By Marty Basch

Hoping to improve on a season that included his first World Cup podium, Nolan Kasper wants back in the starting gate this month following summer hip surgery.

The 22-year-old U.S. Ski Team member and Dartmouth College freshman started feeling pain in his hip in August, went for an MRI and discovered he had a torn labrum and gluteus medius.

After surgery, he spent about seven weeks on crutches, going to rehab twice a day followed by strength and fitness training in Park City, Utah as he improved. The Burke Mountain Academy grad returned to snow in late October in Colorado, began forerunning races and is working to compete in the World Cup slalom in Val d'Isere, France December 11.

"This is part of the sport," he said by phone from Aspen, Colo. "There are some athletes that go through their careers without getting hurt. This is something that a lot of people go through. I'm just trying to get back on pace and see we what we can do this season."

Kasper, who resides in Warren, Vt. when not living out a suitcase during the season, jumped from high school senior to the Ski Team's development squad in 2007. He advanced to the "C" team following a season that included a third place World Junior Championship slalom finish and found himself training with idols Ted Ligety, Bode Miller and Jimmy Cochran.

"These were guys I've looked up to and now I was training with them," he said. "That helped my skiing a lot."

So much that he competed in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, finishing 24th in the slalom.

Five World Cup top 15 placements including a second in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia won by Austria's Mario Matt, a Europa Cup overall slalom title and 15th place World Championship slalom finish highlighted his 2011 season.

"This has been kind of a funny experience," he said. "You never want to get hurt but it teaches you to be patient. This is the only time in my life where I sat around and didn't do anything. Being on crutches for seven weeks is a bummer."