Eder and Solotruck Honored by VARA as Co-Development Coaches of the Year
Castleton University alpine ski coaches Chris Eder and Dale Solotruck were honored at the Vermont Alpine Racing Association Gala Saturday night as the Co-Development Coaches of the Year.
The Castleton University Alpine Ski Team has grown to be a successful and accomplished program under the leadership and guidance of Eder and Solotruck. Eder has been with the Spartans for 16 years, while Solotruck has been with Castleton for 13 years. Throughout their time at Castleton, they have fostered a thriving team culture. The two are responsible for molding athletes and also helping to create young adults with strong character, work ethic and passion.
Eder and Solotruck have a long history in the sport. In addition to their team's accomplishments, they have many of their own. In 2016, Eder was named Castleton Employee of the Year, in 2008 he was honored as Castleton Student Association Coach of the Year, and in 2005 he was the ECSC Coach of the Year. He currently serves as Chair of the ECSC.
Solotruck, in addition to his 13 years at Castleton, has worked with other programs including Dartmouth College and Green Mountain College. During his time away from Castleton, Solotruck earned many honors including an NCAA Division I Championship as the Development Coach at Dartmouth.
This past season the Spartan team performed on par with its most recent successes at the USCSA Nationals. For the fourth time in program history, the men's team finished on the podium in third place overall. The women were second overall, placing second in the slalom and second in the GS at the USCSA Nationals in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The women also placed second in the team dual slalom. The men were third in the team event, second in the slalom, and fourth in the giant slalom. The men and women combined for 19 USCSA All-American accolades: 13 women and six men.