Competition Program
Whether your goal is to develop a lifelong love of alpine, freestyle, snowboarding, or Nordic, or to compete for an NCAA Division I school and beyond, Gould Academy has the coaches, the teachers, the opportunities inside and outside of the classroom, not to mention the passion to help you achieve your goals.
From regional and national competitions to international events at the highest level, the Gould Academy Competition Program provides an unbelievable educational and athletic experience thanks to our training location at Sunday River Resort located only six miles away.
During the summer, many of our student-athletes receive an extensive strength and conditioning manual and are encouraged to participate in our summer camp programs, including conditioning, trampoline, jump, and on-snow camps.
In the fall, those same student-athletes have the opportunity to take part in an intense strength and conditioning program while pursuing their passion for any number of varsity sports, including soccer, field hockey, cross-country running, and mountain biking. We also work to get our student-athletes on-snow or in pools as soon as possible through trips to Chile, Austria, Oregon, and Quebec City.
Coaching Philosophy
For all programs, a commitment to learning is assured by coaches who are experts in both applied training science and adolescent development. Coaches for the Competition Program have worked at all levels, from grassroots to World Cup, ensuring a challenging, supportive and rewarding experience for each student-athlete.
Gould Academy Competition Program
Coach Simard brings a versatile coaching perspective to Gould, having worked with gifted athletes of all ages, from the junior development level to Division I collegiate level to placement on the U.S. Ski Team. During his eight-year tenure as Head Coach for the University of New Hampshire’s Division I Women’s Alpine Team, he coached the Wildcat Women to an NCAA National Giant Slalom Championship in 2006 and the entire Alpine Team to a second-place overall finish that same year. His athletes also attained an impressive 19 All-American Award honors as well as placements to the U.S. Ski Team.
Originally hailing from Auburn, Maine Coach Simard grew up ski racing. He participating in the U.S. Ski Team’s Development Program, graduated from Green Mountain Valley School in Vermont, and captained the University of New Hampshire’s Division I Men’s Alpine Team. After college he began his coaching career at Sunday River with Gould Academy. A testament to the relationships that he is known for establishing with his athletes, Coach Simard has had the unique experience of coaching several athletes at Gould and then as collegiate athletes at University of New Hampshire. Several of his former athletes have since come to Gould and coached under his leadership. Noted for his enthusiastic love of athletics and ability to lead, his accomplishments have been recognized by his peers as he has been twice named the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA) Coach of the Year (2005 and 2006). In 2007, Coach Simard’s return to Gould was both a homecoming and milestone. He met his wife, Lauren, at Sunday River, and together they have three daughters: Madeline ’16, Cameron, and Sophie.
As the On Snow Program Manager, Ms. Costello provides the oversight that keeps the Gould Academy Competition Program (GACP) running smoothly throughout the winter. With her bird’s eye view of the program, she manages the daily operation for the full-time and weekend GACP. Also Gould’s Winter Term Program Coordinator, she is the liaison between Winter Term student’s sending school and Gould Faculty. Ms. Costello is a 1984 graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington and brings to Gould Academy 25 years of experience in managing various programs and departments for both Sugarloaf and Sunday River ski resorts. She lives in Bethel in the Winter Term Dorm and has two children: Meghan ‘11 and Wyatt ’12.