Duane Bridge, long time Cascade Ski Club
member and currently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the
Club, is the recipient of the fourth annual SGMA HEROES Award for
the State of Oregon for his lengthy and devoted work with the
Mighty Mites ski racing program at Mt. Hood.
The SGMA HEROES Awards program was created
in 1994 by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), in
partnership with the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters
Association (NSSA), to recognize and honor the true "unsung"
heroes of sports. The Awards are presented annually to individuals
who, through their unique commitment and humanitarian spirit, have
made a lasting contribution to the pursuit of sports excellence,
sportsmanship, participation and/or opportunity within their local
communities and beyond.
"Duane
was a co-founder (with Matt Greenslade) of the Mt. Hood Racing Team in 1965"
Duane was a
co-founder (with Matt Greenslade) of the Mt. Hood Racing Team in 1965, and has devoted
countless hours over thirty years in training the 2,500 young racing team enthusiasts who
have participated in the MHRT winter and summer training and race activities. He is now in
the process of turning the MHRT vehicle they created over to young enthusiastic coaches
who will be capable of perpetuating this high caliber program for the benefit of future
generations of MHRT participants.
"competitive
atmosphere that can help enhance building of character, self esteem, confidence and
personal values"
- Duane Bridge -
In
Duane’s words: "Alpine ski racing is a risk sport with continual
improvement emphasis on individual performance conducted in a
competitive atmosphere that can help enhance building of
character, self esteem, confidence and personal values for benefit
of all participants in this particular sports activity. There are
no bench warmers in the sport of competitive alpine or nordic
events. Variables involved with the ever changing ‘playing
field’--ski slopes where practices and competitions are held--are
never the same, presenting unique challenges which eliminate
repetitive boredom of exactly duplicated arenas where tests of
competitor skills take place."
Thank you,
Duane!
Cascade Ski
Club thanks Duane for his long term commitment to the club, for working with the
clubs jumping hill, for his visions of the future goals, and ensuring that the club
will be open to families, youth, and all people who have an affinity to the mountain.
Thank you, Duane!