South Tahoe skier returns from successful collegiate career, invests in region’s next wave of athletes
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – After competing at the top college level, alpine ski racer Gunnar Barnwell has returned home to South Lake Tahoe to mentor the next wave of Tahoe athletes on Team Palisades Tahoe.
In an exceptional end to his four-year ski career at Colorado Mountain College in the NCAA, Barnwell was the 3rd fastest American at the D1 level in his final race.
Turning to his next chapter, Barnwell evaluated the multiple coaching offers he received and ultimately chose the team close to home. A large factor in the decision were coaches Marty Harris and Josh Transue, already at the program.
“Both of them have helped me a lot in my career,” Barnwell said, “and I’ve learned a lot from them as an athlete, so I wanted to learn a lot from them from the coaching side of things.”
Barnwell and Harris go back around 10 years ago when Harris coached Barnwell on Heavenly’s team.
“I am ecstatic to be working with a former athlete,” Harris said, “and to see the passion of ski racing in our local community continue to thrive.”
Barnwell serves as the team’s new assistant FIS men’s coach, assisting post-graduate athletes with reaching the next level after high school, whether that’s college or national teams.
Joining Team Palisades Tahoe gives Barnwell the unique opportunity to not only coach, but to continue to compete.
“We’ve kind of joked about [how] it’s kind of like a soft retirement,” Barnwell said, laughing.
Just recently in Big Sky, he took silver at the WRanger Cup Devo/Open, Dec. 15-18.
He finds being an athlete compliments his coaching. “It’s a lot easier for me to explain stuff to athletes, because I might not know how to say it how the coaches do, but I can show them.”
In coaching, he hopes to help athletes grow not only in the sport, but also as individuals.
“I think honestly, being a better person helps you be a better athlete at the end of the day,” he says and it’s something his coaches instilled in him.
Barnwell has already taken his athletes all over the world, including the Chilean Cup at the end of summer.
In the Big Sky event, Barnwell and his athletes competed in giant slalom and slalom.
For the results from the competition read the article in the Tribune’s sister paper, the Sierra Sun, titled, Team Palisades Tahoe’s Big Sky results
In the New Year, Barnwell and the team will compete at Sugar Bowl on Jan. 5-8.
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