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A Day in the Life - UNISUS Snowsports Academy Athlete

Imagine starting the morning in an high level classroom and finishing the afternoon carving turns at a mountain resort, all in the same school day. That is everyday life for a UNISUS Snowsports Academy athlete. 

What is the UNISUS Scholar-Athlete program?

The UNISUS Scholar-Athlete program combines a world-class education with a holistic, focused approach to athletic development. It is designed for students who want to reach high-performance or advanced levels in their sport while also achieving strong academic results. Snowsports is one of four UNISUS academies, alongside Ice Hockey, Motorsports and Soccer - in partnership with Everton FC in the UK.

What makes it work is the Academics+ timetable. For three afternoons each week from Monday to Friday, academic classes are scheduled in the morning, so students can train in the afternoon without missing their lessons. You can read the full overview on the Scholar-Athlete Academies page.

What are the key benefits of UNISUS Scholar-Athlete program?

UNISUS Scholar-Athletes build skills that last well beyond sport such as resilience, accountability and dedication. The program is built around four pillars:

  • Academic pathway — students can graduate with the IB Diploma and/or the enriched B.C. Dogwood Diploma, credentials recognized by top universities worldwide, often with early acceptance and scholarship offers.
  • Athletic development — strength and conditioning, mental wellbeing, nutrition and injury prevention, with dry-land training led by qualified sports therapists.
  • Individualized support — personalized training plans plus performance reports supported by analytics and video.
  • Future-ready skills — a focus on communication, critical thinking, nutrition, leadership and other soft skills that universities and employers value.

What is the UNISUS Snowsports Academy?

The UNISUS Snowsports Academy is built for Scholar-Athletes who want to reach their highest potential on snow while earning a globally recognized education. UNISUS was the first school in B.C. to pair a Snowsports Academy with an innovative academic program, and athletes can train in two disciplines: Freestyle and Alpine Ski.

On-hill training is based at the renowned Apex Mountain Resort in Penticton, B.C., which is one of the best hills for snowsports training in Western Canada. During the snow season, the program delivers around 15 hours of skills training each week, plus strength and conditioning twice a week, all supported by a holistic athlete-development system. Learn more on the Snowsports Academy page.

"The curriculum and the timetables will be built to support both athletics and academics, so it will feel like one integrated system … If this existed when I was an athlete going through the ranks, it would have changed my world." — Coach Kristi Richards, UNISUS High Performance Freestyle coach

What are the alpine snowsports program levels?

The alpine program is organized by age and ability, so athletes progress at the right pace. Training time increases as athletes move up the levels:

  • Pre-U12 to U12 (Level 0–1) — training on Fridays, weekends and school breaks, with a possible Apex2100 term.
  • U14 to U16 (Level 1–3) — training on Wednesday afternoons, Fridays, weekends and school breaks, with rigorous dry-lands and an optional U14 Apex2100 fall term.
  • U18 (Level 3) — training Monday, Wednesday and Friday plus weekends, with flexible individual and team training and an Apex2100 option.

The Apex2100 exchange option is offered for alpine skiers who want extended-season, international-level training. For the latest details on disciplines and levels, see the Snowsports Academy page or email the team at snowsports@unisus.ca.

How does the pathway run from academics to competition?

The UNISUS Snowsports pathway connects three sides of an athlete's journey, including academics, athletics and competition, into one integrated system that opens doors to U18 and FIS levels, and on toward national-team and career opportunities in snowsports.

On the academic side, the program builds an integrated weekly rhythm of training (Monday, Wednesday, Friday plus full weekends), focused lap-time training at Apex, and full dry-lands covering mental, emotional and physical development, with optional Apex2100 exchanges. This academic foundation keeps university and college options open, including NCAA pathways.

On the athletic side, training grows with each stage: younger athletes (Pre-U12 to U12) build their base on Fridays, weekends and breaks; U14–U16 athletes add midweek and dry-land sessions; and U18 athletes follow a fuller, more flexible individual and team schedule.

On the competition side, athletes progress through the age categories — Pre-U12, U12, U14, U16 and into U18 B.C. Team integration and FIS racing qualifications, with the national team as the highest step. Alpine athletes are guided through bodies such as FIS and B.C. Alpine, while freestyle athletes follow leagues such as the Nancy Greene Ski League, SuperYouth, TimberTour and pathways like Canada Cup and NorAm. (Apex2100 is an alpine option; the freestyle league names sit alongside the alpine ones in the pathway.)

What does a typical week look like during on-snow months?

Here is a sample week for a U18, Level 3 athlete during the on-snow training months. It shows how UNISUS blends full academic time with serious training, so students never have to choose between the classroom and the mountain.

  • Every morning begins with arrival at the school between 8:00 and 8:20am.
  • Monday & Wednesday: academics from 8:30 to 1:00 (with a mid-morning break), then lunch and the bus to the hill, on-snow training from 1:30 to 3:30, and the bus back to UNISUS by 4:00.
  • Tuesday & Thursday: full academic days, with classes from 8:30 to 1:00 and again from 1:40 to 4:30.
  • Friday, Saturday or Sunday: the bus leaves for the hill at 8:30 for a full day of on-snow training from 9:30 to 3:30, returning by 4:00.

A typical Monday might look like this: breakfast and arrival, two morning blocks of classes, a quick lunch, then the bus to Apex for an afternoon of coached training on the snow, before heading back to campus for the evening. By Friday, the rhythm shifts to full days on the mountain through the weekend. Balanced, structured, and built around both goals at once.

Frequently asked questions

What disciplines does the UNISUS Snowsports Academy offer?

The Academy offers two disciplines: Freestyle and Alpine Ski. Training is based at Apex Mountain Resort in Penticton, B.C.

Do you need to be an elite skier to join?

The program supports a range of levels, from younger developing athletes (Pre-U12) through to U18 athletes pursuing FIS qualifications. Athletes progress through clear age and ability levels.

How does the Academy fit with academics?

Through the Academics+ timetable, academic classes are scheduled so athletes can train several afternoons a week without missing lessons. Eligible graduates can earn the IB Diploma and/or the B.C. Dogwood Diploma.

How much does the Snowsports Academy cost?

Fees vary by discipline and level and are updated each season. Please see the Snowsports Academy page and the Tuition and Fees page for current pricing.

Ready to hit the slopes with UNISUS?

If your child dreams of combining serious snowsports training with a globally recognized education, the UNISUS Snowsports Academy is built for exactly that. Book a tour or email snowsports@unisus.ca to learn more.