SVSEF Announces New Scholarship for Female Racers

The SVSEF (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation) organization believes the mountains are the world’s best classroom, where a child’s imagination is captivated and their potential for learning, growth, and inspiration is realized.

To provide exceptional snow-sport programs for the youth of the Wood River Valley is the goal — SVSEF enables each participant to reach their athletic potential, while developing strong personal character through good sportsmanship, strong values, and individual goals. In fact, 56 years strong, SVSEF is one of the oldest nonprofits in Idaho.

Former ski racer with the SVSEF has established a scholarship for an aspiring female alpine athlete. Ashley Snyder Briggs grew up skiing and racing with the SVSEF between 1974 and 1985. After graduating from the Sun Valley Community School, she raced for Middlebury College’s Division 1 ski team.

Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the sport of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings.

Ashley Snyder Briggs Scholarship

The Ashley Snyder Briggs Scholarship Award will provide $10,000 towards tuition and impressively — expenses for one high school-aged female alpine athlete per year for the next 10 years. The first recipient will be announced when the 2022-23 season gets underway in September.

Over the years, Ashley has stayed connected to the Wood River Valley and the SVSEF through her family and her nephews’ participation on the ski team.

“I have always wanted to give back to an organization that gave so much to me,” Ashley stated.  “There are so many acquired traits, lessons learned, and experiences gained through sport and competition, and you come away with a skill set that serves you for the rest of your life. Work ethic, goal setting, leadership, resiliency, teamwork — I am thrilled to be able to give this opportunity to a young SVSEF athlete who wants to take their sport to the next level.” 

How to Win the SVSEF Award?

The scholarship will be awarded each year by Snyder Briggs and a committee of SVSEF coaches. It will be granted to the female athlete who shows love and passion for alpine ski racing, commitment both on the hill and in the classroom, intends to pursue the sport after high school, and shows an appropriate need for financial support to chase their dreams in ski racing. 

"For an athlete to work towards the highest level of ski racing, it takes a tremendous time commitment and dedicated mindset by the athlete,” stated Will Brandenburg, SVSEF Alpine Program director. “Ashley’s genuine understanding, generosity, and vision to help support young women who want to take this sport as far as they can, is an incredible gift to our program and to all the athletes who are awarded the Ashley Snyder Briggs Scholarship in the years to come.”