If the district’s school board agrees with a curriculum and instruction subcommittee recommendation to drop the sport at both Natrona County and Kelly Walsh high schools, it would leave only four schools in the state with high school alpine teams. Wyoming High School Athletics Association bylaws state that if fewer than six schools participate in a sport for a period of two years, that sport is eliminated.

If the sport is dropped by the two Casper high schools, the remaining four schools could continue participating in 2008 and 2009. Unless two additional districts in the state establish teams, alpine skiing would be eliminated as a sanctioned high-school sport in 2010.

Natrona County district activities director Dean Kelly noted that five members of the state-champion Natrona County boys team are seniors. Kelly said he was unable to fill a coaching position for an entire year and Kelly Walsh was unable to field a full girls team last season.

“That’s just the situation we’re in with numbers,” Kelly said. “You may see kids choosing to snowboard or be part of the club scene. We understand the implications statewide and when we discussed it we knew there would be a ripple effect.”

Jackson Hole High School head alpine ski team coach Cody Hansen said the news is troubling. Jackson’s high-school program offers a competitive option for skiers who aren’t interested in making the time and financial commitment required to compete for the Jackson Hole Ski and Snowboard Club. The Bronc girls team has won seven straight state titles, and the boys team has won five titles in the past eight years.

“When they cut that program, they’re essentially cutting more programs than their own,” said Hansen, who raced for Laramie High School in the late 1980s. “As coaches, we feel like we need to help out in some way, but it seems like they need to hear from people who have been through the program to see that it’s successful and worthwhile.”

Trevor Wilson, associate commissioner of the WHSAA, said he wasn’t aware of any other schools in the state considering adding high-school alpine skiing as a sport. Only a handful of school districts are in close proximity to a ski area for practice.

The Natrona County school board is expected to take public comment on the recommendation at a meeting Monday.