With guest presenters from the Canadian Alpine Ski Team coaching staff as well as sport science experts from Canadian universities, the Coaching Academy has been designed to give coaches at Canada's juvenile K1/K2 level (ages 11-14) the tools they need before the start of their season.
“It's important for us as the governing body of alpine ski racing to ensure we're giving the coaches who are shaping our future national team athletes the tools they need to do their job successfully,” said Max Gartner, Alpine Canada Alpin's vice-president of Canadian development programs and a former national team coach.
Gartner added that the two-day program will focus on dryland training. Working with juvenile-aged athletes, the attending coaches will learn general and specific off-snow conditioning elements tailored for the K1/K2 racers.
The Coaching Academy is one of a number of initiatives undertaken in the way of coaching development since Gartner assumed responsibility for developing a world-class development system for Canada's future alpine skiing champions. A work/learn coaches' training camp was held following the Sierra Wireless Air Canada Whistler Cup in Whistler, B.C. last April, and just last week Alpine Canada Alpin and the Canadian Ski Coaches' Federation announced they've formalized an alliance to deliver coaching education to Canada's alpine ski coaches across the country.
Mark Sharp, the former World Cup coach who helped guide Allison Forsyth to her bronze-medal finish at the 2003 World Championships in St. Moritz and the current Director, Juvenile Development for Alpine Canada Alpin will be one of the key presenters at the fall Coaching Academy alongside Canadian Alpine Ski Team women's dryland coach Dave Ellis, and the Canadian Sport Centre Calgary's Dr. Stephen Norris, a sport scientist and expert in sliding and gliding sports.
There are 30 spots available for each Coaching Academy, and the $190 registration cost includes all Academy handouts and a disc and planning package.
The Calgary Coaching Academy will take place at the University of Calgary on August 22-23. The Ottawa Academy is slated for September 10-11