Humans of Northwood: Marie-Jeanne Cazes ’26

February 25, 2026 by Jack Kroll

“My advice: get your Common App done as fast as you can. Why?

“Well, I grew up in Quebec City, and it’s been like 10 years since I started ski racing. I started skiing at three and started racing at 8. I came to Northwood because of Leanne. We were really close, and she told me she was coming here and that I should come. So, I emailed the coach, and he said I should visit.

“I came here as a senior, and I really wanted to go to college in the U.S. However, no one told me when I got here how important the Common App is to get into college. Also, I wasn’t ready yet, so I decided to PG.

“Two years ago, I was doing all my schoolwork in French, and at Northwood I had to switch to English. My grades improved as I learned English, and during the second year, I got to know the teachers, which really helped me. I raised my grades, which helped me get into Babson next year.

“Switching from living in my house, being in another country, and speaking another language really made me grow.

“Seniors, just enjoy your last year here. Try to make as many friends as you can. I will miss my friends and the social life here. Here, you’re close to everyone and make good friends. Just being in the living room, talking to people, playing the piano, sitting by the fire, going to the games, and in the Spring, hanging out with everyone and going to the lake. I’m going to miss all of it.

MJ’s recent art project. Photo provided.

“I do not think pineapple belongs on pizza. I think I’ve never actually had one. So, I’m against it. My favorite meal in the dining hall is grilled cheese and tomato soup.

“During my free time or when I’m bored, I do art just to relax. I think it’s because of my mom. My mom is an architect, and since I was really young, I drew houses with her. I like drawing with her, and that’s maybe why I’m good at it.”

As told to Jack Kroll ’26 while working on her latest art project. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Brattleboro Preview – Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Junior World Championship Qualification

February 11, 2026 by Jack Kroll

This coming weekend, February 13th – 15th, Northwoods ski jumping and nordic combined teams head to Brattleboro, Vermont, to compete in the second set of Junior World Championship Qualifiers. They will compete on both Saturday and Sunday for spots on the U.S. Junior Worlds team, with Saturday’s also serving as a US Cup competition – the highest level of domestic competition.

The Junior World Championships are the highest level of U20 international competition in both ski jumping and nordic combined. Each nation chooses their top 4 junior athletes as well as an alternate for each sport to send to the Championships. This year, the Championships will take place in Lillehammer, Norway, site of the 1994 Winter Olympics.

The first two qualifiers were in Ishpeming , Michigan. Henry Loher ‘26 won both competitions and is leading the standings for the three remaining spots. Jack Kroll ‘26 took 4th in the first qualifier and 2nd in the second. Kroll is tied with Arthur Tirone from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for the final two spots. For nordic combined, Duncan Van Dorn ‘28 placed 4th in both competitions and currently holds one of the 5 unclaimed nordic combined spots.

Athletes during the National Anthem in Brattleboro – Harris Hill.

This is the biggest weekend of the year for the team. Loher, Kroll, and Van Dorn will look to solidify their position on the Junior Worlds team, while athletes like Eli Larkin ‘27 and Islay Sheil ‘28 aim to close the gap and move into a qualification position.

Supporters can tune in to the competition via live stream. On Saturday, 02/14, the live stream starts at 11am, with the competition starting at 12pm. On Sunday, 02/15, the live stream starts at 11am, with competitions beginning at 12:30pm

Filed Under: Sports, Top Story

They Train Like Olympians. They Compete Like Olympians. They Aren’t Allowed to Be Olympians.

February 4, 2026 by Jack Kroll

The Olympic Dream, Denied: Women and Nordic Combined.

The International Olympic Committee has dubbed the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics the most gender-equal Winter Olympics in history, with women’s competitors making up 47% of the field. This figure is the result of decades of advocacy by athletes and fans pushing for equal opportunity across genders; however, the IOC still refuses to give the women of Nordic Combined their opportunity.

