Labrador Mountain Ski Club: Coach Bios

 

PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Kerrie Nesbitt-Wormer race@labskiteam.org

Bob Okoniewski (Head Coach, J1/2 Head Coach)
Bob is Labrador Mountain Ski Club’s Head Coach and J1/J2 Head Coach. Bob was born and raised in Baldwinsville, NY and grew up skiing and racing at Song and Labrador Mountains. He went to the Junior Olympics as a J3 and J2, and was the New York State Slalom Champion as a J1. Bob went on to become a Division 1 ski racer, raing the NCAA Carnival Circuit for four years while attending Keene State College in New Hampshire. He was the captain of the ski team at Keene State for two years. Bob is a USSA Regional 200 Level Coach. Bob is the owner of Okie Court Systems - a tennis court building and resurfacing company. Bob resides in Cazenovia, is married to Kathy Okoniewski and is the father of four: Susi (LMSC Alum and current Flying Forerunner Coach), Gavin (LMSC Alum and current Flying Forerunner Coach), Sasha (LMSC Alum) and Galen (J2).

Kathy Okoniewski (J3 Head Coach)
Kathy is a native of New Hampshire. She started skiing at age 3 and skied as a youngster with her family at many of New Hampshire's great ski areas (e.g., Waterville, Wildcat and Cannon). Kathy started ski racing at age 10 at Mt. Sunapee. She was named to the US Ski Team's "D" team at age 14 and she began specializing in Downhill. When she was 16, Kathy was the top Junior Downhiller in the United States and was ranked 25th in the world among 16 year olds. She started coaching as a 19 year-old at Heavenly Valley, California and has been coaching ever since. Kathy attended the University of New Hampshire and Keene State College in New Hampshire. Kathy was the Head Coach of the Labrador Mountain Ski Club for 15 years, and she is a past Chair of the NYSSRA J3/4/5 Development Committee. Kathy is a USSA International Level 400 Coach and a Level I PSIA (Instructor). Additionally, she holds National Level US Ski Coaches Association (USSCA) certifications and has been a Clinic Leader at both PSIA and USSCA Coaches' Clinics. In 1998, Kathy was honored as the Central New York Ski Council's "Coach of the Year," and in 2001 was the USSA New York State Coach of the Year. Kathy is married to Bob Okoniewski, lives in Cazenovia and is the mother of four: Susi (LMSC Alum and current Flying Forerunner Coach), Gavin (LMSC Alum and current Flying Forerunner Coach), Sasha (LMSC Alum) and Galen (J2).

Lauren Brodey (J1/2)
Lauren began skiing and racing at the age of three. She grew up in Fayetteville and began racing at Toggenburg before moving over the Labrador Mountain Ski Club when she became a J2. In addition to "driving Bob Okoniewski crazy for four years" (her quote) she reached the Junior Olympics each year while a member of the LMSC. After graduating from Jamesville-DeWitt High School in 1998, Lauren attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she went to Nationals each year, was a four-time All American, captained the team for two years and ended her college racing career ranked fourth in the nation. Lauren graduated from UMASS in 2002 and began working in pharmaceutical sales. Lauren currently lives in Manlius.

Tim Rosbrook (J1/J2)
Tim is a native of Camillus/Skaneateles, and started skiing at an early age in large thanks to Bob Bryant, who introduced him and his siblings to the Labrador Mountain Ski Club. Tim raced for LMSC for many years, competing through his junior year in high school. He went on to race in his freshman year at St. Michaels. Tim has been a Labrador Mountain Ski Club coach since 1999. He holds a PSIA Level 1 Certification and is a certified USSA coach. In his words, “I love the sport of ski racing and the opportunity it provides for athletes to develop s sense of self that is related to building on the techniques and skills that they learn while having an opportunity to push their own limits and making an individual effort despite the weather, early mornings or conditions they cannot control. Skiing is a life-long sport, and I enjoy the opportunity of helping kids to learn to love the sport at an early age. I have had the great pleasure of watching my three children grow-up with ski racing and apply themselves in many new ways in life because of the experience they each have had. Skiing is a central part of our life as a family and I enjoy bringing the love of the sport, along with sound technical knowledge, to the coaching that I do.” Tim, his wife Joni, and their three children Katie (LMSC Alum), Benjamin (LMSC Alum) and Nicholas (J2) currently live in Rome, NY. Tim is an avid runner and competes locally.

Phil Battan (J3)

Phil has been involved with the Labrador Mountain Ski Club for the past 10 years as a racer parent, level coordinator and J4 and J5 coach. Phil's skiing background includes high school and collegiate level racing in the Northeast. Growing up in New England, much of his time was spent in New Hampshire climbing, free skiing and racing in the White Mountains. Although a bit more cautious than in years past, Phil continues to enjoy competitive sports through road cycling and adult league ski racing. Phil is very much committed to health and fitness and spends much of his free time involved with strength and fitness conditioning. Always a fanatic with sports conditioning, Phil trained for several years following college as a competitive natural body builder where he achieved numerous titles including two national championships. Originally from New England, Phil and his wife Sue live in Manlius with their two children Peter (J2) and Hannah (J3). Having graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, Phil is an engineering manager with ARCADIS in Dewitt.

Rick Downing (J4 Head Coach)
Rick is a Central New York native. He graduated from Jamesville-Dewitt High School and from the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 1978. Rick has skied at Labrador Mountain all of his life. He has been an instructor at Labrador and was the Technical Director of the Ski School for four years and the Director for five years. He has been coaching our racers at the J3 and J4 level full-time for over 10 years. Rick is a US Ski Coaches Association Certified Regional Coach and a PSIA Level 3 instructor. Rick is also a PSIA Examiner and conducts clinics, education courses and exams. In 1999, Rick was honored as the Central New York Ski Council's "Coach of the Year." Rick, his wife Margaret and their daughter Nadine (J2) live in Cortland.

Lauren Harris(J4 Head Coach)
Bio coming soon!

Peter Girardi(J5 Head Coach)

Peter is a LMSC Alum, having raced throughout high school. He went on to continue his ski racing career at Montana State University, skiing with their cub team. Racing took him around Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. While at MSU, Peter competed in western regional’s in his freshman year, and subsequently attended this event as a coach in his junior and senior years. During the summer months, Peter worked as a camp counselor and waterfront director in New Hampshire. After graduation, Peter returned to the Upstate New York area for work, and lucky for LMSC to coach! Peter is a USSA Level 1 Referee and a certified USSA coach.

Peter Steckel(J5)

Peter is a native of Skaneateles. He grew up skiing at Labrador Mountain, where he raced for LMSC for 15 years. Peter was one of the first Flying Forerunners in our program. After graduating from high school, Peter went on to race for Clarkson University. He went on to become the assistant coach of the Clarkson Ski Team, where he helped lead the team to a 6th place finish at the 2010 USCSA Nationals, the best in the school’s history! Peter returned to Skaneateles and the LMSC program following graduation, and is in his second year as a J5 coach. Peter is a USSA Level 100 coach.  

Errin Magruder (Flying Forerunner Head Coach)

Errin has been skiing at Labrador Mountain for 8 years. Having learned to ski at 2 years of age, she has developed a love for the sport and a dedication to passing this love onto other youngsters. Having raced for Tully High School, Errin later became an instructor for the Song Birds program, the ski school program at Song Mountain. For the past 3 years, Errin has been an integral part of our Flying Forerunner program, acting as head coach for the past 2 seasons. Errin has three boys, and her eldest son, Anthony, is currently a Flying Forerunner.