When Pigs Fly
In 2004, we started the Next Snow Search: a competition for kids ages 9-13 from resorts across the country. The idea was to create an event that tested all-round skiing and snowboarding skill. Athletes had to participate in racing, moguls, slopestyle, big air, and big mountain skiing. Most importantly, kids were also judged on their attitude, spirit, and sportsmanship to determine the best all-round athletes.
Some people laughed. Others claimed that such a competition could never be staged. One skeptic said a televised program would be as likely as a pig learning to fly.
But 80+ resorts and thousands of kids took a leap of faith in staging qualifying events, “Super-Qualifiers,” Finals, and All-Star events. The events were promoted and covered by Sports Illustrated Kids and three shows were broadcast on NBC Sports. The 2006 All-Star event was broadcast as an intro to the first competitions of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy. Not bad, eh?
All this happened because participating resorts collaborated to promote a dream and our future – kids. Whereas naysayers thought no one would ever watch kids on TV, just the opposite proved true. Nearly two million people watched the 2006 show (more than all ski events for a single hour that season except the Olympic competitions).