Nordic Combined is a sport combining ski jumping and cross-country skiing. It is one of the original Olympic sports and has been contested at every Winter Olympic Games—but only for men.

In the last decade, women’s Nordic Combined has grown rapidly, with the addition of the World Cup in 2020, which was won by Vermont native Tara Geraghty-Moats, and the addition of a large hill event in March 2025. Despite this progress, one stage still excludes women: the Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee cites a lack of diversity on the World Cup podium, a lack of viewership, and a lack of development in the sport as reasons the women’s event is not included.

Here are the facts. So far, athletes from five separate nations have stood on the podium in the 2025–2026 World Cup season. This includes American athletes Alexa Brabec and Tara Geraghty-Moats. As for viewership, during the 2024–2025 World Cup season, viewership of women’s Nordic Combined events grew by 25%.

The lack of growth in the sport is directly tied to its absence from the Olympics. Every young athlete shares the same dream: to become an Olympian. When a young girl is choosing a sport, she isn’t going to choose the one in which she is denied the chance to fulfill that dream. Additionally, by excluding women from competing in Nordic Combined, the IOC is failing to uphold one of the goals laid out in its charter. Founder Pierre de Coubertin stated, “The Olympic Games are open to all the world. No discrimination is allowed.”

This is not a new story. Since the very first Winter Olympics, certain sports and events have been open only to men. Over the course of a century, athletes and fans pushed back. Eventually, only two holdouts remained: ski jumping and Nordic Combined. In 2014, women’s ski jumping was added to the Winter Olympics, leaving Nordic Combined as the Winter Olympics’ last holdout.

Now it is time for us—the athletes, the fans, and everyone who believes in the Olympic dream—to speak up. Every year without women’s Nordic Combined at the Olympics sends a clear message to young girls watching from the sidelines: this dream is not for you. That message contradicts everything the Olympics claim to represent. Equality cannot be selective. Opportunity cannot be conditional. The women of Nordic Combined have earned their place.

NO E❌CEPTION Campaign Poster by Jack Kroll and Nordic Combined USA.

History will not remember the excuses used to delay equality; it will remember who stood in the way of it. The Olympics pride themselves on progress. It’s time they prove it. No more waiting. No more excuses. No exception.

What Can You Do?

Change does not happen quietly. A petition supporting the inclusion of women’s Nordic Combined in the Olympic Games is linked here for readers who want to add their voice. Fans can also support the sport by tuning in to men’s Nordic Combined at the Olympics. Strong viewership of the men’s event increases the likelihood that the IOC will add the women’s event. Here’s where and when to watch men’s Nordic Combined at the Olympics.

Sign the Petition to Include Women’s Nordic Combined in the Olympic Games!

Where and When to Watch.

Filed Under: Opinion, Real World, Sports, Top Story

Faculty Apartment Tour: Dr. Ben LeBlanc

February 1, 2026 by Jack Kroll

Dr. Ben LeBlanc at his apartment door. Photo by Jack Kroll ’26.

Today, we take a rare look at one of the apartments that Northwood faculty and staff call home. Dr. Ben LeBlanc has taught at Northwood since 2021, living on Third East the entire time.

When you first walk in, one thing is immediately clear: LeBlanc loves to run. The main hallway is lined by racks of running shoes, bins of running hats, and hanging running coats. The shoe collection used to be much larger, he said; last year, he donated 120 pairs of shoes to a fundraiser led by former teacher and soccer coach Mr. Martinez. The shoes went on to help kids in Honduras. LeBlanc runs an average of 3,000 miles a year, which is why he goes through so many pairs of shoes.

Ben LeBlanc’s main apartment hallway. Photo by Jack Kroll ’26.

Racks of running shoes in LeBlanc’s apartment. Photo by Jack Kroll ’26.

Leblanc also has a spin bike in his apartment for when he needs a break from running or when it’s too cold outside. He also has a road bike that he uses in the summer to get more base endurance hours.

