Congratulations to our alpine ski coach, Ronn Gifford, for his upcoming induction into the Maine Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.
Ronn - the Racer
Ronn started skiing in the BubbleCuffer program at Sugarloaf when he was a young boy and began his ski racing career at age eight in Eastern Regionals and Junior Easterns competitions. He went on to ski on his high school team at Maranacook Community High School for four years and at the University of Maine for his first two years of college, before UMaine dropped their Division I alpine skiing program. In that
time, Ronn was a three-time state champion in Slalom at the high school level and was the number one skier at UMaine as a sophomore, in the last year of the program. Ronn returned to the scene as a competitive ski racer in 1988, racing in Sise and USSA Master's races for about the next 15 years. During that time, Ronn had numerous podium finishes in National and New England Sise Cup races, highlighted by back to back Masters· National Championship wins in Giant Slalom in 1989 and 1990.
Despite his success as a racer Ronn's biggest impact was as a coach.
Steve DeAngelis wrote in his letter nominating Ronn, "The year after ending his own racing career, Ronn became the ski coach at Maranacook Community High School. In the 18 years since then, Ronn has led his high school teams to eight State Championships and has been a coach of the Maine Team at the Eastern High School Championships for 16 of those 18 years."
From Mark Cyr - Mt Blue Alpine Ski Coach
"When I say Ronn cares about ski racing and ski racers, that can't begin to tell what he does for his program other programs and the sport in general. Many years, Ronn takes on what he refers to as his orphans (meant in a very loving way). He is referring to the athletes from other schools that don't have a race program or team. He coaches them with the same compassion that he has for his own team, and they are truly fortunate to have such a coach who gives of himself as much as Ronn does."
From Ben Roy, one of the ski team's "Orphans"
"Ronn even went so far as to present us with handmade “0” varsity letters at the end of our senior year."
CONGRATULATIONS COACH GIFFORD!