By Shannon Lukens for Steamboat Radio News. Photos Courtesy U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Dave Stewart
Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club has been named the 2026 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Club of the Year, with head coach Karl Denney being named Coach of the Year for the two disciplines and Overall Development Coach of the Year.
Three alumni athletes were also honored by U.S. Ski & Snowboard during the awards: Annika Belshaw, Ski Jumping Athlete of the Year; Alexa Brabec, Nordic Combined Athlete of the Year; and Niklas Malacinski, Nordic Combined Athlete of the Year.
Awards were given at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Awards Banquet Tuesday in Park City, Utah.
Press Release from SSWSC: May 13, 2026
Photos Courtesy U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Dave Stewart:
1) Head Coach Garrett Fisk, Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Program Director Todd Wilson and Head Coach Karl Denney
2) Todd Wilson accepting the award from US Ski & Snowboard Chief of Sport Anouk Patty
3) Todd Wilson and Karl Denney with awards – Dave Stewart
U.S. Ski & Snowboard Names SSWSC Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Club of the Year
Karl Denney is the Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Coach of the Year and Overall Development Coach of the Year, with three alumni athletes honored with Athlete of the Year distinction
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC) announced today it was named the 2026 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Club of the Year. In addition, SSWSC Head Coach Karl Denney was named U.S. Ski & Snowboard Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Coach of the Year and Overall Development Coach of the Year. Three alumni athletes were also honored by U.S. Ski & Snowboard during the awards: Annika Belshaw, Ski Jumping Athlete of the Year; Alexa Brabec, Nordic Combined Athlete of the Year; and Niklas Malacinski, Nordic Combined Athlete of the Year. Awards were presented at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Awards Banquet on Tuesday evening, May 12, in Park City, Utah.
SSWSC was named U.S. Ski & Snowboard Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Club for the eighth time, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024, and now 2026, more than any other club in the United States. The club of the year distinction is presented to a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club in each sport that has distinguished itself by providing direction to young athletes through high-level competition programs that result in athletic success.
The overall Development Coach of the Year is chosen among the top candidates in all sports – alpine, freestyle, freeskiing, snowboard, cross country, ski jumping, and nordic combined, and is a Gold Award. U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Gold Awards represent the single highest honors in the organization. Among the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Gold Awards, U.S. Ski & Snowboard honors a deserving representative from each sector of its structure: an athlete, a volunteer, a coach, and a club. U.S. Ski & Snowboard clubs provide the backbone for athletic programs, with coaches and dedicated volunteers providing the direction that enables athletes to succeed. These recipients represent the vision and mission of U.S. Ski & Snowboard.
Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Program Director Todd Wilson was thrilled to be honored with this distinction. “Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined have a rich, 100-year Olympic legacy, and we are proud stewards of that history. But the incredible work happening at the club level only translates to long-term success if we commit to the entire process. This is where we must look at the bigger picture. True, sustainable success for the national team happens in the bridge we build between the club level and the world stage. We need to actively invest in our athletes during those critical, often unsung transition years. If we don’t nourish that middle stage, the pipeline dries up,” said during the awards ceremony in Park City, Utah, on Tuesday night. “Tonight’s award is a celebration of our past, but it must also serve as a call to action for our collective future. Let’s commit to the long game, trust the process, and invest in the journey of every athlete from start to finish.”
SSWSC Athletic Director Dave Stewart credited Wilson and his team for the incredible accomplishments this year. “The SSWSC Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined program is deeply tied to the history and heritage of Steamboat Springs and Howelsen Hill and reflects the community’s continued support and passion for winter sports. But this award is not just about the past. It also recognizes the truly remarkable accomplishments of the program this year, from the three alumni athletes who represented the United States and Steamboat at the 2026 Olympics to Alexa Brabec’s string of World Cup podiums to our junior athletes’ medals at Junior World Championships and Junior Nationals to hosting the U.S. Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Junior Nationals. The coaches, athletes, parents, and supporters of this program have created a culture built on commitment and belonging that is worthy of this national recognition for a record 8th time.”
SSWSC Executive Director, Brian Krill, commented on these awards, “I want to echo what Todd and Dave have said, while also recognizing that these awards for the Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined program, Karl’s leadership, and SSWSC athletes are a testament to the power of building a positive culture rooted in community and achievement at every level of the sport. This program represents a model for success in all our sports.”
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