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Shout out to Rice's Amazing Freeride Skiers!
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Four Rice Memorial High School students have qualified for the prestigious Junior Freeride Championship at Kirkwood Mountain that starts on April 6, 2025 - (pictured left to right: Tara Nagle, '28; Sadie Haskell, '25; Linsey Nagle, '26, and Seamus O’Neill, '26! These dedicated athletes have spent the season earning points to secure their spots in this elite competition, where they will compete against top freeride skiers from across North and South America.
For Background:
Freeride skiing is a high-adrenaline discipline performed on ungroomed, natural terrain, where athletes choose their own line down the mountain, navigating features and executing tricks along the way. Competitors are judged on criteria such as line choice, fluidity, air, style, control, and overall energy. It’s an incredibly competitive and thrilling sport to watch—but it also comes with significant risk. Reaching this level of competition requires immense courage, rigorous training, and unwavering determination. Each of these students displays a high level of commitment; they train every weekend, spending full days on the mountain refining their technique, building strength, and developing the mental focus needed to compete at an elite level.
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Lynsey Nagle, '26Student profile:
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Photo credit: Photos by Kintz
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Photo credit: Photos by Kintz
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Lynsey has been skiing since she was 2! She skis every Friday-Sunday at Mad River Glen and spends full days on the mountain practicing, training, and honing her skills. Last year she finished 3rd in North America and competed in the Junior World Championships in Austria this January, earning her place as one of the top 13 Juniors in the World. Lynsey is sponsored by Marker, Volkl, Fly Low Gear, Teton Gravity Research, Dalbello, and is a member of the Vermont North Pro Team.
She has a quiet, calm disposition and is downright humble about her incredible accomplishments. She feels great support from her friends and the Rice community - especially from teachers and school leadership who generously give her the schedule flexibility necessary to train, to travel, and compete at such a high level.
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Seamus O'Neill, '26student profile:
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When you meet Seamus, you can tell he’s a skier who pushes the envelope. He’s confident, energetic, with a great love for the outdoors and the sport. So far this season he’s logged 290,000 vertical feet, 387 miles, and more than 22 days on the mountain (and in this challenging ski season, that’s saying something!) He’s one of the highest performing skiers in his age bracket, coming in first at the Mad River Glen regional and 4th at the Smugglers Notch national. His hallmark trick is the double backflip… seriously!?! He’s sponsored by Nordica, Fly Low Gear, Canteen Creamery and has been featured by Ski the East, NewSchoolers, and Nordica in their videos.
He says his key to success is having fun. Certainly, he puts the hours in on the mountain training, but having the attitude that skiing is fun allows his performance to have an energy to it that’s truly distinctive. He quoted Ratatouille, “only the fearless can be great!”
“In most sports, the amount of work you put in will equal to the amount of progress you will achieve. So when you don’t land a trick, or score that goal, it’s important to remember that the work you put in is still waiting to be shown.” - Seamus O'Neill
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We're Here for Our Students!
At Rice, we’re proud to be a school where students can achieve their God-given potential and pursue their dreams. Whether that dream is skiing, playing a college sport, studying abroad, serving their community, or pursuing an academic goal. We work hard to give students the flexibility they need while also still holding them to high standards. It’s a major credit to our teachers who think creatively and make themselves available if needed. We Are Rice!
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