Expanding on its strength as a unified province with a shared culture of both excellence and participation, BC Alpine officially announces the launch of a five-year strategic plan, starting immediately.
With 32 active ski clubs in nearly all ski resorts across the province and more than 6,700 members and thousands of volunteers – as well as a successful provincial team program which consistently qualifies skiers for the national ski team – the sport is as popular as ever in the province.
“We’re in a very good position to expand on our strengths and make ski racing the number one winter sport in the province,” said Anders Hestdalen, BC Alpine CEO.
The strategic plan is focussed on four key areas:
1. Increase Awareness:
By raising awareness of ski racing and the benefits it brings to communities, ski resorts and fans across the province, it will attract new members to get involved with the sport.
2. Improve Education
By delivering the highest level of educational training to parents, athletes, officials, club executives and coaches, the provincial association and its member clubs will increase the ability to provide an exceptional sport experience.
3. Athletic Excellence
The goal is to deliver the best provincial athletic development program with a focus on performance, health and mental wellness that encourages well-rounded athletes to reach their maximum potential.
4. Financial Viability
With increased revenue from sponsorships and fundraising, BC Alpine can further support athlete and coach development at all levels and with all clubs to reduce the costs associated with the sport.
At the link below is the condensed one-page plan. For the full Strategic Plan, email andersh@bcalpine.com for a copy.
Below are the marquee statistics outlining the position of BC Alpine from 2012 to 2022. These are the foundations that BC Alpine is building upon in the new structure and plan.
Vision: Inspire skiers for life and develop world-class athletes.
Productive Brainstorm & Action Team
The Strategic Plan committee, which represents a diverse and skilled group of professionals and ski racing experts from around the province, met regularly for eight months to candidly and openly speak about the strengths and challenges facing the sport today. The outcome of the meetings was a succinct plan and direction which was delivered to the the general members and 100+ participants at the BC Alpine AGM & Summit in Sun Peaks in October 2023.
“After being away from the inner workings of ski racing for quite some time, it was exciting and inspiring to dive into the productive process of helping BC Alpine define their strategic plan. This document is a true reflection of collaboration, experience and innovative thinking – the result is an exciting and progressive plan to guide and direct the operation of BC Alpine and it clubs.“
–
– Emily Brydon, Fernie [three-time Olympian and 9-time World Cup medalist]
Acknowledgements
Our partners & sponsors provide the opportunity tosupport the BC Alpine ski community with a structured, open and safe sport environment that empowers each member to become the best version of themselves, one turn at a time. We thank all of our sponsors and partners for providing these opportunities.
Have you read Michael Janyk’s book yet? The Whistler racer and BC Alpine alumnus, poured his heart and soul into these pages, and the response has been unanimously positive. Mike covers a lot of ground in this book, which starts and ends in Whistler. Below are some of the reactions to the book by some of his former teammates, other athletes and sports professionals.
Reading Mike’s book “Go to the Start” is like taking a roller coaster ride of the highs and lows of a life lived chasing the dream. Mike was able to capture the “behind the scenes” of being a World Cup Ski racer. The book left me feeling proud of what we accomplished as a team of athletes, coaches and support staff! Any aspiring Olympian will be well served reading Mike’s book to learn what’s in store for them if they choose to chase the dream!
Thomas Grandi, Olympian, 2x World Cup winner
“‘Dad, I’ve never seen you read a book so quickly‘ my kids said to me after I read Mike’s book. I couldn’t put it down. The stories, the race scene and the historic venues seemed all too familiar. I felt like I was racing alongside Janyk and the Canadian slalom team. I thoroughly enjoyed Mike’s book and his journey as a ski racer. Chasing the snow and traveling the world was a gift his whole family enjoyed. Congratulations on an outstanding career.”
Brian Stemmle, CBC broadcaster, 4x Olympian
“I am so grateful for this book! Mike embarks us on his incredible journey from a young aspiring athlete to the highest level of the sport – highlighting the highs and lows that come with it all. As a retired World Cup athlete, I have lived the same emotions that he had but I honestly thought that I was alone with them. This book helped me feel even better about my athletic career. It is more about the journey and not the results that we should thrive for. I hope that all the young athlete of any sports get the chance to read this book as it highlights the importance of perseverance. This book will fuel your fire and show you how to keep it burning. Thank you Mike for sharing your amazing journey.”
Louis-Pierre Hélie, Canadian alpine & ski cross team, Olympian, coach
“Through his struggles and joys, and all the places and spaces in between, I witnessed someone learn who they are, find peace with who that person is and ultimately embrace changes and challenges in ways that allow for growth and development as a human being. This is why I love this book so much.”
Clara Hughes, 6x Olympic medalist, mental health advocate
“If you have ever strapped on skis and dreamed of racing your way to victory, you will find yourself somewhere on the pages of Mike Janyk’s odyssey through the sport – from the doubt and loathing, to the ecstasy of the near-perfect performance. The same holds for anyone pursuing individual sport where even the very best lose far more often than they win. So why? As Janyk would instruct himself throughout his decades of racing, just “go to the start” and find out. This is a wonderful tale of on one man’s many hard-earned answers over the years, filled with invaluable lessons for could-be champions as well as the many more participants. As it turns out, it’s not about the wins.”
