Alpine Race Team (Team CSC)

Lead Coach: Mark Ballard

Summary: This team’s objective is to develop competitive snowboarders to win international events.  This goal requires learning to be competitive against the best in the world. To be competitive infers that a realistic chance of winning exists.

Session Times: A minimum of 100 training days annually and a year round intensive training schedule (previous training experience required).

Cost: $5200

This team is for athletes striving to ride for the national team and win international podiums.  We strive to have riders obtain a point profile and skill sets suitable for entry onto the national team. Finally, we develop athletes’ skills that are based on winning on the highest level.

Athletes are recommended to have approximately four years of training experience before entering the program.  Previous training experience allows for a better transition into a demanding engaging training program and environment, therefore increasing success and decreasing burnout.

The plan is to deliver safer, satisfied and successful athletes/participants in all disciplines and contexts within the competitive race stream. If excellence is expected of participating athletes, we must provide superior coaching, support, and opportunities. This includes relevant athletic development, training facilities and support of skilled leadership.

Each person is given specific consideration and customized approaches to ensure success, on top of the fundamental shared methods of the yearly training plan (YTP). Individual and general considerations to each training program include but are not limited to strength, energy, mental, emotional, technical, environmental aspects and nutrition. Our plan outlines how to holistically develop a snowboard athlete.

The vision of the program is summarized as follows:

• To be a national/international training center.
• To be recognized as the premier national feeder/training program for riders serious about advancing to the Olympic/World Cup levels.
• To send Team CSC members and alumni to the 2010 Olympics and beyond

With these athletes we strive to:

• Ensure an adult learning approach centred on the athletes’ needs
• Promote Core competencies (i.e. valuing, leadership, interaction, critical thinking, and problem solving)
• Identify and develop the skills and abilities necessary to be a world class racer

In 2008/2009 the team provided athlete support for twenty five alpine riders, with a core of eight full-time riders. The average training session consisted of no more than 10 riders with the support of two coaches. Many training camps had up to four coaches (1 coach is guaranteed) and trainers, ensuring an exceptional coach to athlete ratio for an athlete funded program.

Training schedule reflect the event calendar and team riders needs.

The general schedule runs Mon-Thu mornings on snow when the team is in town, and Mon-Fri 8 am at the gym when we are off snow. Training camps, weather and events disrupt the training schedule on a regular basis though. This program is intended for those with flexible schooling/work and preferably the ability to snowboard only.

A general overview of the race team calendar.

• April – Norquay/Sunshine training
• May – Sunshine/ dryland
• June- dryland/Whistler
• July – break/dryland
• August- New Zealand
• September – dryland
• October – dryland/glacier camp
• November – Copper Mountain
• December – competitive season, follow the tour and ride locally
• January – competitive season, follow the tour and ride locally
• February – competitive season, follow the tour and ride locally
• March – competitive season, follow the tour and ride locally

For more details or to apply for this team contact Mark Ballard at mark@snowboardcoach.ca or (403) 561-2276