Barbara Lawlor,   Nederland.   Nederland High School’s new alpine ski coach is no stranger to the school, the hill, and coaching kids. Montana Fels has stepped comfortably into the position of guiding 51 racers through the ski race season.

The Panther alpine team is legendary for coming in at the top of the league, and Fels is prepared to carry on the tradition.

She grew up in Boulder and started skiing when she was three years old and remembers using an edgy wedgy to learn how to turn and stop. Before she put on skis, her dad, Adam Fels, used to carry her in his backpack.

For 15 years, Fels raced for the Eldora Mountain Ski Club for 15 years until she graduated from high school.

“Because of racing, I got the opportunity to ski all over the state. I also was fortunate enough to train in Mt. Hood, Oregon, and in the French Alps.”

After Fels graduated from Boulder High School, she went on to attend the University of Colorado Boulder to study history.

She coached Junior Racing for EMSC for one year and during the summer she was a lifeguard, coaching the swim team and teaching the younger kids how to swim.

After taking a break from coaching for a few years to focus on her studies, she was offered the assistant volleyball coaching position at Nederland High School. The following spring, she was hired as the Centaurus High School Junior Varsity Girls’ Lacrosse coach.

When she was offered the middle school assistant skiing position she accepted it. Then, with the start of the season approaching, the school had not received any applicants for the varsity head coaching position.  “Emmy Murphy, the NMSHS athletic director, asked me if I would be interested in taking the position.

I told her that if they could work with my school schedule, I would love the opportunity. I interviewed a few weeks later and got the position.”

Fels says she is excited to be working with a team of this size.

Coaches love to see a program grow, and Fels says she feel fortunate that in her first year the program has already grown.

“Fifty kids is a lot, but what is amazing about this team is the variety of ability that we have. We have athletes that have been racing a long time, and some that are brand new to the sport. This program is able to offer something for every kind of skier, and we are really fortunate that our district offers students a chance to develop the life long skill of skiing.”

This year’s returning skiers and captains are Nederland’s Quin Kuechenmeister and Brita Luscher. Both have raced for the program for many years and are returning this season as seniors.

Fels says that these two athletes are not only exceptional skiers who will take this program far this year, they are also amazing leaders.

“It can be hard when you are 18 years old and asked to take on the responsibility of leading a team of fifty athletes, but both Quin and Brita have been the picture of grace this season and have gone out of their way to make sure every athlete feels included.”

Cassidy Donohue and Jacob Scheiffler are the assistant captains.  They are two of the team’s top skiers and are both learning how to become excellent leaders.

Fels assistant coach is Arthur Nelsen. The team has been on the snow since Eldora Mountain Resort opened, and before they hit the slopes, they held dry land practices to get in shape.

Fels says, “My goal for this season is that every athletes walks away with a new found passion for skiing. Doing well in state would be a huge accomplishment for me this year, but I am focusing my efforts of making sure athletes receive feedback every day and making sure that every athlete is becoming a better skier. Skiing is a unique sport because it is also an amazing and fun recreational activity. I want every athlete to learn how to be a confident skier, while also instilling a passion in them that will last for decades.”

The first Alpine race will take place on Friday, Jan. 8 at Loveland Ski Area.