Four decades of families, athletes, and a mountain that brings us together.
Born on the Mountain. Built by Families.
In 1984, a group of Kirkwood families looked up at the mountain they loved and saw something bigger than great skiing. They saw an opportunity to bring their community together - to give their kids a place to grow, compete, and belong. That vision became the Kirkwood Ski Education Foundation.
What started as a small, grassroots racing program has grown into one of the Sierra’s most respected youth alpine organizations. But even after four decades, the heart of KSEF remains exactly where it began: with the families of Kirkwood.
We are a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit rooted in the Kirkwood Mountain Resort community. Our purpose has never wavered: to develop young people through the discipline, joy, and challenge of alpine ski racing. From our earliest days, we’ve believed that the mountain teaches lessons no classroom can—about perseverance, courage, humility, and the power of showing up for the people beside you.
Today, KSEF serves athletes across three programs - Jr. Devo, Youth Race Team, and Full-Time Race Team - with a coaching staff that brings world-class experience and a genuine love for this community. Our athletes represent KSEF at USSS-sanctioned events, Far West and FIS races, and Tahoe League competitions. But the moments that define us happen just as often off the race course: in the lodge, on the chairlift, and at the trailhead—wherever our families come together.
Mission: We develop young people through competitive alpine ski racing, building athletic skill, academic focus, and the kind of character that lasts a lifetime. We do this inside a community where every family is known, valued, and supported.
Vision: A place where competitive excellence and genuine human connection grow side by side, where the pursuit of being a great racer never comes at the expense of becoming a great person.
These Aren’t Slogans. They’re Commitments.
Every decision we make, how we coach, how we communicate, how we treat each other, comes back to five commitments. They’re not posted on a wall. They’re practiced on the mountain.
Dear KSEF Family,
As I write this, our 25/26 athletes are out on the mountain doing what they love—pushing themselves, supporting each other, and carrying on a tradition that has defined this community for over four decades. Watching them reminds me why this organization matters so much, and why it’s the privilege of my life to serve as President of the KSEF Board.
Now, as we begin looking toward the 2026/27 season, I want to share what’s on my mind and in my heart.
What This Season Has Shown Us
This year has reinforced something I’ve always believed about KSEF: we are at our best when we show up for one another. I’ve seen it in the parents who arrive early to help set up courses. In the coaches who stay late because an athlete needed one more conversation. In the kids who cheer for their teammates as loudly as they’d cheer for themselves. That’s not just a ski program. That’s a community doing what communities are supposed to do.
The Team Making It Happen
I want to take a moment to recognize the people whose work you see every day on the hill and the work you don’t see that makes all of it possible.
Our coaching staff continues to deliver exceptional on-mountain training for our young athletes and Masters racers alike. The quality of instruction, the care they bring to each individual, and the culture they’re building on the hill is something this organization can be deeply proud of. These coaches give everything to our athletes, and it shows.
I also want to acknowledge the leadership that Kylese Markt and Dana Keith are bringing to KSEF. As Athletic Director, Kylese has brought a level of organizational clarity and athletic vision that is elevating every program we run. Dana, as our Program Administrator, continues to be the operational backbone of this foundation, with fifteen years of institutional knowledge, applied with focus and purpose every single day. Together, they are providing KSEF with the kind of stable, forward-thinking leadership that enables our coaches to do their best work and our families to feel confident in the direction we’re heading. We are fortunate to have them.
Building for the Future - Quietly, Steadily
Behind the scenes, there’s been meaningful work happening that I’m proud to share with you. This season, the Board and our leadership team have invested over $75,000 in capital improvements. That’s not a number I share to boast; I share it because it represents the seriousness of our commitment to this organization’s future and the trust you’ve placed in us to steward your support wisely.
Most significantly, we are now one summer season away from completing our on-mountain race facility. This has been a long-held vision for KSEF: a permanent home on the hill that provides our athletes and coaches with the infrastructure they deserve. It’s been years in the making, and the fact that we’re this close is a testament to the dedication of the people who’ve worked on it, many of whom have been part of this effort for longer than I have. We’re not there yet, but we can see the finish line.
Looking Ahead to 26/27
As we plan for next season, our commitment remains the same: to build an organization that develops confident, resilient young people through the sport of alpine ski racing—and to do it in a way that keeps family and community at the center of everything.
We’re investing in our coaching staff, strengthening our programs at every level, and working to make KSEF a place where every athlete and every family feels valued and supported. There will be challenges ahead—there always are. My father-in-law, Dick Reuter, had a way of putting things that has stayed with me: “It’s just a challenge… we must overcome and adapt to succeed.” That spirit, steady, determined, and forward-looking, is the spirit of KSEF.
You Are the Heart of This
None of what we do is possible without you. Every family that joins this program, every volunteer who gives their time, every parent standing at the finish line in the cold, you are the reason KSEF is what it is. Your involvement isn’t just appreciated. It’s essential.
Since 1984, this foundation has been built by people who love this mountain and believe in its young people. That hasn’t changed. And as long as families like yours are part of this community, it never will.
I’m grateful for every one of you. Let’s finish this season strong, and let’s build something even better together in 26/27.
Coop | President
Kirkwood Ski Education Foundation
