Skihawks History

The SKIHAWKS Racing Team was founded by Sandee and Gordy Brock in 1982. It started with one lone athlete. This is what has happened since…

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1983:

  • A team of 1 athlete.

  • He participated in Special Olympics Winter Games at Steven’s Pass and won 2 Gold Medals for Slalom and GS.

1984:

  • Approx. 21 skiers participated at the Winter Games held at Mt. Spokane.

  • For “uniforms”, team buttons appeared.  Team patches were sewn on coats “en route”.

  • Coaches had black baseball caps with team patch on it.

1985:

  • 23 skiers go to Winter Games at Mt Hood Meadows.

  • 6 Skihawks (2 Nordic, 4 alpine) were on Washington delegation to International Special Olympics held in Park City Utah.

  • Team uniforms were grey sweatshirts w/logo printed and blue baseball caps.

1986:

  • 25 Skihawks compete in Winter Games at home on Snoqualmie Pass.

  • 15 Gold, 7 Silver, 3 Bronze

  • Raincoats were the uniforms…appropriate for the Greater Seattle area…

1987:

  • 32 Alpine Skihawks and 1 Nordic Skihawk travel to Mt. Spokane for Winter Games

  • 17 Gold, 14 Silver, 13 Bronze

  • First team ski coats in blue and green with blue knit hats with names and the first team banner!

1988:

  • 44 Alpine and 2 Nordic Skihawks compete at Mt. Spokane.

  • 38 Gold, 15 Silver, 13 Bronze, 6/4th, 3/5th

  • A Skihawk is one of 25 athletes from around the world to represent the US at the Olympic Games in Calgary.  Sandee Brock, selected as one of 11 coaches, accompanies her.

  • Gray ski bibs added to uniform.

1989:

  • Winter Games back at Snoqualmie Pass

  • 42 Alpine and 5 Nordic Skihawks.

  • 23 Gold, 19 Silver, 19 Bronze, 13/4th, 1/5th, 4/6th

  • 5 Skihawks represent Washington State at the International Games in Squaw Valley.

  • They get 2 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze, 3/5th, 3/6th.

1990:

  • First time for Winter Games to be held in Wenatchee at Mission Ridge and Leavenworth.  The Boeing Skibacs are the event directors for the second time.

  • 47 Alpine and 7 Nordic Skihawks

  • 25 Gold, 22 Silver, 21 Bronze, 18/4th, 8/5th, 3/6th

  • New team teal and black ski coats, knit ski hats, baseball caps, sweatshirt, new banner.

1991:

  • 50 Alpine and 11 Nordic

  • Team adds headbands, sweatpants, fanny packs, bandanas to the uniform kit.

1992:

  • 51 Alpine, 14 Nordic

  • Wenatchee Winter Games Medal Count:  

  • Nordic: 13 gold, 9 silver, 6 bronze, 4/4th,  .

  • Alpine:27 gold, 31 silver, 19 bronze, 14/4th, 1/5th

  • Mike McLaughlin, long time volunteer coach, passes away.  We dedicated the season to him as a coach, father confessor, hot shot skier (often with unbuckled boots), drinking buddy.  All the team wore black plastic tabs inscribed with “Mike’s ski’n with me”.

1993:

  • A Skihawks alpine skier was chosen as 1 of 2 skiers to represent Washington State in the 1993 International Special Olympics World Games in Austria where he won several Olympic Medals.

  • Sandee and Gordy Brock selected to receive The Jefferson Award for those who are vigilant, hard working and give of themselves for the benefit of community service.

1994:

  • Wenatchee Winter Games Medal Count:  First year of Unified races with coach and athlete.

  • Total Nordic and Alpine:32 gold, 38 silver, 41 bronze, 26/4th,  , 20/5th, 12/6th    

1995:

  • 53 alpine, 13 Nordic

  • Wenatchee Winter Games Medal Count:  First year of Unified races with coach and athlete.

  • Nordic: 6 gold, 11 silver, 6 bronze, 2/4th,  Unified-2 gold, 7 silver

  • Alpine:44 gold, 42 silver, 36 bronze, 12/4th, 2/5th, Unified-6 gold, 4 bronze

1996:

  • 51 Alpine, 18 Nordic, 66 coaches

  • Wenatchee Winter Games Medal Count:  

  • Nordic: 8 gold, 9 silver, 5 bronze, 6/4th,2/5th,Unified-4 gold, 8 silver. 3 bronze

  • Alpine:36 gold, 30 silver, 35 bronze, 20/4th, 13/5th, 1/6th, Unified-11 gold, 12 bronze, 5 bronze, 6/4th, 2/5th.

1997:

  • 52 Alpine, 21 Nordic, 60 coaches

  • Wenatchee Winter Games Medal Count:  

  • Nordic: 24 gold, 21 silver, 8 bronze,1/4th,Unified-4 gold, 8 silver. 4 bronze

  • Alpine:65 gold, 54 silver, 15 bronze, 5/4th, 1/5th, Unified-15 gold, 15 bronze, 3 bronze.