Like any good athlete, LeBlanc emphasizes recovery after training. In his apartment, he has foam rollers, resistance bands, and an ankle-stretching device. He also has his own set of Normatecs similar to those Donny has in the training room.

LeBlanc’s spin and road bike. Photo by Jack Kroll ’26.

LeBlanc’s recovery tools. Photo by Jack Kroll ’26.

Leblanc’s dog, Ellie, has her own special spot in the apartment. She has two dog beds perched on a coffee table in LeBlanc’s living room. Ellie also has a massive Pikachu stuffed toy that is her favorite. She’s also featured in artwork around the apartment.

Also in LeBlanc’s living room is a desk that he uses to check the physics subreddit, as well as a kitchen. LeBlanc eats his main meals in the dining hall, but he occasionally cooks in his kitchen.

Photo by Jack Kroll ’26.

Ellie, LeBlanc’s beloved Frenchie. Photo by Jack Kroll ’26.

Outside of the living room, he has a laundry room, a small bathroom, and a bedroom.

Dr. LeBlanc’s desk. Photo by Jack Kroll ’26.

Dr. LeBlanc’s bedroom. Photo by Jack Kroll ’26.

Dr. LeBlanc’s laundry room. Photo by Jack Kroll ’26.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Two Northwood Alumni Named to Olympic Teams

January 26, 2026 by Jack Kroll

Photo by US Ski Team.

On Thursday, January 22, the US Ski Team announced its team for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. US Ski Jumper and Lake Placid Local and former Northwood student Tate Frantz was among those named to the team. And on January 26, Team Canada announced that ski cross athlete Kevin Drury ’06 would represent Canada in his third Olympics.

Frantz started jumping at the age of 9, but his Olympic dreams stretch back much further. “Since my first time on skis at the age of two, I’ve dreamt of having the honor to take part in the holy grail of sports,” said Frantz on his Instagram when he announced his naming to the team.

“I don’t think it’s fully hit me yet, but when I take a second to think, or look at my post or all the messages, I realize how freaking cool it is. I’m so beyond excited and proud of the work and years behind it.”

Frantz attended Northwood for a year in 2020-21. He then took the leap, moving to Norway to hone his skills. Then, 2 years later, he returned to Lake Placid in 2023 to make his World Cup debut.

Since then, Frantz has established himself on the World Cup circuit, racking up three Top 10s and a 14th-place finish at the World Championships in 2025. He also took home three medals in the 2025 Junior World Championships here in Lake Placid.

Kevin Drury ’06 (File/Getty Images)

At 37, Drury is set to compete in his third Olympic Winter Games. He narrowly missed the podium at the PyeongChang 2018 Games, finishing fourth in the big final. After several injury-affected seasons, Drury returned to top form last year, earning five World Cup podium finishes following a nearly three-year drought. In December, he captured his first World Cup victory since February 2020, marking his 19th career podium. Drury previously claimed the Crystal Globe in the 2019–20 season, one year after winning bronze at the FIS World Championships.

“I’m incredibly honored to represent Canada in a third Olympics,” Drury said in a statement released by Team Canada. “Really excited to finish my career with the opportunity to win a medal. For first-time Olympians, my advice is to take it all in, have fun, and enjoy the experience. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment, though I guess in my case it’s three in a lifetime, which I still can’t believe. “

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports, Top Story

Huskies Fight for Spots on the 2026 Junior Worlds Team

January 25, 2026 by Jack Kroll

Midway through January, the Ski jumping and Nordic combined teams traveled to Ishpeming, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, to compete in the first set of Junior World Qualifiers. The team battled through tough conditions and came away with some good results.

The 2026 FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships are being held in Lillehammer, Norway, in March. Previously, they were scheduled to be in Trondheim, Norway, but the venue has been changed. The United States has four spots on the team plus an alternate. Qualification is discretionary, but outside of international events, the main way to get on the team is through the 4 Junior World Qualification events. The first two just took place in Ishpeming, and the other two are in Brattleboro, Vermont, in February. Currently, one athlete has auto-qualified for the team based on World Cup results, leaving the other four spots (including the alternate) up for grabs.

