KPRT Coaching Staff
Jake Stephan
PROGRAM DIRECTOR/HC
Jake has been coaching with the KPRT since 2005. He graduated High School from Green Mountain Valley School. During his time at GMVS he raced mainly at the FIS and Nor-Am cup level, where he was a part of the US Development team. He went on to ski for New England College. At NEC he earned United States Collegiate Ski Association All-American Alpine Skiing recognition in 2000, and was inducted into NEC’s Athlete Hall of Fame in 2008. He started coaching at the U14 level and became Program Director and Head Coach in 2014. In his free time he enjoys spending time outdoors.
Kris Niiler
U10
Kris has been working at King Pine since 1986, first in the ski school, and then with the race team since the early 2000s. She has also been the head coach of the Kingswood Regional High School and Middle School ski teams since 1988. Kris has a B.S. degree in Chemistry from the University of Connecticut where she played on the Women’s Ice Hockey team, and a Masters degree in Mathematics from Plymouth State. When not at King Pine she teaches math at Kingswood HS in Wolfeboro.
Dave West
U14
Dave started coaching with the KPRT in the mid 80s. He continued to coach into the mid 90s at both King Pine and Wildcat. He took a break for a bit to start a career in computers and to start a family, He returned to the King Pine fold when his kids were U10s. He helped out the race team as a parent for a few years. Then when his oldest son Dylan was a U14 he returned to coaching again. Dave is a true native. He was born in N Conway, graduated from Kennett High school and attended Plymouth State. He and his family live in Silver Lake and in the off season he enjoys biking and being outside.
Bruce Mailman
U14 - U16
Bruce has been with KP for 14 years serving in the role of U16-U14 coach. His racing career started back in the late 60’s in Massachusetts with the Buddy Werner program skiing the likes of Klein Innsbruck, Prospect Mtn, Nashoba Valley, Wachusett Mountain and at times hiking the local farm land for training time. Later years brought him to Plymouth State College where he worked at Tenney Mountain eventually serving as Ski Patrol Director. After College he moved to Conway, started a ski club inn and married his wife Laurie (also a PSC graduate and ski instructor for KP). Years brought a move to Freedom, 2 children (Brittany and Lacey) both former racers and ski instructors at KP. His racing passion lives on through the local Mountain Meister program having skied that circuit for over 25 years. He is the general manager for Coleman Concrete in Conway NH, holds an MBA, captains license and enjoys water skiing, tennis, pickleball and hiking in the off season.
Gordy Willey
U10
Gordy has been working at King Pine since 2006, initially with ski school and then as part of the race program since 2009. He has also coached the Tamworth, Bartlett, or Kingswood Middle School ski teams since 2007. Gordy has a B.S. in Mathematics from ECSU, and when not skiing can be found planning children’s programs as the Assistant Librarian at the Madison Library. In the off-season Gordy enjoys playing in the lake, gardening, and traveling with his wife and daughter.
Larry Nickerson
U14
Larry LOVES to ski, having grown up skiing & racing in the Mt Washington Valley. He coached for MWV, Cranmore, Wildcat & Brewster Academy before becoming Head Coach @ Attitash for 13 years. While at Attitash he led training camps in France & Colorado. He also set & oversaw the NHARA J-3 Super G multiple times. He graduated from the 1st National Coaches’ Academy as a Certified Regional Coach.
Bun Nickerson (Larry’s dad) was the Ski School Director when King Pine opened in 1961 and Larry’s happily back where his ski journey started.
John Macdonald
U12