 |
 |
 |
||
 | ||||
|
|
|
||
| ||||
The Vermont Ski Museum held it's hall of fame induction ceremony in Calder Hall recently to honor six Windham County skiing legends—four of whom attended The Putney School.
 |  |
John Caldwell '46, of Putney, Vermont, introduced the United Stated to recreational cross country skiing. A four event skier at Dartmouth, a member of the 1952 Olympic Nordic team, and coach of three Olympic teams, Caldwell left his mark on the Nordic ski world with his book Cross Country Ski. Written in 1964 and now in its eighth printing, the book outlines the basics of cross country skiing. This started the Nordic ski movement, which continues to grow. John also left a mark as a coach. He coached at The Putney School from the mid 1950s – 1989; many of the finest skiers from Vermont and America such as Ned Gillette, Mike Gallagher', Bob Gray '57, Bill Koch '73, Martha Rockwell '62, Larry Damon, and his own four children, came from his program.
Martha Rockwell '62, now of Cabot, Vermont, skied on the 1972 and 1976 US Nordic Olympic Ski Teams. She holds the best U.S. female international race result - 10th in an FIS race – and her successes were well documented in the press. Rockwell got her start at Putney and was perhaps the first female to ski cross country in the USEASA. She coached at Dartmouth also.
 |  |
Tim Caldwell '72, the oldest of the Caldwell children, learned to ski before age two. He raced for The Putney School for four years before competing in four Olympics - 1972, 1976, 1980, and 1984 and three World Championships on the Nordic team. A winner of at least one national title in each distance, Tim continues to race competitively in the Masters racing program while practicing law in Hanover, NH.
Bill Koch '73 also skied for The Putney School and also competed in four Olympics - 1976, 1980, 1984, 1992. Koch won the 1976 silver medal, a first for an American Nordic skier, won a bronze medal in the 1982 FIS, and the 1982 World Cup, arguably giving him the best international record for a Vermont skier. He is also well known for being the first to utilize the skating technique and for promoting skiing on sand. He helped to found the Bill Koch Ski League for 5-13 year olds.
Warren Chivers, long-time ski coach for Vermont Academy and the late Fred Harris, of Brattleboro's Harris Hill ski jump fame, were also honored. Sandy Harris accepted the award on her father's behalf. Click here for more images of the ceremonies.