A new academy focused on mountain sports and education is planning its inaugural semester to begin in January.

RIDGE Mountain Academy is a program that combines training in adventure sports, academics and life skills. Bill O’Donnell, a professional skier and businessman, has spent the last nine months bringing his idea for RIDGE Mountain to fruition in Whitefish.

“The idea came from blending my passions and background to create something for the next generation of student athletes,” O’Donnell said. “Whitefish became the top of the list because I could gather the team I needed of coaches, teachers, personnel and nutritionists, along with creating a relationship with Whitefish Mountain Resort.”

O’Donnell is a professional skier and a former international freeride competitor, and previously served as director of admissions at AIM House in Boulder, Colo. His friend, professional kayaker Brad Ludden, introduced him to Whitefish last winter.

The academy is accepting applications for students ages 17 to 20, who are interested in honing their passion for the outdoors while learning. The program is designed for young men and women who are not yet ready to jump into college after high school and who are looking for a gap-year experience.

“If you have a connection to being active, and in sports or outside, and are motivated to train and learn, then you’re a great student athlete for us,” O’Donnell said. “This is geared for the person who has some connection to sport.”

The gap-year, which is traditionally taking time between high school and college to travel or volunteer, has become more popular in the U.S. with some colleges encouraging incoming freshman to defer college for a year.

“Europe has been doing this for a long time,” O’Donnell said. “This is a structured gap-year to bring in students athletes into an environment that many parents will be more comfortable with.”

O’Donnell said potential athletes will fall into three main categories.

“There is the outdoor enthusiast, who is looking for alternative action sports,” O’Donnell explained. “The other type of student is the traditional high school athlete who doesn’t plan to play in college and is looking to pursue outdoor sports. The third type is the elite ski racer or mountain bike racer who is looking to train and may aspire to go professional.”

The academy will also have an academic component by integrating college credit courses and internships with Whitefish Mountain Resort and local businesses. They will offer courses in mountain science, avalanche safety and wilderness medicine. In addition, RIDGE has partnered with the Whitefish Study Center to provide individualized tutoring for students.

“This is an individualized and customized,” O’Donnell said. “We built the program for the students focus on sport and academics.”

RIDGE will lease space south of Whitefish for its campus during the academic year. The 16-acre resort will provide room for the academy to expand as it reaches its goal of serving up to 50 students. The campus is only open for scheduled appointments and guests.

For more information on RIDGE, visit www.ridgeacademy.com.