Frequently Asked Questions & Disclaimer Regarding Competitive Snowboarding in Alberta.

Q: How is competitive snowboarding organized?
A: The snowboarding world in Canada is governed by the Canadian Snowboarding Federation (CSF) and under that umbrella, provincial organizations. The governing body in our province is the Alberta Snowboard Association (ASA).

The CSF oversees the National Snowboard Team which competes at World Cups and represents Canada at the Olympics.  CSF hosts FIS-sanctioned competitions throughout the season as well as an annual, national competition of athletes who are nominated by their respective provinces; and, when appropriate, invites athletes from across the country to participate in development camps.

The ASA nominates Alberta athletes to the CSF annual, national competition, based on overall results at the season’s provincial competitions.

Q: Does Alberta have a provincial snowboarding team?
A: At this point in time, there is no ‘provincial team’ in Alberta.

Q: Without a provincial team, what training is available for Alberta athletes?
A: Competitive riders in Alberta can train with an accredited snowboard club or seek private coaching.

Q: What is an accredited club and how do you choose one?
A: The ASA sets coaching and program criteria for accredited clubs. In addition to that, the Canadian Olympic Development Association (CODA) accredits clubs to train at the Canadian Olympic Park (COP) facility in Calgary. The accredited clubs are listed on the ASA website.

In terms of choosing, you would look at the coaching qualifications and experience as well as a track record of club-rider accomplishments.

Q: Where does the Calgary Snowboard Club fit in?
A: The Calgary Snowboard Club (CSC) was established four years ago when the then ASA board disbanded the provincial team due to lack of funding. CSC is a registered non-profit club with an elected board of directors and transparent operations. The club’s mission is to develop Alberta riders to international podiums, combining freestyle with athletic discipline.

CSC is the only club in the province to include programming in all the Olympic disciplines: race, freestyle/halfpipe and snowboardcross. The club has the most highly credentialed coaches in the country and the most demonstrated success on the podium. Last season (2004-05) the CSC alpine race team coached by Mark Ballard, trained and competed in Europe. Ballard was chosen to coach the Canadian race and SBX team at the 2005 Junior World Championships.

Among other impressive results, CSC freestyle rider Kory Wright, coached by Brian Smith, won the Bronze Medal at the Junior World Championships – the first ever medal for Canada in Men’s Halfpipe.

Six CSC riders (men and women) have been named to the 2010 Olympic Development team. Head coach Mark Ballard and senior freestyle coach Brian Smith have been identified as 2010 coaches in alpine race and freestyle (respectively).

Q: How does the CSC provincial program differ from a provincial team?
A: From its founding four years ago, CSC has defined and named programming according to competitive levels: introductory/local, provincial and high performance. As the names suggest, local program riders compete in and around Calgary; provincial program riders compete at the provincial level, mainly in Alberta and British Columbia. The CSC provincial program does not represent itself as the Alberta provincial team, but refers to a level of competition. High performance team members train and compete in North America and internationally.

Q: How can I get started?
A: Contact the Calgary Snowboard Club at: info@snowboardcoach.ca or call Head Coach, Mark Ballard at (403) 561-2276.