More about Will and this award

Will Ferguson was a valued member of the Freestyle Panorama community; in his time making a lasting impact on athletes, coaches, parents and many more in our mountain community. Will’s gentle authority, unwavering intellect and generous humility has made a positive and lasting impact on all who were around him.

Will was seldomly the loud voice in the group or the first one down a run (and definitely not the first one up in the morning!).  Instead, he provided an oft-needed voice of reason to the group he was coaching or skiing with. He was a quiet presence that spoke up when there was something important or worthwhile to share. Will was admired by all.  Others took heed when Will offered his opinion - he had the ability to talk sense into people both younger and older than himself.

Will started with FPSC in its infancy and was a core member of the hard-charging, Tayton-lapping groms who spent every weekend having the time of their lives at the hill.  As he started to age out of his role as an athlete he elected to carry on with the club, becoming a valued member of our coaching team.  Will was loved by his athletes and fellow coaches alike for his kind, funny, thoughtful and humble manner.  

In September of 2021 Will lost his difficult battle with mental health.

The Award: 

The Will Ferguson award will be given annually at FPSC’s KFC event during the Saturday medal ceremony.  Fundraising to support the award will continue throughout the year and is a key component of KFC advertising. 

Criteria:

Podium status / success with competition is not a criterion for this award.  Instead, this award will be distributed based upon citizenship and the characteristics that embodied Will including the following:

• An athlete that exemplifies an exceptional maturity.

• An athlete that exhibits humility when interacting with peers, coaches and others. Will was often the smartest person in the room, but because of his quiet demeanor this was often missed. Humility is measured by what is said to others, how it is said, and at times what is not said. 

• An athlete who is respected by their peers - not by demanding it, but by earning it. 

• This award has very little to do with skiing skills.  In fact, the award may be given to the skier with the self esteem to say no when others are saying yes. This award goes to an athlete that exhibits the qualities Will exemplified: Humility, Generosity and Kindness. 

To Apply:

A selection committee will convene approximately 1 month prior to the KFC to select the recipient. Athletes may be nominated by coaches, peers, or any other member of FPSC.  Members /Coaches / Athletes cannot nominate an immediate family member (e.g., child, sibling, etc.) or an individual residing at the same address.  

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To nominate an athlete, please submit the athlete's full name and a short essay describing why you've nominated the individual to admin@freestylepanorama.com.

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The Prize

The Will Ferguson Award has a value commensurate with the amount of funds available and the needs of the recipient.  Awarded monies may be allocated to training costs, travel subsidies and/or any other means the selection committee deems will support the athlete’s skiing endeavors.  If an appropriate in-kind sponsorship is available to support this award, ski equipment may also be awarded.