The Hatter ski team, which includes a skier each from New Fairfield and Bethel high schools, is jumping towards new heights after welcoming a new head coach this season.

Jackie Aaron led the ski team for at least 10 years before accepting a position at Ridgefield High School. Jessica Halas, who has coached the girls’ varsity soccer team for the past 12 years, was named as the replacement, and just completed her first year.

Athletics Director Chip Salvestrini explained that it was “her background, and her vast amount of experience” that made him decide to hire her. Halas attended Danbury High School from 1994-1997, and skied during all four years at DHS.

“She was an all-state skier here at DHS,” Salvestrini said, “and I believe she has the ability to supercharge the ski team.”

Halas has always had a profound love for skiing. “I enjoyed skiing since I was very young, around three years old. As a family, we spent the weekends skiing and I always found it so much fun,” said Halas, adding that “I grew up ski racing myself since I was seven years old.”

Salvestrini said he has charged Halas with establishing a more athletic commitment to the program and to make it more competitive. Salvestrini added that so far he has been impressed with the improvement in the program.

The boys’ squad finished 4-20 and the girls’ finished 4-16.

Halas aspires to help the team improve for the future. She states that “in addition to having fun, having the team bond together and build team chemistry,” will help make the team grow for the future.

Captain Sarah Bradsell said she feels like it’s “my duty to improve organization, and how to work together as a team. We have to do everything together.”

Halas’ goal is to “improve [the team] as overall skiers.” She wants them to “get more comfortable racing day by day, practice by practice.”

“She’s intense, in a positive way,” states Bradsell. “She’s all about what she does and explains well before practices and races,” adding that “Coach helped me focus more on technique and form, and not only speed when I’m racing.”

Captain Kyle Krohomer explains that, “Coach is dedicated. She always has one-on-one meetings with us, she’s not afraid to help us,” he said. “She provides help to whoever’s in need and the more advanced players are usually sent to the course to practice.”

Expectations are always set at the beginning of the season, and Krohomer said he “always expect to improve as a team, and I expect more research and practice to help us get the results we want.”

He said that “talent has always more or less been present in the team, but now, it has gained organization and preparation for practices as well as outcomes have improved.”

Bradsell says “Something that I learned this season is how to ski properly and better than I ever thought I could. Coach Halas definitely taught us how to ski with the proper form.”

“This year by far was my favorite year ever, the people, the coach, the things we did as a team, all made it the best year ever,” Bradsell said.