Are you an acrobatic athlete looking for a new challenge? Freestyle aerial skiing is one of the most exciting sports in the Olympic Winter Games, with athletes performing up to quintuple twisting triple flips on skis. And many of them came from backgrounds just like you - acrobatic athletes in gymnastics, diving or trampoline.

Freestyle skiing offers dedicated athletes a realistic pathway to the Olympics, with a relatively small population base and a proven methodology to move forward. And the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's athletic programs offer an opportunity to provide national-level training with sport science, sports medicine and educational support.

What is freestyle aerial skiing?
The sport of freestyle aerials is one of the most exciting sports in the Olympic Winter Games, with athletes performing multiple somersaults and twists 60 feet in the air with hang times of nearly three seconds! Top men are performing up to quintuple twisting triple flips, with women triple twisting doubles and even doing twisting triples.

What's the history of the sport?
Freestyle aerials is an American-grown sport, evolving in the early '70s, with some of the early development coming from acrobatic athletes including gymnasts, divers and trampolinists. An international World Cup began in the '80s with the sport showcased as an demonstration in 1988 and '92 before becoming a full medal event in 1994. In 1998, the USA swept gold in Nagano with Eric Bergoust and former gymnast Nikki Stone. And in 2002 in Salt Lake City, hometown hero Joe Pack won silver. The USA continues to be a dominant Team in the sport internationally. Former Boston gymnast Emily Cook was a World Cup winner this year in front of 30,000 in downtown Moscow!

How does the progression work?
The USSA's freestyle aerial program will first work on fundamentals including learning to ski. And the progression is quite similar to most other acrobatic sports:
•    Trampoline training
•    Water ramp training  (jumping into pools aerated for safety)
•    On-snow training (strict standards maintain exceptionally high safety standard)
•    Conditioning (important in all phases)

What are the competition opportunities?
Skiing is one of the only sports in the world to support an annual World Cup with competitions around the world from the USA to Europe to Asia. The NorAm circuit in North America is a steppingstone for young athletes seeking to qualify for the U.S. Ski Team. Olympics are held every four years, including Vancouver in 2010 and Sochi (Russia) in 2014. World Championships are held every odd year.

What's the season?
Competitions are generally held from December through March, with summer water pool training from June through September, then turning to snow from October and November

Where do athletes train?
The USSA is fortunate to have two state-of-the-art training centers, in the Olympic cities of Lake Placid, NY and Park City, UT. The Lake Placid facility has the benefit of the U.S. Olympic Committee's Training Center with lodging and athlete support facilities. The Park City facility, located at the Utah Olympic Park, is in the headquarters city of the USSA where a new $22.5 million national training and education center, the Center of Excellence, will open in 2009.

Both training centers have specifically-designed aerated pools that cushion the landing and provide high degree of safety where aerialists practice new maneuvers.

Does the USSA have programs for me as a non-skiing acrobatic athlete?
The USSA is launching a new program specifically designed for non-skiing acrobatic athletes. Based in Lake Placid, the program will work under the direction of noted international coach Dmitriy Kavunov, who has a strong track record of taking acrobatic athletes to the highest level of the sport in Russia, Canada and Uzbekistan.

The program will provide a live-in training opportunity in Lake Placid with the full support of the USSA's athletic and sport science programs at no cost to qualified athletes.

What about educational opportunities?
The USSA recognizes the importance of education. Lake Placid offers an outstanding public school system that adapts to the needs of athletes, plus two outstanding private academy programs. Athletes who qualify for the U.S. Ski Team are also eligible for various college scholarship opportunities.

How do I get started?
It's simple to get started. Simply send a background resume to Dmitriy Kavunov (dkavunov@ussa.org). If possible, video of gymnastics, trampoline or diving abilities would be helpful. USSA is looking for a small, talented group of acrobatic athletes to focus on freestyle aerial skiing with an eye on the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.