While the majority of high school winter athletes in the Ann Arbor area occupy the courts, ice rinks and mats indoors, there are 9 area students heading outdoors to the slopes of Mt. Brighton.

These athletes, from seven different local high schools, make up the Ann Arbor ski team, which embarks on its second club season in January. The program was started by Bob Parent, owner of Sun & Snow sports shop in Ann Arbor, a year ago.

Since that initial groundwork-laid season, the Ann Arbor ski team has -- with help from the athletes’ parents, who created a non-profit Michigan corporation to provide further organization for future seasons -- grown in exposure and support.

One of the team’s catalysts is first-year coach Ronnie Brant, 23, a 2008 University of Michigan graduate and former UM ski team member. Brant, who says he’s always wanted to coach, found out about the Ann Arbor ski team from his own former high school coach.

“I hopped on board,” Brant said. “I thought it was a great way to stay involved in skiing and a cool opportunity to take a program from the ground up.”

Brant’s interest in coaching stems from his high school days at Bloomfield Hills Andover, when he helped coach kids age 10-14 in the Hill Masters program.

“It was an absolute joy to pass along knowledge that I had of the sport,” said Brant, who first started racing at age 10. “I realized that there were bigger things to skiing than just racing.”

Brant is elated to rejuvenate his coaching career this winter for the Ann Arbor ski team. And he’s getting the same kind of enthusiasm in return from his skiers.

“These kids are really excited about skiing,” he said. “They are trying to soak up as much as they can. They come out and have fun together every night on the hill. What’s more fun than skiing two hours with people who will become some of your closest friends?”

Those 2-hour slots of practice have been running for roughly a month and a half, as the ski team prepares for their season-opening race, which takes place on Mt. Brighton Tuesday, Jan. 5, at 5 p.m.

Practice sessions include learning different racing tactics and how to read courses, and simply adjusting to the cold weather.

"The thing that’s most important is that they’re able to breathe out the cold air,” noted Brant.

The Ann Arbor ski team is part of the Mt. Brighton Interscholastic Ski Association, which includes teams from Brighton, Howell, Pinckney, South Lyon and others. Brant undoubtedly is hoping to lead the team to victories, but first has a few goals he’s more concerned with achieving.

“I want each of them to have fun,” Brant stressed. “And I want each of them to improve at their skiing from week-to-week.”

On top of that, Brant's hoping to add new members to the current 9-skier team, which is comprised of athletes from seven different local high schools.

“There is no prerequisite in experience in order to join the team,” Brant emphasized. “We’ll take people throughout the season, we’re a growing team. If you learn to ski in Michigan, you can ski anywhere.”

Kaleb Roedel is a sports writer for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734)623-2562, e-mailed at kalebroedel@annarbor.com or followed on Twitter @KalebisReal.