National Development System: Plug in to US Skiing!

NTG Camp wraps up

A graph showing the progress of US Skiing in general as measured by World Cup points scored. Of course to go with this are a small pile of top 5 and podium results both at World Championships and on the World Cup as well as a big increase in top 30 results at Junior Worlds. However...

it is a start. Here a graphic shows the National Development System's development pipeline as it stands right now. You can see the point where the NTG is designed to sit in the pipeline. Development remains our greatest area of opportunity and the area requiring the most cooperation between the USST and the greater ski community.

The Regional Elite Group camps are the next project to begin for the summer. This program has been running since Miles Minson and Chris Grover started them in 2000. They have, in my opinion, been the USST's best program in terms of partnership and development. Over the 8 years I have been attending them there has been a marked improvement in the quality of training and technique. Junior World results reflect this. There is a lot of work to go and development is where a lot of this work needs to take place. Adding to the REG's we have also developed a USST continental cup team (2006), Education System (2009), linked the REG to a more national camp with a National Elite Group camp (2009), and added the National Training Group (2010). The other new project added this year is the National J2 Talent ID Camp. For more information about that please visit:

http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/ussa/en/news/crosscountry/J2-camp.html

At the REG camps this year the coaches present will continue to discuss the progress and evolution of the National Development System. To best contribute to this conversation contact the coaches from your region that will be attending the REG. IF you are not sure who this is, plug into your regional leadership and get involved. To continue to move forward we must work together within our clubs, within our regions, with our support systems (parents, schools and organizations like the NCCSEF) and of course also with the National governing body - the USST. Opportunities to contribute effectively abound.