John Brodhead ’62 Inducted Into the Vermont Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame

In his acceptance speech, Broadhead credited legendary Vermont Academy coaches Warren Chivers and Angus Black ’41 for “helping me to learn the sport I love.”

While at Vermont Academy, John excelled at 4 events -- slalom, downhill, cross country and jumping. He then raced for Middlebury before starting a career in teaching. John was teaching at the Center for Northern Studies in Wolcott VT in 1979 when he was asked Craftsbury Outdoor Center’s (COC) Russell Spring to direct the COC’s ski program. In his time there, John developed a trail system encompassing 105k of groomed trails that cut through farms, fields and forests, all connecting neighboring towns in the Northeast Kingdom. John also started numerous ski programs for youth and adults and, in his remaining time, organized the Craftsbury Marathon. Through tireless hours of improving the trail, working with landowners, and marketing the event, he made that race one of the most popular ski marathons in the country. The John Brodhead Award is now given to the male and female winners of the Craftsbury Marathon.

John credits his time at Vermont Academy for developing him as a skier and a student. He said, “Warren Chivers and Angus Black were my heroes.” Warren’s sons Ted Chivers ’68 and Chris Chrivers ’79 attended the event, and Ted proudly wore one of his father’s old ski sweaters. Vermont Academy Head of School Jennifer Zaccara was also in attendance, as were legendary U.S. Cross Country Ski Team coach Marty Hall ’56 and “Legends of American Skiing” filmmaker Rick Moulton ’67.

John still speaks fondly of Vermont Academy’s trail system. “I loved all of the trails,” he says. “The race trails were very challenging. Some were out in the open. And screamer downhills.”