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The beginnings...
The Concord-Carlisle High School Alpine program has a long history of success and fun on the slopes. The program has been in existence since at least 1970 when Harry Damon and Bob Horne coached it. Doc Furey joined the next year and worked with Mr. Damon until 1973. Doc Furey took a year in Vienna before returning and taking over the head coaching reins in 1975.
During the early years, the ski league based itself on the collegiate ski model, minus the jumping. This meant both Alpine and Nordic were combined. Coach Damon and Coach Furey led the efforts, skiing and coaching both disciplines. During the 1980s, students began to specialize, but many, primarily alpine racers, still participated in both. The league had an award for these students, with about a dozen CCHS athletes winning the "ski-meister" title. The early years of alpine racing saw bamboo poles forced into the ice/snow with crowbars, which racers tried to skim instead of hitting directly because hitting them was painful, and there was no such thing as protective gear. Timing was done by hand with mechanical stopwatches; five coaches stood at the finish line with watches and looked up the hill to a flag person who waved when a skier started. When the racer came through the finish, the coaches would huddle to figure out the average time. After all racers finished, they would compile the list and determine the order of the racers.
By the end of the 1980s, specialization continued to increase, and Doc Furey focused on Alpine while others took over Nordic, including Dusty Johnstone and Jim McClellan. Doc stayed with the Alpine program until 1999 when he took a few years off to watch his daughter race in college. He returned in 2001 and remained the head coach until 2012. Pat Savage took over for the next eight years, continuing the fun team atmosphere before Amy Brooks took over in 2020.
Though fun was guaranteed, the Patriots also found success on the slopes. Between 1974 and 2009, the girls were league champions 19 times, state champions three times, and runners-up numerous other times. The boys were league champions 10 times and won the precursor to the official MIAA state race. In 1979, the official state race began, and the men took second place in those first two years.
Individuals also found success, with three men winning the league title and one winning states, Joel Furey. Ten different women won the league title, with two winning it twice and one winning it three different years. The women have also boasted four state champions: Diane Fitzgerald, Susan Fitzgerald, Alison Furey Nowicki (twice), and Ashley Hawes (twice).
Recent history is listed below. We would love more information about the history of our program. Please reach out to Coach Brooks if you have information to add!
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