Despite the sub-freezing temperatures at the Bradford Ski Area on Feb. 11, only a minor indication of the frigid weather to come that weekend, things were heating up for Nolan Houston.

Among 56 male competitors at the North Shore Ski League’s interscholastic race, the Masconomet senior captain paired a third-place finish in the slalom with a sixth-place finish in the giant slalom, good enough to finish third overall. The placement was a slight improvement over his fourth-place regular-season finish.

As Houston completed each run, carving with intense speed and precision as if he were on a fixed track built into the mountain, his Masconomet teammates and coaches greeted him. At the base of the mountain, they were ready to offer not only their congratulations but also pointers to take with him to the next practice.

“A big part of the excitement of the sport is all of the cheering and positivity that you encounter after your races, with the team encouraging you no matter the outcome,’’ Houston said.

A three-time NSSL All-Star and state qualifier, Houston has accumulated more than an average share of favorable outcomes on the slopes as a racer; his senior year alone is far above the norm as he looks next to the MIAA state tournament on Feb. 23. In a sport where a fraction of time equivalent to the blink of an eye can be the difference between succeeding or squandering, paying attention to the little things is what separates the good from the great. But, according to Houston, the details only matter if you have the well-wishes and commitment of people around you.

“Before a run, everyone on the team is together at the top of the hill,’’ Houston said.

“If you don’t have your team there rooting you on and motivating you, it’s like, ‘Why am I here? What’s the point?’?’’

Though individual performance and the scores that result are the deciding factor when it comes to judging regular and postseason achievement for Alpine skiing programs, the foundation of such programs are built on a team environment and support system of teammates and families. Without it, any level of accomplishment or accompanying enjoyment would be drastically limited.

In the eyes of Masconomet coach Ryan Quinn, the Alpine season starts and begins with the team.

Right after Thanksgiving, even before man-made snow hits the mountains, the team participates in various dry-land workouts to improve areas of strength that will be important once the skiers get on the slopes. The workouts reached a peak this year when Quinn sent his squad on a leadership retreat in Vermont to focus on team-building.

“The retreat taught the kids not only how be a part of the leadership capacity on our team, but also about the value of being a follower in certain scenarios,’’ Quinn said.

“It’s important that they learn sometimes its necessary to delegate and let others lead. Everyone on the team builds a trust in each other, and its great to see that from the get-go so that a sense of unity is formed.’’

Once racing practice begins, the skiers are all in for each other, ready to succeed for the betterment of the team.

“It’s easy to focus on yourself and individual scores, but when you recognize that [Alpine skiing] is a team sport and that you need to provide support for every member in practices and races, everyone becomes better and the team morale improves as a result,’’ said Maggie Block, a senior captain for Masconomet.

Such support often comes in the form of healthy competition. As the skiers bond and build strong relationships, training and racing with each other daily, they push each other to improve their scores by attempting to one-up each other on the courses.

“You need teammates that are willing to go at it with you on a regular basis, trying to better you so that you feel the need to keep working and improving and don’t become complacent,’’ Houston said.

For Cameron Easton, a sophomore at Winchester High, a strong support system provides comfort on the slopes. Having won the slalom event for females at last year’s MIAA tournament, she believes that the encouragement of her teammates provides a clear mind when it is most important

“That supportive dynamic allows you to feel relaxed,’’ Easton said

“At that point, you can just focus on the task ahead and let what you’ve learned come into play.’’

In Alpine skiing, the dynamic extends especially to a skier’s family. More so than other sports, parents must have a strong commitment to their children’s involvement in the sport from start to finish. Jerry Marchegiani has been involved with the North Andover High School Alpine team for 43 years. Over the course of the decades, he has come to understand that without that commitment, the odds are severely stacked against a skier.

“This isn’t a sport where you can just grab a ball and go down to the local court,’’ Marchegiani said.

“You have parents that have a love for the sport and want to pass it on to their kids. The kids grow up loving the sport because of their parents getting them involved early on. They begin and continue to race because they love the sport and the parents are dedicated to making sure they can stay involved.’’

Marchegiani knows the process well, having coached generations of North Andover skiers. Conor Masterson, a senior captain who finished ninth in the NSSL, began skiing at age 4 before jumping into racing in the second grade, all with the support of his parents. His mother raced for Marchegiani in the early 1980s and has encouraged Conor to the fullest.

“Every winter since I can remember, my family has been skiing as much as possible during the winter,’’ Masterson said.

“I got into it at an early age, and my parents have been integral in allowing me to continue my passion for it.’’

Between a strong band of teammates and families, a skier’s support net is wide and far encompassing. The camaraderie that is woven into the fibers of the sport instills a sense of unity into each skier that makes success more fulfilling, especially when it is spread amongst the team. When asked about the upcoming state meet, North Andover’s Rachel Cavallaro was not focused on her own racers, despite her high chances at individual glory.

“I just want the team to do well,’’ said Cavallaro, who was the NSSL regular-season victor.

“As a team, we want to win states again. I’m focused on the supporting the other girls that have qualified so they can have the best possible runs and we can enjoy our success together.’’

Ethan Schroeder can be reached at ethan.schroeder@globe.com.