They usually strap on the skis to carve up the powder, but Saturday skiers hit the slopes to show their appreciation of the young woman who was gone too soon.

A former teammate Lesley Lemasurier says, " What happened is very unfortunate, but this is a way to honor her memory and honor her life – it's a tribute to Shelley Glover."

That pretty much sums up the scene at Mount Horeb's Tyrol Basin today, where hundreds of local skiers sprayed their remembrances of dear friend and loved one.

Shelley's father, Rich says, "It's really gratifying to see all the young kids here today, brings back a lot of memories about the times that we spent here."

Shelly died in May of 2004, from injuries she sustained during a downhill training exercise in Mount Bachelor, Oregon. At the time, she was a member of the U.S. Ski Team, ranked among the world's top ten slalom skiers in her age group, and just 17 years old.

A teammate recalls that Shelley was "a pretty humble kid. She had some pretty big dreams about skiing in the World Cup and skiing in the Olympics someday."

Saturday, young, Midwestern skiers share similar aspirations as they gather to race in the Wisconsin–Illinois–Iowa Junior Alpine Racing Association's final event of the season and draw inspiration from Shelly's memory.

"On my team, we talk about her everyday. We tell stories. We laugh about something she said or a joke she'd tell. I mean, she's still – her spirit is still very much alive on the U.S. Ski Team."

Meanwhile, the event helps promote the Shelley Glover Ski Education Foundation, which, in turn, promotes education and athleticism through its support of alpine ski athletes.

Shelley's mom, Carmella is thankful for the support. "It's an opportunity to give back to the ski community some of the support that they have given to us during the time of recovering from Shelley's loss."

And sister Bonnie says it's something her sister would have enjoyed. "She's smiling, I know. And she just thinks it's great that we're all out here having a good time. She's deeply missed, but she's all in our hearts. We're having a good time."

The competition wraps–up Sunday, when the Shelley Glover Ski Education Foundation awards ten competitors, not for their race standings, rather for the off–slope for contributions they've made to their respective teams.