Image of the Change of Venue Announcement for Junior Worlds. Photo by FIS.

This year, Ishpeming experienced a historic snowfall. As of January 20th, 2026, they are already 50-60 inches above their yearly winter average. This trend continued while the team was there, and it “snowed basically the entire time we were there,” Jack Kroll ’26 said. The snow brings “unique challenges to competing.”” The tracks can slow down, and the comp can become unfair. Also, the landing can become sticky, making it hard to land,” Henry Loher ’26 said.

Athletes also had to contend with high winds, especially on the second day of competition. Ishpeming is located 15-20 miles inland from Lake Superior, which creates strong winds and lake-effect snow.

The first competition was held on Friday, January 16^th – a night competition under the lights, starting at 7 pm. Hundreds of spectators came to watch 37 athletes compete in a US Cup Competition that would also serve as a World Junior Qualifier. The US Cup is a yearlong domestic competition series for U20 athletes. Henry Loher ’26 would keep his streak of 7 consecutive US Cup wins over the last two seasons. Jack Kroll ’26 finished just off the podium, in 4^th, followed by Duncan Van Dorn ’28 in 5^th, Eli Larkin ’27 in 8^th, and Cadel Cox ’27 in 12^th. Islay Sheil ’28 finished 4^th in the U20 Girls.

On the second day, conditions deteriorated during the trial round, and by the time the first round started, the wind and snow made jumping unsafe at times. This led to long wind holds and breaks to blow the snow out of the track. Additionally, there was a long hold after Max Fey ’28 crashed due to an equipment failure. Luckily, Max was able to walk away from the crash unharmed and take a second-round jump. Loher and Kroll finished 1^st and 2^nd, respectively, followed by Larkin in 8^th. Due to the conditions, the Nordic combined athletes chose not to risk taking a second jump, as only the first jump dictates your starting time for the cross-country race. Shiel finished 6^th in the U20 Girls.

Henry Loher ’26 1st and Jack Kroll ’26 on the podium. Photo provided.

On the Nordic combined side of things, Duncan Van Dorn ’28 led the way with two 4th places finishes, one in the 10k and one in the 5k. Unfortunately, Max Fey ’28 was disqualified on the first day for incorrect measurements. It was later determined that the people taking his measurements made the mistake, not him. On the second day, Fey started last due to his crash and made up solid time. On day one, Cadel Cox ’27 finished 9^th and finished in a photo finish on the second day.

Looking ahead, the team has an off weekend to prepare for the Eastern Championships in Salisbury, Connecticut, from the 6^th to the 8^th of February. The following weekend, February 14^th and 15^th, the team has the final two Junior World Qualifiers in Brattleboro, Vermont. Currently, Henry Loher ’26 leads the qualification with 200 points. Then, Jack Kroll ’26 is tied with another athlete for 2^nd place. “I have high hopes going into the second set. I was hoping for a 4^th or 5^th place in Ishpeming and then podiums in Brattleboro. Getting the podium in Ishpeming puts me in a great spot and takes some of the pressure off ahead of Brat,” Kroll said.

Filed Under: Sports

Nordic Teams Kick off the Winter Season

January 21, 2026 by Jack Kroll

A week after returning from Thanksgiving break, the Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, and Nordic teams kicked off their competition seasons in Norway, Colorado, and right here in Lake Placid.

Before their competitions, they helped prepare the hills in Lake Placid for winter. The team helped with the slushing of the in-run track. Henry Loher ’26 said, “We were tasked with shoveling snow from a pile of manmade snow and running it through a snowblower to chop it up. From the blower, we put it in 5-gallon buckets and carried it to the takeoff of the jump.” The buckets were then dumped into a hopper that gets pulled up the track by a winch. In the hopper, water is added to the chopped snow, creating a slush mix that Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) staff and New York Ski Education Foundation (NYSEF) coaches then pour onto the track to freeze. Once the track was completed and frozen, the track cutter smoothed the ice.

