academics and athletics because of what I learned at SMS.”
The skills and values instilled in Koop at SMS extended beyond time management and academic discipline. The school’s community-oriented approach taught her the importance of teamwork and camaraderie. “We learn to push each other and encourage each other to be better, which is essential in both sports and life.” This sense of community and mutual support became a cornerstone of her approach, both as a collegiate athlete, and later on as a coach. Beyond the athletic and academic preparation, SMS helped shape Koop’s personal values and leadership style. While at SMS, Koop also met her husband, David Koop. The couple’s connection to the school remained strong in the years after their graduation, where their romantic bond strengthened and they built a family together. They even named one of their children Stratton, which serves as a testament to their deep affection for the community.
After graduating from college, the Koops returned to Wisconsin. While there, Koop established the Mad Alpine Club in Madison. Founding and building the Mad Alpine Club was a pivotal chapter in Koop’s career. Drawing on her extensive background in skiing and her business degree, she built a program that quickly gained recognition for its excellence. “I saw a need for a strong ski racing program in Madison and felt compelled to create it,” says Koop. Her commitment to fostering a love for skiing in young athletes drove her to leave her corporate job at Fiskars Scissor Company and focus on building Mad Alpine from the ground up. “I was able to take all of my business and marketing skills and combine them with my passion for ski racing,” says Koop. Under her leadership, the club grew to over 150 skiers, developing some of the top talent in the region. “Seeing the kids grow and sharpen their skills and knowing I played a part in that was incredibly rewarding.”
Koop’s success with Mad Alpine also reinforced her belief in the importance of a well-rounded approach to athletic development. “I wanted to create a program that not only focused on skill building, but also instilled a lifelong love for the sport.” This philosophy of nurturing both the athlete and the individual became a hallmark of her coaching style and prepared her for her future roles.
Despite her success in Wisconsin, Koop always felt a strong pull back towards Southern Vermont. The picturesque, snowy mountains and the community she loved were never far from her mind. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic provided an unexpected opportunity for the Koops to make the move back east. They initially settled near Killington Ski Resort, where Sydney took on a coaching role with their U10 athletes. After re-establishing her connections within the Vermont skiing community, Koop felt a strong desire to be part of a larger, more integrated program. “We knew, ultimately, that our heart was at Stratton.” This sentiment led Koop back to SMS, where she first joined their staff as a development camp coach. In anticipation of her new role as the Junior Program Director, Koop is excited to bring her expertise to the program that shaped her early development as a skier. “My passion for skiing and the opportunity to cultivate that passion in young athletes really fuels my drive.”
Koop’s vision for the Junior Program is ambitious and clear: “We want to build the strongest youth winter sports development program on the East Coast.” She emphasizes a philosophy centered on having fun, building confidence, and ensuring continual progress. “If a kid is getting better, they’re going to feel good about themselves, and it’s going to be more fun for them.” Another key aspect of Koop’s role as Junior Program Director will be enhancing the cooperative training programs between SMS and the Stratton Winter Sports Club (SWSC). As a local ski club, SWSC offers ski training programs for young Vermont skiers in the years before they become eligible to enroll at SMS. This growing collaboration aims to provide local student athletes with additional training opportunities, providing a seamless progression from SWSC to SMS. “We’re bringing our coaching staffs together and offering additional training days,” shares Koop. “It’s about providing more time on snow for younger kids.” By integrating these programs, Koop hopes to create a unified pathway for young athletes, ensuring they receive consistent and high-quality coaching as they advance in their winter sports journeys.
Koop is particularly excited about the potential to bridge the gap between weekend programs and full-time training. “We’re working on developing a weekday training program for local athletes, utilizing school breaks and early dismissal days to maximize time on snow.” This initiative will offer more opportunities and access for young skiers to practice and improve, even if they are not enrolled full-time at SMS. “The more time these kids spend on the snow, the better they will become. We want to make that as accessible as possible.”
In addition to increasing training opportunities, Koop is focused on fostering a supportive and positive learning environment. “Building confidence is huge. We want to create a space where kids feel supported and encouraged to take risks and safely push their limits.” This approach is designed to help young athletes develop resilience and a growth-centric mindset, two qualities that Koop believes are essential for success both on and off the slopes.
Koop also recognizes the importance of community building in regards to athletic development. “We want to foster a strong sense of community among our athletes. Skiing might be an individual sport, but the support of a team and the friendships formed through it are so valuable.” By creating a collaborative and inclusive environment, Koop is building a program where athletes motivate each other to achieve their best results. “We’re not just building strong athletes and smart kids; we’re building the whole person,” adds Koop.
Reflecting on her own experiences, Koop is committed to imparting the same values she learned while enrolled at SMS. “SMS prepared me so well for college and beyond, and I want to give that same foundation to the next generation of young athletes.” Her dedication to catalyzing both the athletic and personal growth of her students is evident in her vision for the Junior Program. By leveraging her extensive experience and deep passion for the sport, Koop is poised to elevate the Junior Program at SMS, creating a lasting impact on the student athletes that she coaches. As she steps into her new role, her powerful work ethic stands in perfect harmony with the underpinning BEARS philosophy that has defined SMS since its earliest years: Bravery, Effort, Accountability, Respect, and Strength.