Ski Racing - November 21, 2011

OUT OF THE GATE

This year’s USSA fall Alpine National Coaches Academy gathered some 40 junior coaches from around the country from Nov. 5 to 8 in Copper Mountain for a new skills development program. Coaches also connected with U.S. Ski Teamers.

“The idea is to take advantage of all the National Team athletes and staff that are out here training and bring our top coaches from around the country to have three days of open discussion and presentations,” said Jon Nolting, USSA sport education director. “We’re here to watch our national team athletes on the hill, and talk about what they’re doing and how we can apply that back to the clubs.” The academy, in its second year, is designed for upper-level coaches (level 200 or higher) from around the country to come together for continued education.

“Our theme this year is skills; we’re really trying to get down to identifying what those important skills
are for juniors in order to be successful as older ski racers,” said Nolting. “We are looking at how we
can teach those skills and make it cool to work on them and how we can engage some of the parents
and coaches into understanding that some of the skill work we do with young kids isn’t going to look
like a World Cup race set-up, and that it’s more appropriate for them to be doing a kid’s version of
what ultimately they’re going to be end up doing.”
Western Region Director Lester Keller introduced the coaches to a new USSA program called Skills
Quest, which will guide coaches, parents and young athletes through key skill development. “We are
all really excited about the success we are seeing at the international level with out athletes,” said
Nolting. “However, if you look deeper into those results, we certainly look at the depth and we’ve got
big shoes to fill with some of the great skiers that we have at the top, we are in no position to rest on
our laurels.”
The coaches participated in on-hill clinics every day and went to nightly meetings with the nation’s
leading alpine experts. U.S. Ski Team men’s technical head coach Mike Day spoke on keeping slalom
simple, and colleague Josh Applegate taught about coaching a world champion. The coaches learned
more about the signs of concussion and course setting, and attended sessions with the U.S. Ski Team
athletes.
“I’m particularly excited about the exposure to the National Team at this camp; that is huge,” said
attendee Jim Catalano of Hunter Mountain. “The USSA and national team are really trying to take
what is going on at the top end and give as many opportunities to coaches at the grass roots level; it’s
definitely becoming effective.”
Buck Hill coach Jacob Olsen
said he appreciated the tim-
ing of the skills development
clinics. “This is definitely a
time of change and whenever
that happens there is always
a lot of excitement involved
and people getting interest-
ed,” said Olsen. “I’m looking
forward to seeing what the
new stuff is that the Ski Team
coaches are working with and
take some of that energy and
excitement and taking some
new methods back to the mid-
West.”