  • 2 Skihawks and a coach were selected to represent WA. At 6th Special Olympics World Winter Games in Calgary, Canada along with 2,000 athletes from 80 countries, 50 coaches, 2,000 families and friends, 1500 volunteers, 300 reps from international print and media. 

1998:

  • 53 alpine, 18 Nordic, 70 coaches

  • Wenatchee Winter Games Medal Count:  

  • Nordic: 11 gold, 7 silver, 10 bronze,7/4th, 2/5th, 2/6th.

  • Alpine:31 gold, 25 silver, 27 bronze, 8/4th, 1/5th, Unified-6 gold, 13 bronze, 9 bronze. 3/4th.

1999:

  • 52 Alpine, 20 Nordic, 70 coaches

  • Wenatchee Winter Games Medal Count:  

  • Nordic: 10 gold, 9 silver, 11 bronze,7/4th,3/5th, Unified-3 gold,1 silver, 2 bronze. 2/4th.

  • Alpine:27 gold, 30 silver, 22 bronze, 13/4th, 5/5th, Unified-17 gold, 10 silver, 7 bronze and 4/4th.

2000:

  • 52 alpine, 20 Nordic

  • Wenatchee Winter Games Medal Count:  

  • Nordic and Nordic unifies: 37 gold, 28 silver, 9 bronze.

  • Alpine:26 gold, 24 silver, 19 bronze, 17/4th, 2/5th, 2/6th, Unified-11 gold, 6 silver, 10 bronze and 2/4th.

2001:

  • 52 alpine, 20 Nordic

  • Wenatchee Winter Games Medal Count: 1st year for Nordic at new venue in Leavenworth. 

  • Nordic: 13 gold, 11 silver, 11 bronze,5/4th,2/5th, 1/6th, Unified-4 gold,2 silver, 2 bronze. 

  • Alpine:21 gold, 46 silver,37 bronze, 20/4th, 10/5th, 6/6th, Unified-6 gold, 8 silver, 10 bronze, 6/4th, 4/5th.

2003:

  • First year for Snowboarding as an exhibition event at State Games. We had 4 Skihawks.                

2004:

  • 2004 marks the development of the Skihawks Racing Team Board of Trustees.  Comprised of family, long time supporters, coaches and athletes, the board has worked to set up the Skihawks as a 501 (c ) (3) organization offering new advantages and growth opportunities afforded non-profit organizations. 

  • The decision to take the team in this direction would help preserve the core purpose of serving the special athletes by strengthening community partnerships and building the Skihawks organization for the future.

2005:

  • The year of the “Pineapple Express”.  Little to no snow. Winter Olympics canceled.

  • A  Skihawks Nordic  head coach is selected as the coach for the Special Olympics USA team at the World Games in Nagano, Japan.  Her coaching helped lead the U.S. Special Olympics Team to victory that included a great showing by a Skihawks Nordic skier, who won 2 Gold Medals and a Silver Medal at the games.

2006:

  • First year for Snowboarding as an official sport at the Special Olympics Winter Games. 

2008:

  • 2008…6 Skihawks were selected to be a big part of the Washington delegation of special athletes representing Team USA at the Special Olympics World Winter Games. 

  • First year for the Skihawks Invitational at Snoqualmie Pass. Black knit hats with white stripe at headband and embroidered logo. 

2009:

  • Second year for the Skihawks Invitational at Snoqualmie Pass.   Black polar fleece neck gators. 

2010:

  • 2010, One of our own Skihawks athletes, who also served on the board for Special Olympics Washington, was designated as the Washington State Representative to the Special Olympics International Global Conference.  She was one of 16 athlete delegates from the United States that traveled to Marrakech, Morocco for this historic three day event.

  • Third year for the Skihawks Invitational at Snoqualmie Pass.  Black shoulder bags with silver printed logo.

2011:

  • The team numbers 65 athletes and 84 coaches/course setters and an unfathomable number of volunteers and supporters.

  • At the Special Olympics Washington Winter Games in Wenatchee, alpine, Nordic  skiers and Snowboarders, came home with …41 gold medals, 50 silver medals,  40 bronze medals, 27 – 4TH place ribbons, 14 – 5TH place ribbons, 4 – 6TH place ribbons.

  • STAY TUNED FOR MORE ABOUT THE TEAM!  WE ARE COMPILING OUR ARCHIVES TO HAVE A WRITTEN RECORD OF THE GROWTH OF THE SKIHAWKS RACING TEAM.

  • Today we have nearly 80 special athletes, as many volunteer coaches, a heard working board of 20 plus members, organizations and companies around the Pacific Northwest as supporters, numerous support volunteers and, of course, hundreds of family members, community supporters and friends as part of the ever growing Skihawks family still passionately dedicated to inspiring and involving athletes with intellectual disabilities to train and compete in the excitement and joy of winter sports.  We’re over 35 years young with so much more to do.