This is what I like

Mon, Aug  17, 2009 - By Pete Vordenberg

US Ski Team National Coaches Conference

I would like to invite you to the 2009 U.S. Cross Country Coaches Education Conference from September 25-27 in downtown Minneapolis.  U.S. cross country skiing is in a new era.  We have seen a consistent rise in World Cup points, World Cup podiums and an overall swell of hard work and pride.  To give you an objective measure of our improvement as a ski nation we have won the first, second, third, fourth and fifth World Cup medals after 23 years without more than a few top fifteen results.  We went from scoring an average of 40 World Cup points a year to scoring over 600 in each of the last three years. 

You are a part of this rising momentum.  We have found some success and won metals at the highest level of the sport, but to truly succeed and to succeed consistently in the long term we must continue to fight, continue to learn and work even harder together.  The 2009 conference is a great opportunity to come together to learn and plan our attack on the next stage of developing the sport in the U.S. We can keep this momentum building, we can give our next generation of skiers every opportunity they need to succeed, but it won’t happen without you, it won’t happen without effort.  We can win, we can win fairly, we can win ethically, and the only way we can do it is together. I sincerely hope to see you in Minneapolis.

Email Matt Whitcomb [email protected] for more info.

2009 U.S. National Coaches Education Conference Schedule (PDF)

The National Training Group athletes have been replaced in town by USST skiers Liz Stephen, Lindsay Williams, Morgan Smyth and Noah Hoffman.

Elizabeth Guiney, Parker Tyler, Monika Markvardsen on a 3 hour double pole.

Double pole power workout.  I liked having these young athletes in town.

Couple of horses that I liked.

Sunday morning OD.

Dirt road rolling Paris-Roubaix style.  I like this.

Classical stride session, Emigration Canyon.  I like focus.

You are gonna see a lot of bright green shirts up on TT.  You could see this one coming half a mile away.  Good safety precaution.  Highly recommended.

Most weeks hands-on coaching is 7 to 10 sessions a week.  Pat Casey, Noah Hoffman, David Norris.  Reese Hanneman and Liz Stephen also here but out of the image.  Yeah, that's a Metallica teeshirt.  The week before and after a camp can be a bit less hands on but will generally still have 4+ coached sessions a week.  I like coaching.

This is a dead badger tied to the roof.  It dun been sku'n now.

I like a rainy day.

This coaches conference is going to be the best yet.  We're going to hear from World Record setting, Olympic medal winning super star Dan Jansen.  We're going to hear from Sweden's XC physiologist H.C. Holmberg, World Championship medalist Kikkan Randal's coach Erik Flora, Dr. Jon Finnoff from the Mayo Clinic, Justin Wadsworth - USST coach as well as ex-coach of Olympic Medalist Beckie Scott.  Stratton Mtn Coach Sverre Caldwell and SVSEF coach Rick Kapala will speak on developing young skiers and the U.S Development System.  Finn Gunderson will present on Long Term Athlete Development.  Other topics will include Ski Service, XC specific injury prevention, physiology, technique, motivation and there will be some socializing opportunities made available.

It'll be highly educational and fun for all level of coaches.  Be there: [email protected]