The tracks being slushed. Photos provided.

The team was able to get on the hill for their first training session on December 5^th. “It was good to get some training on our home hill before we went to the competition,” said Jack Kroll ’26.

After a weekend of training, the team split up to head to their first competitions. Henry Loher ’26 and Eli Larkin ’27 traveled to Norway to compete in a FIS Cup. The FIS Cup is an international competition level that is the first step to the World Cup. For both Loher and Larkin, it was “not our first FIS Cups, but it still was a valuable experience,” said Larkin. The pair had fewer training sessions than their competitors due to lengthy travel and adverse weather conditions. Ultimately, the results were “not quite what we hoped,” said Loher.

Jack Kroll ’26 in 2nd on the U20 US Cup podium. Photo provided.

The other half of the team traveled to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, to compete in the first winter US Cup of the 2025-2026 season. The team included Jack Kroll ’26, Cadel Cox ’27, Duncan Van Dorn ’28, and Islay Sheil ’28. The US Cup is the highest level of domestic competition. “We got solid training while there leading into the competition, and I think that showed in our results,” said Kroll. Kroll took home 2^nd place in a close battle for the U20 US Cup podium. Van Dorn finished 6^th in the jumping, and Cox finished 10^th. Sheil got 9^th in the U20 girls.

For Nordic Combined, both Cox and Van Dorn were scheduled to race, but Cox was “pretty sick and unable to race.” Van Dorn showed good pace and strong skiing even at the altitude. He dropped back 1 place over the 7.5 km Compact race, finishing in 5^th.

For Nordic, Max Fey ’28 competed in the ADK Tour De Ski and finished 1^st.

Filed Under: Sports

Catching Up With Sydney Kuder ’25

January 16, 2026 by Jack Kroll

Sydney Kuder ’25. Photo: Bates College Athletics.

In my very biased opinion, the Northwood Class of 2025 is the greatest Northwood Class of all time. They were the largest graduating class in the school’s history and included top athletes, students, and great people. One person who checked all these boxes from last year’s class was Sydney Kuder ’25.

At the end of last year, Kuder committed to continuing her academic and athletic careers at Bates College, a small liberal arts school in Lewiston, Maine. Bates, a Division 3 athletic school in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), has a Division 1 ski program that Kuder joined as an alpine skier. When we talked to her, she was preparing for her first race at Sunday River. Her goal for the season is to be one of the top 7 on her team so she can compete in college carnival events, which are races between the colleges.

Kuder also represents the ski team on the student athletic advisory committee. Every other week, the committee meets, and the representatives relay information from their respective teams and share the meeting’s contents with their own teams. The group is also responsible for many fundraisers and community activities aimed at supporting the local Lewiston Community.

Academically, she felt very prepared and even said it’s “easier than Northwood.” She attributes much of this to Reno and his AP Lit class that she took last year. “It really improved my writing, and it’s really showing in some of my essays—my professors have been impressed.” The transition to Bates was not difficult for her, as she had been a boarding student for four years and was already adjusted to dorm life. She said the two schools are very similar. “The schedule is basically the same, and our workouts are similar.”

Sydney has yet to declare a major but is considering a double major in politics and Spanish. Then, she is considering going to law school.

When Kuder isn’t on the hill or in the classroom, she likes to be an active member of the Bates and Lewiston communities. “I’m a mentor at the Auburn Middle School, where once a week, I have a girl in seventh grade, and I just sit with her and hang out with her for a little bit. We try to be role models for kids. The point is to engage with kids in the Lewiston-Auburn communities and get them thinking about getting a college education.”

