2011/2012 Coaching Line up
Biographical information about your coaching staff.
 Kirk Rawles Head Coach Purgatory Freestyle Team Kirk Rawles – Head coachCertifications:Background: This year Kirk Rawles will celebrate his sixteenth year as Program Director and Head Coach of the Durango Freestyle Team. The program has grown from just 3 athletes in 1995 to fifty-six athletes this past year. Kirk has lived in Durango for seventeen years and has been involved in the ski industry most of his adult life. Kirk was born in Libby, Montana where he learned to ski at Turner Mountain. Turner is a local mountain which was developed by his dad Jerry and mom Suzie. At the time it boasted of its mile long t-bar and 2,100 vertical foot drop. At age seven Kirk moved to Tacoma, Washington and grew up skiing a variety of mountains in the Northwest with mom and dad and brothers Scott and Mike. Kirk followed his brother Scott to Breckenridge, Colorado in 1979. Kirk competed on the World Pro Mogul Tour for nine years eventually moving from competing to Executive Director. He moved to Durango in 1994 where he worked as Marketing Director for the Adaptive Sports Association for four years. He has served as Program Coordinator for the Durango Winter Sports Foundation and sat on the steering committee with the City of Durango for development of snowmaking at Chapman Hill. He is very proud of both brothers as Scott has coached in three different Olympic Games as head coach of the U.S. Freestyle Mogul team and Mike is the event coordinator for the USSA Rocky Mountain Freestyle division. Having grown up in a skiing family, Kirk thrives on the enthusiasm and shear enjoyment young athletes and coaches bring to the slopes. The camaraderie and fun experienced by kids and coaches are what drive the success of the program. This helps develop successful competitors in a nurturing, non-threatening environment. With a family of his own, including wife of ten years Laurie and nine year old twin boys Freddy and Hunter, Kirk looks forward to continuing the family friendly feel of the freestyle program in developing respectful young men and women into “ripping” little skiers! |
The AWESOME! Assistant Coaching Staff |
 Adam Battersby - Freestyle Assistant Coach Adam BattersbyThis year is Adam Battersby’s second year coaching as a freestyle coach. He has previously coached for the Fly Freestyle Team at the Utah Olympic sports park in Park City, Ut. Adam also has experience coaching Big Air at age 17 for Black Diamond gymnastics in Park City. His background includes 11 years experience as a competitive freestyle skier. Adam has competed in the first Two Dew Tours at Breckenridge, Co. He has taken a passion to passing on to the next generations, as well and has found his love for the backcountry. He loves working with kids and is very friendly on and off the mountain. This is his first winter in Durango and he is very excited to be working with the Team.  WHAT???!!!! Results: |
 Adam Hirshberg - Freestyle Assistant Coach Adam HirshbergAdam grew up skiing at Mt. Sunapee in New Hampshire at the age of two joining his first team at six years old. At age 8, all he wanted to do was catch air… so he began skiing moguls competitively and continued throughout high-school. Park skiing was still in its infancy but with his experience in mogul skiing it peaked his interest. He moved to Breckenridge right after high school in 2003 joining up with Chris Hawk’s free ride team, which he began to coach in 2009, focusing on all mountain and park skiing. He comes to us from there after recently relocating to Durango with his girlfriend.  Playing Through! |
