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From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.

Tag: Paul Stone

  • UVM Hires Johnson as Assistant Coach

    Andrew Johnson in a race last year. Photo, Toko.

    Former Olympian and U.S. Ski Team member Andrew Johnson is heading to the University of Vermont as the new assistant coach of the school’s cross-country ski program.

    Johnson did not respond to a request for comment, but UVM Head Coach Patrick Weaver confirmed on Monday morning that Johnson had accepted a position with the university.

    “We’re really excited to have him,” Weaver said.

    The assistant coaching job is full-time, but Johnson will also be able to take classes at the university and work towards his master’s degree, which was one of his goals, Weaver said.

    Johnson’s hiring completes a reshuffling of the UVM coaching staff, which began this spring when former head coach Paul Stone was demoted and replaced by Weaver, who had been the assistant coach.

    Stone was to continue with the program as the assistant, but he left this summer to take the head coaching job at the University of Maine, Presque Isle.

    Long one of the east’s top ski program’s, UVM has five NCAA championships to its name–all of which came in the 1980s and 1990s. The school placed second at NCAA’s in 2005, but has finished no better than fifth since then.

    The addition of Johnson to the UVM program makes the team’s coaching staff the fastest in the nation—at least among collegiate programs. Both Johnson and Weaver are two-time Olympians, Johnson in 2002 and 2006, and Weaver in 1998 and 2002.

    Hailing from Greensboro, Vermont, Johnson competed for Middlebury College before leaving in 1999 to race full time with the U.S. Ski Team. He collected multiple national championships over the course of his career.

    On the World Cup, Johnson’s only individual top-30 result came in a 30 k freestyle race in 2001 at Soldier Hollow, while his best finish at the Olympics was 21st in the same event at the same venue a year later.

    After the 2006 Games, Johnson scaled back his competitive career, with stints working as an assistant coach at as the University of Utah and attending school there. Last year, Johnson competed under the aegis of the fledgling Steinbock Racing squad, finishing 19th at the American Birkebeiner and 33rd at the 15 k freestyle at U.S. Nationals.

  • University of Maine Presque Isle’s Paul Stone is Elected President of NCAA’s Collegiate Ski Coaches Association

    Presque Isle, Maine Paul Stone, who was just named the head ski coach at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, has added another title to his resume this week. He was elected by NCAA ski coaches nationwide to be president of the United States Collegiate Skiing Coaches Association (USCSCA).

    The USCSCA is responsible for the professional development of ski coaches in the US and for advocacy on behalf of collegiate skiing within the NCAA. Stone was elected by the head coaches of the twenty-six NCAA ski programs nationwide. Maine, with its four NCAA Ski Teams (UMPI, Colby, Bates, Bowdoin), has more programs than any other state in the Country.

    “Within a group of highly motivated, highly competitive people, Paul has gained the respect of his coaching peers for his easy manner and thoughtful leadership style,” said Bud Fisher, head coach of the Williams College Ski Team for twenty-seven years. “I look forward to Paul bringing that leadership to the USCSCA.”

    “I am humbled to be recognized by my peers in this way,” said Stone. “The USCSCA has an important role to play in the growth of NCAA skiing and I am looking forward to working with the coaches across the Country to make that happen.”

    Stone takes over the NCAA’s newest ski team at UMPI, and the only NCAA ski program in the University of Maine system. With tuition, room and board at less than half the cost of many NCAA ski schools, the world-class Nordic Heritage Center, early snow, and with so many of the nations top cross country skiers coming out of New England, Stone and the University of Maine Presque Isle staff are excited for the future of the program.

    For more information please contact: Paul Stone at nordicski@umpi.edu, or Andy Shepard at mwsc@mac.com.

    Source: MWSC

  • Paul Stone to Take Over University of Maine Presque Isle’s Ski program

    The University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI) is excited and honored to announce that they have hired Paul Stone as Head Coach of their NCAA Nordic Ski Team.

    Stone comes to UMPI from the University of Vermont, where he has been the head Nordic Coach for the past four seasons, and where he was named NCAA Eastern Coach of the Year in 2009. He has also been the interim head coach of Colby College (2004/2005 season) and Williams College (2003/2004), prior to taking over the UVM program in 2006. He was also the head coach of southern Maine-based Coastal Nordic Ski Team for the 2005/2006 season. Stone has coached two NCAA Champions and placed skiers in the top ten at Junior Olympics, NCAA Championships and U.S. National Championships.

    “In Presque Isle we have early snow, a 10 minute drive to one of the World’s top Nordic venues, a passionately supportive community, the Maine Winter Sports Center, exciting events like World Cup’s and World Championships and a quality University that is the best value for student/athletes in NCAA skiing,” said Chris Corsello, Athletic Director at UMPI. “Now in Paul, we believe we also have the person who can pull all these pieces together and establish our program.”

    “The University of Maine Presque Isle has so much going for it, I believe it is only a matter of time before the high school skiers in the East discover the opportunities here,” said Stone. “The cost of the colleges that offer an NCAA ski team today puts skiing out of reach to many, but UMPI offers a great education, some of the top skiing facilities in the world and all at less than half the cost of most schools.”

    “We believe that in time the University of Maine Presque Isle skiers will compete against the best college skiers in the Country and in Paul’s years coaching at the University of Vermont, Williams and Colby Colleges, he has clearly shown that he is the person to take our program to that level,” said Don Zillman, president of the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

    As a junior Stone was one of the top skiers in the country, qualifying for the World Junior Championships in 1994. He went on to ski for Dartmouth, making their Carnival Team all four years. He won the Cooke award his freshman year as the top first-year skier, was named MVP of the team in 1997 and was a three-time captain; qualifying to compete at NCAA Championships in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1999.

    Stone is on the executive committee of the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA), which is skiing’s eastern division of the NCAA.  The division includes Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Dartmouth, Harvard, Middlebury, St. Lawrence, St. Michael’s, University of New Hampshire, University of Vermont, Williams and UMaine Presque Isle.

    Source: UMPI

  • Weaver Named UVM Head Coach; Stone Moves to Assistant

    UVM has promoted two-time Olympian and National Champion Patrick Weaver to head coach.  Paul Stone, the former holder of that position will stay on as the assistant coach.

    Said Bill Reichelt, Director of the UVM Ski Program and Head Alpine Coach in an official press release, “Patrick’s personal career as two-time Olympian and two-time national champion is an outstanding testament to the knowledge he will bring as head coach and his experience with the program over the past three years will be a huge asset to the team.”

    According to Reichelt, Stone will begin work on a master’s degree while continuing to work with the team.

    “Paul has a great deal of experience and insight and we are fortunate to have him continue to be a part of the UVM ski program and Nordic team,” said Assistant Athletic Director and supervisor of the ski program Joe Fischer in the press release.

    Stone led the Catamounts for four years while Weaver has been the assistant coach for two.

    During Stone’s tenure as head coach, UVM won two individual NCAA titles – Juergen Uhl in 2009 and Franz Bernstein in 2010.

    Stone began his coaching career as an assistant at Williams College after a strong collegiate career at Dartmouth.

    Weaver skied in the 1998 Nagano and 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Games.  His best Olympic finish was a 16th in the 15km classic in Salt Lake and he won National titles in 1998 and 1999.

    When contacted, Stone referred FasterSkier to the official press release.