Kuder also writes for the Bates Student, the college’s student-led newspaper, as a sportswriter. “It came naturally after my time as Co-Editor of the Northwood Mirror. It’s the reason I joined the paper.”

According to Kuder, Bates is very similar to Northwood, except it’s bigger and has more opportunities. One thing Kuder does miss is the town of Lake Placid. Current Northwood students should “take advantage of the beautiful town and place they live. Not all college towns will have what Lake Placid does.” She also says, “It goes by fast, so don’t take it for granted. Try everything you can, and if you apply yourself at Northwood, it sets you up for success in the future.”

“I have another thing for seniors: Don’t stress about getting into your dream school. What’s meant for you will come for you. My dream school was Williams, and I even considered applying ED. I didn’t get in, and I honestly had never really looked at Bates, and the coach never responded to my emails for a long time. I ended up getting in on academic merit alone, and my coach reached out to the Bates coach. I ended up getting an offer, and I really liked it. I’m really, really happy with my decision, and I honestly could not see myself anywhere else. Just remember, it’s all going to work out.”

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People, Sports

Former Northwood Faculty Member and Current NYSEF Coach Inducted to Lake Placid Hall of Fame

January 8, 2026 by Jack Kroll

Flyer for the 2025 Lake Placid Hall of Fame induction. Source: Olympic Regional Development Authority.

On Wednesday, November 5^th, Larry Stone, a former Northwood faculty member, Olympian, and current NYSEF ski jumping coach, was inducted into the Lake Placid Hall of Fame, which “seeks to honor the leaders and visionaries in our community who made the Games, the venues, and other keys to our legacy.” Larry is one such individual who has been a key to preserving the legacy of the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid through sport.

Larry is currently a Ski Jumping coach for the New York Ski Education Foundation’s (NYSEF) junior program. He fostered the athletes that now compete at the highest levels for Northwood School, starting to work with some of them as young as six. Larry was also a faculty member at Northwood from 1966 to 1968, teaching History and English while also coaching the ski jumping program. Not only was he coaching the team, but he was also still competing as a jumper. Two of his Northwood athletes, Jay Rand and Canadian Ulf Kvendbo, both Northwood Students, would compete at the 1968 Grenoble Olympics.

Larry Stone with some of his current junior jumpers. Photo by Eastern Ski Jumping.

After 1968, Larry moved back to his hometown of Salisbury, Connecticut to work as a coach for the Salisbury Winter Sports Association (SWASA). It was here that he began his junior coaching career. “You get little bubbles of kids that are really talented and push each other just like you guys,” Larry said.

Additionally, he used his emerging passion for coaching to enhance his own jumping career. “One way I could support myself and get SWASA to help me with training costs was coaching. But when you coach ski jumping, and I presume other activities like that, you start seeing things a little differently, and it kind of opens you up to approach the sport in a little different way. It’s more organic and all of a sudden you find that what you are working on with the kids becomes what you are working on as an athlete, and it’s clearer than before.”

For the last few years of Larry’s jumping career, 1972-1974, he moved to Woodstock, New York, where he could pursue his passion as a singer-songwriter as well as his ski jumping career. In 1974, at 29, Larry retired as a competitive ski jumper. He then returned to Salisbury, where he continued to work with the junior program. He encountered one such “bubble of kids” and coached them all the way to the “big hills,” which at the time were 60-70 meters.

Then, in 1980, he volunteered at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. “I was there working as a volunteer, and my job was to measure heel blocks up at the start because people were trying to get away with having too much. The night before the big hill event, the people running the program fired the US coaches. You develop really close bonds with your coaches, so the athletes were noticeably destroyed when they showed up the next morning. A couple of days later, Rex Bell and I were hired to be the ski team coaches for the rest of the year. Rex went to Europe, and I took over the domestic circuit.”

