JAMES MCNAMARA

FREERIDE COACH

James started skiing at the age of 8 in the Alps of Germany. At Garmisch Partenkirchen, he attended school and eventually joined the race program racing until the age of 13. Being in a military family, his father was reassigned to Fort Bragg, NC where 2 year hiatus from skis took place. Eventually the family was on the move again (this time for good) to Whitefish MT in the summer of 2005. James grabbed his first pair of twin tips, a pair of K2 Fujatives, from the Ski Swap at the old Sportsman and joined the Whitefish Mountain Resort Freestyle team led by Steve Knox. Skiing for fun with friends took precedence over competing and became an obsession still taking priority over most things in his life. Eventually James began coaching under Connie Parks’ Freestyle team and became the Senior Freeride Coach of the WMR sanctioned team. For 5 year James enjoyed working with the senior Freeride kids watching them go from grom to young Pros. Moving to the Flathead Freeride Club only made sense as his kids eventually outgrew the resort’s freestyle program. Last year was his first year coaching with the Freeride club; however, he looks forward to many more years of working with our athletes. During the off season James loves whitewater, fly fishing, hunting, and live music.