Coaching Staff
Head Coach Kelley Sinnott:
This is my 8th year coaching for SVSEF and my 7th year as
the XC Prep Team Head Coach. I was born and raised in Ketchum, have
been part of SVSEF for 18 years and am proud to be part of such a great
organization. Over the course of my childhood I was part of the alpine,
snowboard, and nordic team but spent the majority of my time on the XC
trails. I was part of the nordic team from 2nd grade through high school
and after graduating from high school I headed east to Bates College.
At Bates I was a member of the Bates Ski Team for 1 year and for 3 years
I was a member of the Bates Ice Hockey Team, after graduating from
Bates I found my way back to Idaho and XC skiing. Currently I am
trying to spend as much time coaching as possible, I am an assistant
coach for the XC Devo Croy program and during the off seasons I coach
for Sawtooth United and am the assistant coach for the WRHS Varsity Girls Soccer Team. If I'm not on the ski trails you are most likely to
find me tele skiing on Baldy, playing hockey with the Ketchum Five Stars
or sitting by Petit Lake in the summer. Two things you might not know
about me are that I make my own Dill Pickles, and I've been on a game show; in 2010 my family competed on the Family Feud!!...
Abbie Harris: This season marks Abbie's 7 year coaching cross country skiing and her 3rd year with SVSEF. Prior
to coming to SV Abbie was the assistant coach at a girls high school in
Portland ,OR for two years and she was the head coach at a high school
near Burlington, VT for 2 years. Abbie grew up in Derby Line, Vermont, a
small town on the Canadian border where she began skiing at a the young
age of 3! She fell in love with XC racing at age 7 and continued
through high school and for 4 years at Bates College in Lewiston, ME.
When Abbie isn't out on the ski trails with SVSEF she can be found
teaching ski lessons or working in the ski shop at Galena Lodge, or in
the summer working as the garden manager at Wood River Organics in
Bellevue. When Abbie isn't working her favorite activities include,
running, biking, cooking and she "is a sucker for going to the movies".
One thing you might not know about Abbie is "that maple syrup is the
secret ingredient in everything that she cooks".
Rob Landis: Rob, the male coaching representative on the Prep Team this year is a well seasoned coach with SVSEF, having coached for 13 years. Rob is originally from Auburn, New York but is a converted Idahoan, having graduated from BSU with a BS in Earth Science Education. He lives in the Valley with his wife Amy, and his two daughters Annika and Kaitlyn both of whom are members of the comp team. Rob "loves anything that involves mountains" which is clearly shown in his successes both as a skier and mountaineer. Robs skiing career highlight include: 4 Time Wasatch Telemark Series Champ, 2 times top 8 US Nationals, Directed Skiing Operations at Galena Lodge 1987-1992, 3rd Boulder Mountain Tour 1987, two other top 5 finishes, 1st US Masters Marathon and Relay, 3rd Overall Great American Ski Chase, and 1994 Fischer Solomon Team and America's Marathon Team Racer. When Rob isn't coaching skiing or taking kids into the wilderness as the Outdoor Program Director at the Community School, he is "climbing, trail running, kayaking, backcountry
skiing, eating, swatting bugs, etc…". Rob feels that "coaching Prep Team is awesome and so
rewarding. I coach with some amazing
people and the kids are always enthusiastic, ready to ski hard and have a lot of fun. I may be the old guy on the coaching
staff but prep team is a perfect match for my maturity level". One thing you might not know about Rob is that has recently become "sponsored by Aleve and AARP".
Carrie Heagney (intern)
Carrie has been part of the SVSEF nordic program as an athlete for three years but has spent part of the the last year also working as an intern/coach with the Prep Team. Carrie has been racing XC for 9 years, and is a 3 time Junior National Qualifier. Carrie grew up and skied in Bozeman, then after high school spent a 'Post Grad' (PG) year with the SVSEF program, she is now a member of the Montana State University Ski Team, but spends her summers in Ketchum training and coaching with SVSEF. The thing that Carrie enjoys most about coaching is "being able to get kids out and active. Skiing as a sport has so much to offer, especially to young people, and [Carrie thinks] its awesome to be able to give back to what skiing gave her." When she isn't out on the nordic trails Carrie can be found playing guitar, rock climbing, or drawing. One thing you might not know about Carrie is that... "despite the height of
5' 2'', she can tear you to shreds on the basketball court... really!"