We are thrilled to kick off our 2025 NENSA Award Announcements by celebrating one of the most spirited and beloved leaders in our youth ski community, the recipient of this year’s Bill Koch League Leadership Award, Heiner Baumann of Eastern Mass Cross Country (EMXC)!
The Bill Koch Youth Ski League is powered by the passion, creativity, and dedication of adult volunteers, including coaches, caregivers, club leaders, and officials, who bring the magic of skiing to life for the next generation. Each year, the BKL Leadership Award recognizes an individual who embodies the values of fun, community, and a lifelong love of skiing. Heiner is the very embodiment of these qualities.
A longtime coach and mentor with over a decade of leadership in the EMXC Youth program, Heiner is known not just for his boundless energy and creativity, but for his deeply held belief that skiing should always be joyful. From his “Secrets to Fun” presentation at the 2024 BKL Leaders Symposium to his unforgettable practice sessions full of games, stories, and exploration, Heiner has inspired hundreds of skiers and coaches across New England to lead with curiosity and play.
Heiner’s coaching philosophy is all about process over outcome. He’s the one out on the course in the fading light with a headlamp and a train of smiling kids, reenacting a skier rescue or tracking animals in the snow. As EMXC coach Jonathan Brenner puts it, Heiner is our “Pied Piper,” leading skiers, often in a pink tutu, on countless adventures both big and small, whether there’s snow on the ground or not. And somehow, even when you think practice is over, his group emerges from the trees asking to ski “just one more loop.”
Beyond the trails, Heiner is known for creating community through shared adventure. Whether it’s canoeing on the Charles, hiking in the White Mountains, or his now-famous refuge fondue lunch on the ski trails of Mont Sainte Anne — complete with backpacked-in fondue pots, cheese, baguettes, and Kirsch — Heiner brings people together. These outings build friendships, instill a love for the outdoors, and ensure skiing is a year-round source of connection and joy.
Sarah Lampe, fellow EMXC leader, shares:
“Heiner is at the heart of our community and can get kids passionate about skiing even in the most challenging conditions. He teaches them skiing and so much more — how to take care of the planet, basic survival skills, sportsmanship, and kindness. He equips adults with the skills and inspiration to become coaches themselves. He truly embodies what it means to lead with heart.”
Check out Heiner and his crew in the images above. The joy, camaraderie, and spirit captured there says it all.
Congratulations, Heiner! NENSA and the entire New England skiing community are grateful for your leadership, creativity, and love of the sport. Thank you for being a bright light on the snow (and sometimes in the woods), and for reminding us all that fun is the foundation of a lifelong skiing journey.
