Regional Coaching Day

Copies of the following information and schedule can be found at the end of the text.

When: Sunday 5th May 8.30am - 6.00pm
Where: Norfolk Snowsports Centre
Cost: £10 Racers book online normal place, Free to Coaches and Parents email chair@ersa.co.uk.
Who: Everyone - racers, parents, coaches

Dear Coaches, Instructors, Parents & Athletes,

ERSA would like to invite you to the first ERSA Regional Coaching Day, which will be held at Norfolk Snowsport Centre, Norwich. ERSA will be hosting presentations and practical workshops with input from several Regional and National Coaches, as well as by members of Governing Bodies across the day, with an aim to help spread knowledge and understanding between coaches, parents and athletes throughout the regional.

As this is the first time that ERSA has run an event like this, we should be very clear from the outset as the objectives of the event. It is not designed to preach or dictate about how the sport should be coached, but to offer a chance for all those interested in development – coaches and parents alike - to get together, ask questions about different sections of the pathway and interact with others from the region with similar goals. It should provide athletes from different clubs the opportunity to interact with other athletes away from the ERSA Summer Race Series, to learn from different coaches and further develop their understanding and skill sets. We have plenty of talented athletes and coaches within ERSA, and an abundance of supportive parents, so by sharing information and ideas we hope that we can help the athletes develop to the best of their abilities.

At the time of publication ERSA has the following sessions and workshops planned. Please be aware that these are subject to change.

Block 1

Programme Development Talk

A talk and open forum from ERSA Chairperson Bernie Wright, Regional Coach Jon Reidy and with discussion led by Team Evolution Programme Director Paul Telling discussing the variety of options available for UK skiers. Covering topics from the important work done by UK Clubs to the use of stubbies and multi sport approaches for training, this talk is designed to answer questions, give clarity to coaching approaches and offer new ideas to those that attend. It will also include time for an open forum at the conclusion of the talk.

Suitable for coaches & parents. Discussion led by Bernie Wright, Jon Reidy & Paul Telling

Starting with Small Details Session

This on slope session is designed to introduce new ways of thinking to both athletes and coaches in relation to the small things they can do in their training sessions on both snpw & artificial slopes. The session will cover warm ups and warm downs, course inspection, basic fundamentals and all the finer details that can add up to help create a successful training session.

Suitable for coaches & athletes. Session led by James Knock, Sally Bartlett

Block 2

Using Freestyle to develop better skiers

This workshop, split between the slopes and the classroom, is designed to introduce coaches and parents to the values of cross training to produce better skiers. Focusing on drills that will help develop better all round skiers, including looking at the safety aspects of freestyle and the development pathways for both freestyle and race, this session is designed to highlight the cross over potential of both disciplines and the advantages available by widening an athletes athletic vocabulary.

Suitable for coaches & parents. Session led by James Webb & Ian Findlay

Agility Skills for Skiers

A session covering both on and off slope training that will give athletes the chance to try a new agility exercises aimed at developing foot speed and balance for skiers. With the opportunity for parents to watch and learn exercises that can be practiced at home, and with the chance for coaches to get involved in discussing and demonstrating their own exercises, this workshop is about sharing ideas and new ways of encouraging a key part of any skiers skill set.

Suitable for Athletes, Coaches & Parents. Session led by James Knock, Yannick Green

Block 3

Tuning & Equipment – Basics

A simple and informative session designed to explain the importance behind getting basic equipment choices correct and how a basic knowledge of tuning can make a huge different to the performance of your equipment. Including the opportunity to test skis, this session allows time for questions to be asked and will cover everything from the difference between waxes to how to set your gear up correctly.

Suitable for coaches, parents & athletes. Session led by Sally Bartlett

Tuning & Equipment - Advanced

A more in depth and all encompassing version of the Basics Session, this workshop will briefly touch on the basic understanding of those attending, before focusing on the finer aspects of equipment selection and tuning. Aiming to cover those details that are usually passed on by word of mouth, the session will provide information on base structures, materials, ski flexs, ski & boot set ups and the different needs of different surfaces.

Suitable for coaches, parents & athletes. Session by James Knock

Course Setting, Combinations & Patterns

Achieving the right results in slalom training is hugely reliant on setting the right courses, so this workshop is designed to give coaches and athletes the opportunity to set & ski a range of different courses and combinations to teach different outcomes. Covering everything from the difference between a “challenging” and a “poor” set, to how to set to meet specific programme aims, the time on the slope will give coaches the chance to discuss and practice different setting options while athletes will have the chance to ski a variety of different combination courses.

Suitable for coaches & athletes. Session led by Paul Telling, Jon Reidy & James Knock

Block 4

Paddy Mortimer Performance Pathways Talk

ERSA will be welcoming BSS Performance Director Paddy Mortimer to give a talk followed by an open forum to discuss how they see the ideas that have been discussed between coaches & parents today work within the Performance Pathway operated by BSS for its National Team programmes. They will discuss everything from coach education through to athlete options, and be available for a Q & A forum at the end of the session.

Suitable for coaches, parents & athletes. Session led by Paddy Mortimer

Pro Dual & Slalom Training

In the final session of the day for athletes we will return to the slopes with the focus on fun, fast skiing. Pro Dual Slalom courses and competitive challenges will give all athletes the chance to get out and ski, with input from a wide range of coaches.

Suitable for athletes & coaches. Session led by Jon Reidy, James Knock

Freestyle Sessions

Run by British SlopeStyle Champion James Webb, this session is for skiers of all ages and abilities who want to learn freestyle orientated skills that will help make them better skiers. Starting at the basics and progressing at the rate of the group, the workshop will provide those taking part with a series of challenges and new skills to help develop their skiing whilst having a load of fun!

Suitable for athletes. Session led by James Webb

Note:

At this point, all sessions and staff are provisional, and based on availability, but ERSA will be working to provide the best possible input for each of these planned sessions.