I can’t believe this was already the 3rd year for Homecoming, hosted by Seven Springs.  This years planning process was a little crazy, with tons of injuries just before the event.  I have to say I was really worried up until the week before.  I had to make some major last minute changes to the format, which transformed this years Homecoming from a contest to a photo/film shoot.  Luckily for me all the girls were down, the results were fantastic and I think, the event was as successful as ever.

The line up:

Keri Herman, Kaya Turski, Ashley Battersby, Devin Logan, Keltie Hansen, Anna Segal, Erica Durtschi, Shanny Cohen, and myself.

All the girls arrived in Pittsburgh Thursday night, and the shuttle delivered them directly to Seven Springs.

Day 1

We woke up Friday to a gloomy day.  I’m talking some of the worst conditions I’ve seen in a long time.  It rained all night and just as we were customizing our garbage bags it turned to snow and the jumps to solid ice.  We all took a tour of the mountain and the set up.  I’d been telling the girls how amazing the park looked, and I was anxious for them to see it for themselves.  We took several runs laughing the whole time, and then in true Seven Springs fashion made our way to afternoon activities!  First, we headed to The Seven Springs Shooting Academy for the 3rd Annual Skeet Shooting Competition.  The first round ended in a 3 way tie, but in the end it was Shanny Cohen who left with the trophy.  There is something about 10 girls getting together to shoot guns that never seems boring, and I love that each year one of the girls gets to shoot for the first time in her life.  After the skeet competition, Anna Segal and I helped with the evening weather report for WTAE

(ABC) Pittsburgh.  Luckily for us the weather was about to take a dramatic change for the better.  Next up, the seafood buffet, where we had a competition to see which side of the table could stack up the biggest pile of snow crab.  We finished the night in the game room, where some of the girls worked to hone their skeet skills with Big Buck Hunter.

Day 2

After a dismal first day, Saturday brought sunshine!  This time Keri and I got to help deliver the weather report, and we were stoked the sky was blue.  After an amazing, and I mean amazing breakfast buffet, we headed to The Spot to start hitting the jumps.  The bottom jump was epic.

Highlights included.  Keri’s switch cork 5’s, Devin’s Cork 7’s, Anna’s Rodeo 5, Erica’s 9, and the list went on.  It really is awesome to ski with a big group of girls in a fun environment.  The rest of the crew headed to North Park, where Kaya, Ashley and Keltie worked on their switch spins.  Switch Un-natural!  I was so stoked to see all the girls having a blast.  We ordered Pizza on the hill and stayed until the light gave out.  We headed back to the

lodge for a break and to watch the fireworks show, but we weren’t done yet. Seven Springs has night skiing!  Kaya, Anna and I took the opportunity and went back for more.  I definitely did a penguin slide down North Face for old times sake, and Kaya and Anna hit up the jumps and rails.  We finally made it in for dinner just after 9.  It was a full and productive day!

Day 3

More sunshine!  Sunday started out with all the girls giving back.  We had a ski with a pro event, where all the local kids were invited to come take some runs with us. Anna and Erica headed to the jump and the rest of us went to The Foggy Bowl, for an amateur rail jam.  We skied along with all the kids and handed out prizes for the best tricks.  Ashley and Kaya were killing the course. The rail set up was awesome and I even did some tricks for the first time! There is some real talent coming out of PA right now.  I think we were all blown away by some of the tricks the guys were doing. Ashley has a new crush. Sorry girl, Jimmy is a little too young for you! Congratulations to Dan for taking home the grand prize.  After the rail jam, it was time to jump some more.  We hit the jump until the sun went down, early dinner and bed, all exhausted from the weekends festivities.

Big thanks to everyone at Seven Springs and especially Ales Moser, Melissa Cullin and Joel Rerko and his staff for building an incredible park.  You guys killed it again this year. Proving that you don’t have to be on the west coast to have one of the best parks in the world!

One more amazing year in the record books! Homecoming went off without a hitch again this year!  All the girls flew in to Pittsburgh on Thursday evening and the shuttle picked them up at the airport.  They arrived at Seven Springs just in time for women’s olympic halfpipe.  I was in the lobby awaiting their arrival. We quickly made our way to one room and all huddled around the TV.   It was fun to sit with all the girls and cheer on all of our olympic friends.

Friday morning brought some questionable weather.  The wind was blowing and I was worried.  I work so hard to make this contest all it can be, but the one thing I can’t control is the weather.  Although, sometimes I wish I could… Practice didn’t start until 11 and the wind lightened up considerably.  The Seven Springs park crew headed by Joel Rerko did such a good job building and maintaining the course that practice went really well.  It was just like the X Games, snowmobile tows all day long! After practice all the girls explored the resort.  Seven Springs is like a cruise ship.  Tons of restaurants and bars, bowling, mini putt, roller skating, gamerooms, and pools all in one building.  There is never all dull moment.  That night Seven Springs invited us all to the Seafood buffet.   Crab legs, shrimp, and scallops!  It was awesome!

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I woke up Saturday morning.  Blues skies as far as I could see!  That’s a rarity in Pennsylvania.  Especially this winter, because PA is breaking all the records for annual snowfall.  The course had 3 jumps and 3 rails.  The first jump was 35-40ft with a Cannon as an option.  The Second jump was 50ft and the last jump was 60ft.   The course had plenty of speed, which was really welcomed by all the girls.  Because the run is so short Joel got creative.  The bottom rail feature had an up rail to a wall ride to a down rail.  It was great for spectators, and there were a lot!  Homecoming was during the second weekend of Seven Springs annual Winterfest.  Jen Hudak, Kaya Turski and I got to promote the contest during the evening and morning weather reports on WTAE Pittsburgh.  We were also giving away a ton of free Monster Energy drinks, so that added to the excitement.  I think the sun and the spectators really added to the level of competition.  The contest was a jam format again this year.  Two preliminary heats and 5 girls advanced to the final.  All the girls skied really well.  Roz Groenwood was boosting nicely grabbed 7′s, Ashley Battersby was going huge, and Meg Olenick kept it smooth and stylie, while Kaya Turski, Devin Logan, Dania Assaly, Keri Herman and I moved on to the finals.  Kaya’s amazing switch 7′s put her in the number one spot yet again, Devin Logan’s misty 7 propelled her into 2nd and Keri Herman’s incredible switch cork 5′s put her in a comfortable 3rd place!  The contest was all I hoped for.  Great weather, great course, great level, and great friends.

The contest was over, but the party was just beginning.  I’ve been telling people about the Foggy Goggle for years.  I believe it is the craziest apres bar in the country, and maybe even the world.  I know that seems like a big claim, but the numbers don’t lie.  I once heard a stat that the Foggy Goggle sells more drinks annually than the Steelers stadium in Pittsburgh.  The awards and the party were all time.  The Foggy Goggle was packed and the girls were the main attraction.  Lots of smiles, dancing on tables and fun times.  The party went into the night and the rest is history!  Another year in the books!  I think I speak for all the girls when I say ” I can’t wait for Homecoming 2011! Thanks to Seven Springs and Monster Energy for all of your support!  Let’s make it bigger and better next year!