By Dan Balkin
Master’s level ski racing is the pinnacle of amateur / adult ski racing in the world. HoliMont’s Master’s Race Program Director Jeff Konsella has his hands full – in a good way. On his staff are three Masters Racing National Champions. They have proven, in multiple races on both the East and West coasts, that one need not hail from a famous or big mountain to perfect one’s ski turns. Each of these skiers learned their race-craft in Western New York. In the photo we see (left to right) Tom Scheeler, Jim Thoman, and Joel Solly. They are all grateful for their families and loving and proud fathers. Tom, Jim, and Joel are progressively a decade apart in age, which is reflected in the fact that Tom has three young children, Jim has kids in the 8–10-year-old range, and Joel has three young adults 18-24 years old. Their sense of accomplishment for what they have achieved on racecourses is complemented by respect for each other, the HoliMont Master’s participants, and the other coaches they work with. Many members who are currently participating or who have passed through the program believe that the skills they learned on the racecourse greatly enhanced their free skiing skills.
Champions – Tom Scheeler, Jim Thoman, Joel Solly.
Joel Solly is legendary in WNY skiing circles. He is an ambassador for Nordica skis and has been sponsored by numerous companies for products related to skiing. Joel has competed in both Masters and Pro ski racing. Joel’s mother Arleen and sister Laura have contributed to the timeless charm of Ellicottville as owners of the shops Kazoo II and Daff Dry Goods. Another family member, Joel’s brother Josh, lives in Sun Valley, Idaho. The brotherly love paid off for Joel as he podiumed in 2005 in slalom at the Master’s World Championships in Sun Valley. Five years later, again in Sun Valley, Joel won the Master’s National Championship. In the everyday world, Joel is CEO of Indoor Air Professionals and Kanberra Products. Joel grew up skiing at Kissing Bridge, and early in his KB coaching career he spotted a young prodigy named Jim Thoman. Later, when Joel began coaching at HoliMont, he encouraged Jim to become a race coach at HoliMont.
Jim Thoman rose through the ranks of the race program at KB and eventually did college racing at Geneseo. Jim began to participate in master’s adult racing while at UB Law School (99-02) and is an attorney for Hodgson Russ LLP, one of the leading law firms in Buffalo. He so enjoyed coaching at HoliMont that he decided to join the club while maintaining his position as a Master’s Race Coach. Jim has won, across a variety of age categories, a remarkable eight (that’s not a typo!) Master’s National Championships. Number nine might be on the horizon, as Jim is entertaining the idea of attending the Master’s Nationals at New York’s Gore Mountain this year. Jim said, “I’ve always worked with adults at HoliMont and really enjoy helping them develop their skills and watching them experience the fun of skiing a racecourse.”
The torch of showing Master’s ski racers nationwide what HoliMonter’s can do was passed from Joel to Jim and Tom. Tom Scheeler grew up on the slopes of HoliMont. In Tom’s own words, he was “Born and raised through the HoliMont Race program.” Before Tom entered U.B. to earn a degree in mechanical engineering, he spent four years as a full-time race coach at Holiday Valley: Tom coached older kids on the weekends, and collegiate racers from St. Bonaventure and U.B. during the week. Eventually, Tom returned to his HoliMont roots to offer his expertise to our weekend mornings Master’s Program. Tom won the Master’s National Championship at Okemo, VT in 2014 and 2018. Among Master’s racers, Tom is revered as one of the very best. Off the slopes, Tom employs his engineering skills as the Plant Manager for Unicell Body Company in Buffalo.