Larry was then instrumental in putting in place a regional system of coaches that still governs American ski jumping today. He was the regional coach for the Eastern Division. “My Salisbury kids started really coming around, so I focused on them for a couple of years. Then all of a sudden in ’88, I got a call about taking over the NYSEF program in Lake Placid. I did that for a few years, and then I went back to the US Ski team for 5 years. At the time, I still coached NYSEF, and I got help from Matt Cook, Casey Colby, and a few other coaches with that.”

Larry and Molly Stone in Salisbury, Connecticut, in 1998. Photo by USA Ski Jumping.

Larry moved to Park City in 1994 and stayed until 1996. There, he met Lindsey Van, a young American jumper. “I was really impressed with her possibilities, so I started taking her abroad. There was no women’s circuit at that point, but we started to put one together in Germany and Austria, and I started taking a group of US women over there, including my daughter Molly, Lindsey, and a few others. I officially took over the women’s program when Casey Colby stepped away. I hired a Norwegian guy, and we worked together toward the 2009 World Championships. There were several unofficial world championship events that the women went to, but 2009 became the first year that we had an official Women’s World Championship, and that year Lindsey won it.”

At this point, Larry decided, “That’s good enough. I think I’ll retire here.” Larry stepped away for a few years, living in the Adirondacks, running his farm, and playing music. Larry, however, couldn’t stay away from ski jumping and, in 2011, returned to NYSEF as head coach until 2016, when he moved back to his passion for the small hills. It was at this time that the current Northwood ski jumping team got its start in the sport. “I took my first jump ever with him back in 2016, and now, 9-10 years later, he’s still coaching me. It shows his dedication to the sport and his passion for his athletes sticking around and working with us. He embodies the spirit of the Lake Placid Hall of Fame,” said Jack Kroll ‘25.

Larry Stone coached current Northwood ski jumper Henry Loher ‘26 when he started out. Photo by Nancie Battaglia.

“My priorities were elsewhere. I really liked soccer and mountain biking, but Larry talked to my family and me and said I had a natural technique and encouraged me to really focus on ski jumping. Looking back on it, that may be the best decision ever,” said Henry Loher ‘26.

Larry is “grateful for the induction” and, in his speech, thanked all the parents and coaches who supported him over the years, adding that it is the parents’ willingness to let their kids do this crazy sport and their support that makes his job possible.

From the Staff of The Mirror and the Northwood Ski Team, we would like to express our gratitude for everything Larry has done and will continue to do for the sport of ski jumping, not only in Lake Placid but also across the country. Thank you, Larry!

Filed Under: People, Sports, Top Story

Humans of Northwood: Henry Loher ‘26

December 5, 2025 by Jack Kroll

“My favorite meal?  This is going to be pretty controversial. Some people hate it. Some people love it. I like the classic chicken sandwich, the best meal. I know most people think we have too much chicken, but when I see the chicken sandwich, I know it’s gonna be a great day.

“I started ski jumping when I was 10 or 11. At first, I wasn’t very committed to it, and I split my time between skiing, soccer, and mountain biking. Then one day, one of my coaches told me about the promise I had in the sport, and I decided to start focusing on it and train year-round. I’d say that it worked out pretty well.

“I first heard about Northwood through teammate Jack Kroll, who was already ski jumping there at the time, and I saw him get very good, very quick, so I knew I needed to look into it to continue my progression. This is now my second year in Northwood, and it has helped me become a better ski jumper.

“Last year, I qualified for Junior Worlds and then at Junior Worlds, I was able to get 21st and individual for U20 and was part of the first-ever US men’s team event podium at Junior Worlds. For people my age, I placed second in the event. Events like this are made possible by being here. It’s the balance Northwood has between athletics and academics that has helped me the most. I am a local athlete and previously attended the Lake Placid Public School, and when I had to travel to Europe to train or compete for a week or two at a time, they wouldn’t have allowed it, whereas Northwood is very accommodating. This is one of the things I am going to miss most, the structure of the days at Northwood and how much training we get.”

As told to Jack Kroll ’26. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.