The Benson Family Competition Center Ignites New Possibilities for the Waterville Valley BBTS

Featured Image: Taken from the Benson Family Competition Center (BFCC) conveniently located with ski in, ski out access. Credit: Waterville Valley BBTS

The Waterville Valley Academy (WVA) and the Waterville Valley Black and Blue Trail Smashers (WVBBTS) have recently expanded their facilities to include the Benson Family Competition Center (BFCC). In January of this year (2024), they completed the construction of the Competition Center, and they are proud to call it a game-changing facility. 

The Benson Family Competition Center  sits above the new Tecumseh Express 6-pack lift building in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. It provides a ground-breaking space for the program to progress and develop its student-athletes. The BFCC offers 5,700 square feet of space and overlooks the mountain and several training venues. The building is conveniently located for ski in, ski out with favorable lift access. 

“If someone were to ask me to describe our new competition center in two words, I would say Game Changer. The strategically located Benson Family Competition Center has dramatically improved the on-mountain Waterville Valley experience for visiting athletes while providing the long-awaited and much-deserved space for our exceptional coaches to have the tools they need to be successful,” stated Terry Driscoll, a Board Chairman of WVBBTS. 

The BFCC was made possible through the collaborative efforts and generous support of club members and friends, the Benson family, the Waterville Valley Resort and General Manager Tim Smith. 

What The Benson Competition Center Will Add to The Program

WVBBTS is committed to its mission statement established in 2019, “WVBBTS provides world-class competitive snowsports for club and academy athletes with exceptional coaches, educators, and training venues in a family-focused community.”

To ensure that they are upholding to their mission, they developed the Benson Family Competition Center to provide separate rooms for crucial activities such as: 

• Coach collaboration
• Video sessions
• Parent and athlete meetings
• Race registration
• Equipment storage
• Equipment repair

The program is dedicated to achieving excellence and sought to incorporate a facility that would mirror that commitment.

Tom Sell, the Executive Director and Head of School stated, “The Benson Family Competition Center is a testament to the power of partnership between Waterville Valley Resort and WVBBTS, the boundless generosity of our Club members, and the enduring dedication of our Alumni. This center embodies more than bricks and mortar; it symbolizes our collective commitment to excellence. It’s more than just a space—it’s a hub for connection, where coaches inspire, athletes excel, and families gather, nurturing the spirit of camaraderie and the pursuit of greatness.”

The Benson Competition Center is not the only build-out project at the mountain that WVBBTS has made in the past five years. Four years ago, the program finished the WVBBTS Lunch Room, which is a dedicated space for club and academy families at the mountain. It has continued to be a space that brings everyone in the community together. 

The Partnership With Waterville Valley Resort

The realization of an outstanding Competition Center would not have been possible without the committed and supportive collaboration of the Waterville Valley Resort.

Waterville Valley Resort has continued to show its loyalty to the program, and this expansion further solidifies the relationship between WVBBTS and WVR. This tight relationship will only assist in the future advancement of the student-athletes and will set the entire program up for success. 

The Waterville Valley Resort also provides early and late-season training access, ensuring that student-athletes maximize their time on snow. WVR also continues to host world-class events, such as the United Airlines Waterville Freestyle Cup held at the end of January. The prestigious event welcomed top international mogul skiers to the White Mountains. Hosting elite events is not only positive for the Resort  but continues to inspire young athletes at WVBBTS to follow their dreams and reach for higher goals. 

Future collaborations with the resort include the addition of a new surface lift located at the base of the BCFF that will provide easier access to the training venue.

Looking Towards the Future

WVBBTS and WVA have added facilities that they deem essential for the success of their athletes, students, coaches, families, and the community on their mountain footprint. They plan to continue this growth and look forward to future expansions, furthering the development of the program.

They are already in the process of planning updates to the WVA campus. The plans include but are not limited to, additions to academic buildings, and a new dorm building.

WVBBTS is confident that future planning will continue to add to the upward trend and growth of the program. They look forward to sharing more details of future additions as they get solidified. 

To learn more about the Benson Family Competition Center project visit https://www.wvbbts.org/raisetheroofs