Hilltop Freestyle Academy

Build your foundation. Find your style. Train with purpose.

Starts January 4, 2027, | Eight training weeks between January and March | Ages 10 –18

Train with Alaska’s freestyle community in small groups of up to six athletes per coach. Build confidence on jumps, boxes, and rails, develop switch and spin skills, and learn to link features into slopestyle runs and rail jams. Coaches use individual feedback and video review to help each athlete decide what to work on next.

Weekly training

• Mondays and Wednesdays, 5–7:30 p.m. | On-snow coaching at Hilltop Ski Area

• Tuesdays, 7:15–8:45 p.m. | Additional indoor movement training at Anchorage Gymnastics Association

Program Dates

Parents Orientation Night- December 1st 6:30- 7:30 PM

On Snow:

Mondays: Jan. 4, 11, 18 & Feb. 1, 8, 15 March 1

Wednesdays:  Jan. 6, 13, 20 & Feb 3, 10, 17 & March 3

Off-Site:

Tuesdays Starting January 5, 12,19, February 2, 9,16

Nationals PREP

Snowboard ONLY March 22-24 (Mon & Wed on Snow, Tuesday 23 Off Site)

SKI ONLY  March 29-31 (Mon & Wed on Snow, Tues March 30 Off-Site)

Training includes seven core weeks and a discipline-specific March week open to every athlete. Sessions draw on upcoming USASA Big Alaska events for training goals. Competing is optional, and event-day coaching is separate.

Who should join? Strong intermediate skiers and snowboarders with some park experience. Skiers should link controlled parallel turns; snowboarders should link controlled toeside and heelside turns. Coaches use an initial skills check to set goals and place athletes in suitable groups.

What Athletes will learn:

Training emphasizes strong fundamentals, park awareness, and controlled execution. Athletes work on switch skiing and riding, takeoffs and landings, spins, grabs, boxes, rails, and linking features into complete slopestyle runs.

Sessions are also shaped by upcoming local events. Ahead of a rail jam, for instance, coaches may focus on rail technique, balance, and feature combinations. This targeted preparation benefits every athlete, whether or not they compete.

Coaching groups have a maximum of six athletes per coach. Progressions are adapted to each athlete’s demonstrated skills, confidence, and readiness, along with available terrain and conditions.

Questions? Call Hilltop Snowsports School at 907-346-2169.

Payment Options

Flexible Payment Options

We understand that committing to a season-long program is a significant investment. To help make participation more accessible, families may reserve their athlete's spot with an initial deposit and spread the remaining balance across the season.

Tuition   Payment Plan $1,650.00 (Register by December 31, 2026)

• $800 due at registration

• $212.50 due December 1

• $212.50 due January 1

• $212.50 due February 1

• $212.50 due March 1

Standard Tuition: $1,600.00 (Save if Paid in Full by January 1, 2027)

The larger deposit helps secure your athlete's place in this limited-capacity program while keeping monthly payments manageable throughout the season.

Enrollment is limited, and registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The Academy includes a season pass, academy hoodie, 10 gym training sessions, athlete assessments, video analysis, and approximately 192 hours of coaching during the season.

Attendance supports long-term athlete development and ensures athletes build the fundamentals, athleticism, and passion required for progression.

The Freestyle Academy is designed to facilitate an athlete’s progress through a structured long‑term development pathway that aligns training, competition, and education with their stage of growth. Each phase builds essential physical, technical, tactical, and mental skills while promoting resilience, character, and a sustainable approach to performance. This model ensures athletes are supported from foundational development through advanced preparation and into high‑performance environments.

In partnership, families, coaches, and Hilltop Snowsports can create youth sports systems that prioritize development over pressure, wellbeing over winning, and access over exclusion—ensuring that every child has the opportunity to grow, thrive, and enjoy a lifetime of physical activity.

Financial Assistance

As part of the mission of Youth Exploring Adventure Inc. DBA Hilltop Ski Area, limited need-based financial assistance may be available for qualifying families. Scholarship applications are reviewed confidentially and funded through community support and donations.