Chapel Hill resident Katie Goode, age 6, just returned from Steamboat Springs, Colo., where she won first place in the Silver Division's 5-6 age group at the 2008 Nature Valley Nastar Championships. (NASTAR, for "NAtional STAndard Race," is a ski program where people of all ages can compete against each other through an albeit complex handicap scoring system.)

Goode, the daughter of Beth and Kent Goode, qualified for the 2008 Nationals by being ranked in the top three in her age group for the state of North Carolina.

Her dad, Kent, a former ASU ski racer, accompanied Katie to Colorado and placed fourth in his age division. Mom Beth, a long time racer for Crescent Ski council, also qualified but remained in Chapel Hill with Katie's young sister.

Katie has been skiing since the age of 2 and began racing at the age of 4. She is currently a member of the Raleigh Ski and Outing Club race team. She also spent this current ski season racing with the Beech Mountain Ski Team, where she won every race for her age group in the Junior High Country Race Series (HCJRS.org) as well as the overall trophy for the most points earned.