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Transcription from Webpage of the Michigan Upper Peninsula
Mining Journal, Apr. 29, 2006

Foeger and Sailer were both Austrians honored for spreading the sport through instruction, though Foeger also helped develop the ski area at Jay Peak, Vt.

"I wanted always to do the best," Foeger said. "I have done many things wrong, but I have also done many things good. That was is the reason I got today honored. I am very happy about this, despite the fact I am very sick. I come over to say thank you to all the people who voted me into this Hall of Fame."

Foeger, in one of the most entertaining speeches of the night, spoke of his lifetime in sports, from Olympic aspirations in the 1930s, to coaching the Spanish ski team at the 1952 Olympics, to coaching the Spanish hockey team.

When he was asked to come to the United States, he couldn't turn down the opportunity.

"I know when I saw the first of Jay Peak I got dismayed," he said. "I was shocked. There no trail running, there was no lift running. There was one shelter. I wanted to leave to go back to Spain, cause in Spain you can come back anytime. ... The president of Jay Peak, he said, "We have no money. We are poor like a church mouse."

So Foeger went on a tour raising money as the spokesman for Jay Peak.

But he is best known for Natur Teknik, a parallel ski instruction method he developed during his time in Spain in which skiers hopped into their turns, but he had few students for it.

After an article about the technique in Ski Magazine and a pamphlet he wrote titled "Learn to Ski in a Week," his new method brought many students, and schools teaching his method later spread across the United States.

The final honoree of the night, Sailer coached skiers at the ski area of Buck Hill in Burnsville, Minn. Though just a hill in the flatlands, his teaching ability for the ski team helped produce 15 national skiers, four who have competed in the Olympics.

Two - Lindsey Kildow and Kristina Koznick - represented the United States in the 2006 Games at Turin, Italy.

Next year, Ski Hall officials plan to hold the induction ceremony in Las Vegas, though they will still have other festivities in the Upper Peninsula.

Transcription from Webpage of the Michigan Upper Peninsula
Mining Journal, Apr. 29, 2006

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