Steve Porino, Broadcaster, NBC Sports
“Go to the Start is a captivating journey into the heart, mind, and body of a world-class ski racer. The challenges Mike Janyk faced (and overcame) and the lessons he learned can be valuable for anyone striving to be their best at anything.”
Jim Taylor, sport psychologist, former world-ranked ski racer
BC Alpine is currently looking for new corporate partners for the Nancy Greene Ski League (up to U12) and for the provincial FIS race series. The three-year partnership with Sporting Life concluded this past summer.
BC Alpine CEO Anders Hestdalen is currently in conversations with several BC-invested companies that share the passion for youth sport, skiing, community building, athletic performance and outdoor activity.
“We believe that the properties we have are attractive, and we are looking for the right partners who share our passion and want to build long lasting relationships like the ones we have with Teck Resources, Haywood Securities, Karbon, Anthem Properties, Greg Gardner and CTS,” he said.
The annual BC Alpine “Goldies” took place last weekend in Sun Peaks, to a packed room of coaches, volunteers, officials, staff members, club executives … and a legend named Nancy Greene Raine who was on stage to present the awards to the most outstanding contributors to ski racing in the province last season at the impressive Sun Peaks Grand Hotel and Conference Centre.
“It was an incredible celebration of a great season,” said BC Alpine VP, Johnny Crichton, who announced the awards. The dinner and presentations capped a productive three-day Member Summit, which included coach meetings, general member meetings and the official BC Alpine AGM. All said, 26 BC Alpine clubs attended the sessions, with over 100 members attending.
The keynote presentation by Jack Crawford, the current world champion and Olympic medalist, was a highlight. Jack walked through his career to-date, including his time with the Whistler Mountain Ski Club, discussing topics that ranged from his personal focus on excellence, the value of teamwork and diversity in training. Other marquee speakers included Lene Puntervold and Claude Lebreux, who presented from Norway on the topic of Norwegian motor skills philosophies and their approach to training in various sports. It was an inspiring presentation which included interviews from Norwegian athletes and coaches, as well as U16 skiers in the impressive Olympic Training Centre in Oslo, as a coach walked them through a creative training program.
Below are the winners from all categories. Congratulations to all the winners!
We are looking forward to hosting more than 100 club coaches, executives, official and general members this weekend, October 13-15, at the beautiful Sun Peaks Grand Hotel in Sun Peaks. This year’s Member Summit/AGM is shaping up to be an exciting, informative and entertaining event; we are excited to announce our stellar lineup of guest speakers.
Jack Crawford, Olympic Bronze Medalist – “My journey through the club system”
James (Jack) Crawford was born in Toronto on May 3, 1997. He began skiing with his parents, sister, and cousins at the age of three at the Georgian Peaks Ski Club in Thornbury, Ontario. The Crawford family has a tradition of ski racers beginning with his aunt Judy Crawford Rawley, who was on the National team from 1967-1974 and his father, Angus, and his uncles, following closely behind. Jack attended Primary school and part of high school in Toronto before finishing up at Whistler Secondary in Whistler. In his spare time, Jack loves to surf, waterski, golf, road bike and mountain bike, as well as spend time with his family and friends in Whistler and Ontario. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a lot of spare time! Jack progressed through Nancy Greene, K1, and K2 with the Georgian Peaks Ski Club. In his last year of K2, he moved to Whistler to ski in the mountains as a single year experience. It proved to be a very good experience for him, and his family made the decision to allow him to continue to ski out of the Whistler Mountain Ski Club. He was a multi-disciplined athlete, playing A hockey with the York Mills Hockey Club in Toronto until he was 15. After his first year of FIS and at the age of 17, he was named to the National Development Team, and in 2016-2017, he was named to the senior national team.
Jack Crawford
Jack Crawford
Lene Puntervold, Norwegian Olympic Training Center: “The Norwegian motor skills philosophy: gym to on-snow“
Lene has been a Coach Specialist in the Motor Skill Department of Olympiatoppen since 2008, working with national teams and top athletes in the following sports:
Lene’s background includes football, tennis, swimming and theatre, but most importantly, 15 years competing as a rhythmic gymnast, and then coaching the Norwegian rhythmic gymnastics team. After receiving a BA in contemporary dance, Lene worked as a professional dancer before joining Olympiatoppen. She also teaches 1st year dance students at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts.
Lene Puntervold
Claude Lebreux
Claude Lebreux, Norwegian Olympic Training Center: “The Norwegian motor skills philosophy: gym to on-snow”
Claude is a Coach Specialist in the Motor Skill Department at Olympiatoppen, working with national teams and top athletes in the following sports:
Alpine – Men and Women, Freestyle, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Handball, Football, Track and Field (middle & long distance runners), Rifle Shooting, Skateboarding
A former competitive gymnast, he studied coaching at the Sport University in Nice, France. Claude has worked at both the club and national team levels for more than 30 years. He spent 14 years as a physical trainer for the French Freestyle Ski Team, travelling to World Championships and multiple Olympic Winter Games (Albertville, Lillehammer, Nagano, Salt Lake City and Torino) with the Europa Cup and World Cup teams.
Below are links to the full Agenda, as well as other related documents. To keep paper to a minimum we’re making these available electronically on BC Alpine’s website.
