Durango Telegraph - A Nordic Hall of Famer: Dolph Kuss honored by Winter Sports Foundation
A Nordic Hall of Famer: Dolph Kuss honored by Winter Sports Foundation

A Durango Nordic Center fixture is getting some well-deserved recognition this week. The newly formed Durango Winter Sports Foundation will be inducting Dolph Kuss as the first member of its Hall of Fame this Saturday. Kuss is being honored for his lifelong dedication to outdoor recreational programs for Durango area youth.

“Dolph’s resume is unbelievable,” said Kirk Rawles, program coordinator for the foundation. “He really epitomizes the core values and is a perfect fit for the Winter Sports Foundation. He is a great role model for our coaches, volunteers, athletes and staff. We are very proud to have Dolph as our first inductee into the Hall of Fame.”

Kuss came to Durango in the spring of 1955 and became parks and recreation manager for Durango and La Plata County. Kuss also developed and coordinated cross-country, instructional programs, winter carnivals, senior and junior Nordic championship races, and improvements at Chapman Hill. However, Kuss is best known for his development and coaching of national, Olympic and international teams, including Fort Lewis College’s. He served as cross-country coach for the 1964 U.S. Olympic team, the Nordic combined coach for the 1972 U.S. Olympic team, and the Nordic coach for the U.S. ski team from 1963-72. He was also instrumental in the first Sports Medicine Organization in 1971 and was a longtime Fort Lewis College professor.

The Hall of Fame induction will take place at the Durango Winter Sports Foundation Gala to be held at the DoubleTree Hotel on Nov. 11. For foundation or ticket information, contact Rawles at moguldogs@frontier.net.

– Will Sands

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