News from Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.

Evan Soard Named SSWSC Cycling Program Director

SSWSC still has room in youth cycling programs for the summer

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. — Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC) is pleased to announce that Evan Soard has accepted the position of Cycling Program Director, effective June 16. Soard brings a lifetime of experience in cycling and a passion for the sport, and the club is excited to welcome him to the SSWSC team in this role.

Soard was born and raised in Denver, where he developed his love for skiing and riding bikes. From his early days of skiing at Winter Park to competing in mountain bike racing at the highest collegiate level, skiing and cycling have always played a significant role in his life.

Soard earned a degree in Communications from Western Colorado University, where he helped build the school’s mountain bike team and competed in several national championships. After moving to Steamboat Springs in 2001, he became a PSIA-certified ski instructor and later transitioned to a long career at Moots Cycles, where he worked for 18 years. He has been a youth development coach at the SSWSC since 2018 and has coached the High School Mountain Bike Team since 2021. He received the SSWSC Youth Development Coach of the Year award in 2024 and holds a U.S. Ski and Snowboard Level 100 Freestyle certification.

Soard and his wife, Laura, live in Steamboat Springs with their daughter, Sydney, who competes in moguls and mountain biking with the SSWSC.

As Cycling Program Director, Soard will oversee all aspects of the cycling program, including spring and summer youth and competitive programs, camps, the high school mountain bike team, the community bike swap, and events. SSWSC Winter Youth Program Director Ali Givnish will continue in her role overseeing the youth mountain bike program in the summer.

In the winter, Soard will also be the head coach of the Devo Freeski program, one of the largest SSWSC programs, which includes young athletes pursuing freeride, slopestyle, and backcountry skiing.

SSWSC Cycling Programs and Weeklong Cycling Camps

School is out next week. Have you planned summer activities for your young athlete? Need to fill in a few weeks? There is still time to register for SSWSC youth cycling programs. SSWSC summer programs are a great way to stay active, build friendships, and connect with nature! SSWSC has cycling programs for kids as young as 6 years old and SSWSC has space available in June and July sessions. New this year, SSWSC offers weeklong bike camps for 8-10-year-olds, Monday through Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Intermediate Mountain Bike Camp will take place from July 28 to 31 and August 4 to 7. The Advanced Mountain Bike Camp will take place from August 11 to 14. More information at www.sswsc.org.

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Tony Lodico Named Freeski Program Director at Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC) is proud to announce the promotion of Tony Lodico to Freeski Program Director. Lodico previously served as the club’s Head Devo Freeski Coach and has been a dedicated member of the SSWSC coaching staff since 2004.

“Tony is a thoughtful and responsive leader who has consistently listened to our freeski community, developing programs and coaching that truly reflect the Steamboat spirit,” said SSWSC Athletic Director Dave Stewart. “He is deeply respected by coaches, athletes, and families, and is exceptionally well-prepared to lead the program as the sport continues to evolve.”

Lodico brings over 30 years of experience in youth outdoor education, starting his work on snow in 2000. A native of western New York, he first stepped into a halfpipe in 1994 and began freeski coaching shortly thereafter. Beyond skiing, his extensive background includes roles as a sailing, surfing, bodysurfing, sea kayaking, and adventure learning instructor.

During the 2010s, Lodico contributed nationally as a member of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard (USSS) Freeskiing Sport Committee, a regular invitee to USSS Gold Camps, and a board member of the United States of America Snowboard and Freeski Association (USASA).

He also served as assistant director for the New York State Sheriffs’ Association summer camp for at-risk youth, and contributed to strength, trampoline, and water ramp programming in Steamboat Springs.

After taking a two-season sabbatical to sail the U.S. East Coast and coach in Australia with the Sunshine Beach Surf Sports Nippers program, Lodico returned to SSWSC in January 2024 as the U13 Devo Freeski Head Coach. Since then, he has supported education across all freeskiing and freeride age groups, from U8 to high school programs.

Lodico currently serves on the U.S. Ski & Snowboard National Faculty and represents the Rocky Mountain region on the USSS Freeskiing Sport Committee.

“We are fortunate that Tony continues to share his time, energy, and talents with the Steamboat community,” said Stewart. “His leadership will help ensure a strong future for our athletes and the sport of freeskiing.”

Lodico replaces the former Freeski Program Director Andy Michnay, who held the position since 2022. Michnay and Lodico worked closely together for many years.

 

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