The B.C. Ski Team spent a month in Fernie this summer laying the groundwork for the upcoming season, focusing on a range of vital skills during an intense four-week training block. The athletes put in the blood, sweat and tears to ensure a strong start to the preparation phase.
Morgan Pridy, BC Ski Team head coach, sent in this informative report. See the full report below photo gallery.
BCST – FERNIE JULY 2025 (Photos by Roger Carry)
Fernie Dryland: June 23 – July 23
The main reasons for this camp—apart from the fitness component—were to run a long and centralized session before getting on snow with our teams, focusing on:
- Providing an entry point for new athletes into the BCST environment
- Learning how the team, teammates, and new staff operate
- Aligning and collaborating on big- and small-picture values and expectations
- Mirroring the physical, mental, and scheduling stresses of on-snow camps in a lower-stakes environment
- Allowing time for goal setting, individual performance planning, and other onboarding needs
The camp began with several days of fitness testing—a barrage of physical challenges ranging from classic field tests to isometric and velocity-based strength testing. It was an intense first four days, but it gave us valuable insight into each athlete’s strengths, gaps, and current level of development.
We also introduced what we call “performance coaching 101,” as one of our objectives is to normalize talking to a third party. The goal is that, when or if athletes need support, the idea of a performance coach or sport psychologist won’t feel foreign.
Following the testing and introductory sessions to the month’s programming, we settled into a relatively predictable schedule. Athletes knew what work was coming, could prepare properly, and got into a steady rhythm. Each week, we kept one session a mystery—it’s hard, around an hour, and they only get a clue about what type of shoes to bring.
Throughout the month, we emphasized gameplay and made an effort to play as many sports as possible, considering our team size. Beach volleyball and pickleball were likely the favourites this year. For most games, teams stayed in the same pairs, and we tallied wins and losses to crown the all-sports champions of the camp. This year’s teams included Tylee/Dreas, Dylan/Jasmine, Baptiste/Lola, the Coaches, and Hannah/Dillon (with Hannah somewhat limited as she recovers from shoulder surgery).
The month ended with “Games Day Finals,” a full day dedicated to sport and the deciding round for this year’s champions—culminating, as usual, with nine holes of best-ball golf.
Highlights from the camp:
Activity Day
- This year’s challenge took place on Heiko’s Trail, with bike transit to and from trailheads.
- Women’s team started from the western trailhead; men’s team from the eastern side.
- Two aid stations (trucks in the bush) served as transition zones for bike-to-hike gear swaps.
- The route included: 27 km alpine hike and 33 km of biking
- The women’s team encountered a major rainstorm and were nearly stranded due to a washed-out service road—but everyone made it out safely and with a great story.
- The goal of activity day: equal parts preparation and testing athletes’ staying power.
- Baptiste completed a custom ultra challenge:70 km with 2,250 vertical metres. Handled it “way too easily”
Games Day Finals
- A highlight of camp—fun and competitive.
- Great opportunity to observe improvement over the month.
- Noticeable gains in both individual performance and team cohesion.
Final Conditioning Session
- Camp wrapped with an early morning field workout before travel day.
- Athletes pushed hard, knowing it was their final challenge.
- Coaches joined the session—usually outpaced by the athletes, who then helped motivate them to the finish.
Personal Highlight
- Witnessing each athlete’s growth throughout the month was a standout.
- Rookies, in particular, showed noticeable gains in:
- Confidence
- Communication
- Performance and overall readiness