SAM Magazine--Keystone, Colo., April 6, 2004--Twenty-seven skiers and snowboarders, including two adaptive athletes, from 22 different resorts were named to the Next Snow Team at Keystone this past weekend. The team, chosen at the Next Snow Search finals, culminated three days of competition that drew 200 tweener athletes ages 9 to 13 from 51 North American resorts for this first-ever event.

The Next Snow Search showcased several types of skiing and riding for kids. The finals competition was an all-mountain, all-equipment snow sports event--with venues ranging from park and pipe to bumps and big-mountain skiing. Judges considered attitude and character as well on-snow performance in selecting the team.

The event itself will bring plenty of publicity to youth skiing and riding. The finals will be televised on NBC on Sunday, April 11 at 1 p.m. EDT (check local listings elsewhere). Event sponsor Sports Illustrated For Kids, with 8.2 million readers, will cover the story in its June issue, as well.

Snow Monsters founder and Next Snow Search organizer Jack Turner was elated with the event's success. He told SAM that the SI for Kids audience is "all kids and families, who we need to reach" to promote the sport, and encouraged everyone to tune in to NBC's coverage.