College Preparatory Academy | Co-ed | Boarding & Day School | Grades 9-12 & Postgraduate | Bethel, Maine

Gould is distinguished from other boarding schools and ski and snowboard academies by its ability to provide students with a robust academic curriculum and rich experiential learning opportunities, while also supporting their athletic endeavors with exceptional coaching and facilities. Situated just minutes from Sunday River, one of the northeast’s premier ski and snowboard resorts, students have access to world-class terrain and one-of-a-kind co-curricular programs. With 8 interconnected peaks, spanning 870 acres of trails and glades, Sunday River offers students an unparalleled training environment in which to excel.

Thanks to our close partnership with Sunday River, Gould’s competitive alpine, snowboard, and freestyle athletes enjoy access to dedicated training venues, a private surface lift, an exclusive slopeside lodge, and professionally certified coaching, affording them unequaled training opportunities and the ability to compete at the highest levels of their respective sports. In addition, Gould’s new performance center, located in the center of campus, allows athletes easy access to a state-of-the-art tuning facility including a professionally staffed Wintersteiger stone grinding machine.

Gould also has a long, rich history of developing top-performing Nordic skiers who compete at the highest levels in Nordic and Biathlon. With a 40-kilometer network of private trails just steps from our front door and an additional 500 kilometers of some of the best skiing in the east just a short drive from campus, Nordic athletes have access to some of the most extensive and challenging training terrain in the region.

While approximately 90% of our students participate in some form of snow sports activity, not all do so competitively. For some students, Gould offers an introduction to skiing and riding, for others, it's an opportunity to explore and gain professional learning experience as instructors and first responders through Gould's signature snow sports co-curricular programs.

Whether competing on the regional or national stage, learning by doing on the slopes, or taking advantage of all that our Maine winters offer, there is something for everyone to enjoy at Gould!

Discover Snow Sports at Gould Academy

Developing the Whole Student | Exploring the Whole World | One Student at a Time

Gould's comprehensive alpine training program provides an unsurpassed experience for athletes training to reach their highest potential.  The program is designed to increase technical skills through a blend of directed free skiing and gate training. With support from our High Performance staff, we provide year round strength and conditioning training for our skiers. Our professionally certified coaches support the long-term development of our athletes and prepare them for the highest levels of competition including USSA, FIS, and beyond.  Athletes from our program have gone on to race for top NCAA and USCSA college teams as well hold professional positions for the U.S. Ski team and other prestigious alpine programs around the world.

Gould's Snow Sports Programs

Privacy Policy

“We have something special here. The snowboard program has taken me from local USASA contests to the World Cup. All while providing a high-quality education. Gould’s level of academics and snowboarding can’t be found anywhere else in the world.”

– Tyler Hamel ’22 | US Snowboard Development Team

39 Church St, Bethel, ME 04217  |

ALPINE

FREERIDE/FREESTYLE/FREESKI

Whether it's moguls, big mountain skiing, or park/rail jams, Gould’s free ride-style-ski program offers freestyle athletes the best facilities and coaches to achieve their highest potential.  Our athletes are able to take advantage of year-round training opportunities with a dedicated mogul course and terrain park at Sunday River in addition to trampoline and a dry slope airbag training facilities on campus. From first-timers to seasoned USASA, USSA, and IFSA competitors, our program progression is designed to support the development of athletes of all abilities.

For athletes who love the speed of ski racing, but enjoy big-air jumps, high-banked turns, and the varied terrain of freeskiing, Gould’s ski cross program combines the best of both disciplines.  With a dedicated BX/SX course at Sunday River, one of the few permanent courses in the country, Gould is ideally positioned for the development of ski cross athletes.  In addition, Gould also boasts two Alpine-Tree portable Bluetooth synchronized start gates allowing for early-season and travel training and a Settele World Cup start gate, one of a few such start gates being utilized in the U.S.

Gould’s Snowboard programs provide a world-class experience whether competing for the first time or training for a world cup spot. Dedicated coaches, high-quality training facilities at Sunday River including three terrain parks, and balanced programming allow athletes to compete at the highest level in SBX, slopestyle, and parallel racing.  With three terrain parks and an air bag jump at Sunday River, as well as a trampoline and bag jump facility on campus, Gould is able to support athletes training at the USASA and FIS level.

Within proximity to a vast network of groomed terrain including a world-class, 15-kilometer competition venue, and access to professional coaching that is tailored to the individual, our Nordic athletes have a distinct competitive edge.  Through a combination of technique work in both classic and skate styles, and a focus on the long-term development of the athlete through year-round training, our coaches are able to support athletes as they train to compete at the highest levels in Nordic.

Gould’s ski patrol program is the only one of its kind recognized by the National Ski Patrol where students can train to become fully certified ski patrollers.  Through our unique partnership with Sunday River Snowsports School, students can train to become PSIA or AASI certified instructors, and work with local elementary school children providing learn to ski and ride instruction.  Gould students can also participate in a program in conjunction with Maine Adaptive Sports & Recreation to become trained to provide individuals with disabilities the opportunity to experience the thrill of skiing and riding.

Gould’s Winter Term program is designed for seventh and eighth-grade student-athletes who want to maximize their winter on snow and in the classroom.  Participants benefit from daily training in alpine, freestyle/freeride, and snowboarding while continuing their academics.  The program runs from November through March.

SKI CROSS

SNOWBOARDING

NORDIC

CO-CURRICULAR

WINTER TERM

Gould is distinguished from other boarding schools and ski and snowboard academies by its ability to provide students with a robust academic curriculum and rich experiential learning opportunities, while also supporting their athletic endeavors with exceptional coaching and facilities. Situated just minutes from Sunday River, one of the northeast’s premier ski and snowboard resorts, students have access to world-class terrain and one-of-a-kind co-curricular programs. With 8 interconnected peaks, spanning 870 acres of trails and glades, Sunday River offers students an unparalleled training environment in which to excel.

Whether competing on the regional or national stage, learning by doing on the slopes, or taking advantage of all that our Maine winters offer, there is something for everyone to enjoy at Gould!

Upcoming Admissions Events

Open Houses 2023

Friday, December 8

Open House Events offer students and their families a great opportunity to visit campus, meet faculty and students, and experience our community. While you're here you'll meet and see the many people, programs, and places that make up Gould.