When Edmund Tourville was young, ski jumping was a passion. But as he entered adulthood some three decades ago, he left ski jumping behind.
Fast-forward to today, and Tourville’s two sons are following in his footsteps, competing in the sport for Mascoma Valley Regional High School.
Tourville, who ski jumped for the Lebanon Outing Club when he was younger and competed at the high school level for Mascoma in the 90s, said it was awesome to see his kids competing in the same sport he once did.
“I thought I was done with jumping at that point and wasn’t sure what the future would hold,” Edmund Tourville said. “I was ecstatic when the boys started expressing interest.”
Timothy Tourville, a freshman, and Matthew Tourville, a junior, make up the school’s ski jumping team, which was put together this past summer.
While their mother, Cheryl Tourville, does not ski herself, she has been working to grow the sport as the ski jumping coordinator at Andover Outing Club and the secretary for Eastern Division Ski Jumping and Nordic combined, and she officially coaches the squad.
Edmund Tourville, who coaches at the Andover Outing Club, assisted in an unofficial capacity because of his job but will become a full-time coach next season.
The sibling duo combined for 183 points during February’s NHIAA ski jumping championships, which was good for fourth place out of eight teams at the event.
Individually, the elder Tourville finished 15th overall, while the younger finished fifth overall.
The Tourville sons’ interest in and competition in ski jumping are just as enriching for their mother, who closely followed her husband’s career and has been involved with the sport.
“For me, it’s an honor to sit here and watch the boys doing everything that Ed got to do, and Ed being able to do everything his father did for him,” said Cheryl Tourville. “It’s very honorable to stand here and just be able to watch these kids grow and do something that’s very independent and thrive at their own levels — it still brings tears to my eyes watching them.”
Simply put, the sport is in the Tourvilles’ blood. Edmund Tourville’s mother, Barbara, was a ski patroller for Lebanon, while his late father, William, volunteered with hill maintenance and other work, all while supporting their son.
The support Edmund Tourville received is now something he and his wife get to bestow on their own sons, whose interest in ski jumping dates back to when they were five and seven years old, during ski lessons at Storrs Hill, when they were drawn to the jumps.
The Tourville kids have made a lot of progress since those days.
Specifically, for his performance over the winter, Timothy Tourville made the 2026 Eastern Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined junior national team, which competed in Steamboat Springs, Colo., last month.
“To travel to Colorado, first time flying, first time seeing and competing on a new hill, it was actually thrilling,” he said of the experience.
Timothy Tourville’s participation on the team holds extra meaning for his father, who tried out for the junior nationals as an eighth-grader but broke his leg during the season.
“This was an amazing experience to share as his father, coach, and a former jumper,” Edmund Tourville said.
Matthew Tourville has also made leaps in the sport, progressing to the point where he is helping to coach younger athletes trying out the sport and even older adults trying to give ski jumping a shot.
“It’s been awesome watching them each develop their own skill sets, build themselves, and push their limits,” Edmund Tourville said.
Going forward, the Tourvilles are looking to expand Mascoma High’s team, especially considering that Matthew Tourville will be graduating next year, which would leave Timothy Tourville as the only jumper.
“I’ve met a lot of new friends, just going to different clubs, meeting them, jumping with them, seeing how they jump,” said Matthew Tourville, who recommended the sport for those who might be interested in it.
Timothy echoed his brother’s recommendation, especially for those who are independent or even for those who play other sports to stay in shape.
“The legs stay strong, and muscle memory is important; you stay conditioned year-round,” he said.
Cheryl Tourville suggested that those interested in trying out ski jumping come down to the Andover Outing Club, where a couple of free sessions are offered.
“If it’s something you really want to do, we’ll work with you, and we will sign you up to become an Andover Outing Club member,” she said.
“Everybody has a hidden talent somewhere, and you have to discover it — sometimes you don’t know it until you try something.”
