August 27, 2008 (Canmore, AB) – It has been three months since we launched the Alberta World Cup Academy, and while these months have been a blur of exciting progress for the team, it is time for an update. This morning I had time to hop on my bike ride and digest everything that has happened, with an eye towards determining exactly why it has been such a productive period.

Our team brings their “A” game to every training session

The quality of this team is a coach’s dream. It is one of the most impressive outcomes of having the flexibility to name a larger team with varied age ranges, and it has resulted in enhanced daily training sessions and camps. The young athletes have the chance to see the work ethic and strength of the older athletes, while the older athletes get to share in the youthful enthusiasm of the younger athletes. This is a win-win environment from all perspectives. Nothing is more exciting than seeing a group push each other when it counts in such a positive way.

The gray zone

Since we are a transitional team whose main goal is to bridge the gap between club/provincial programs and the National Ski Team, we work hard at making sure the foundation for long-term success is in place. This means having the athletes understand what they are doing and why. We encourage calculated risks and aggressive work ethic in an intelligent and diligent manner. It is such a difficult sport that it requires an incredible amount of work and determination, so understanding the objectives makes the load much more palatable.

We have been very fortunate to have had three excellent camps

Camp # 1 on snow in Silver Star, early May:
This is without a question my favourite place to train outside of Canmore. The snow was great and our accommodations were superb. Getting on snow in ideal conditions was a great way to begin the training season and assemble a new group of athletes in a positive environment. A special thank to Silver Star’s Nordic Manager, Glen Bond for our afternoon training session: outrigger canoeing on Lake Okanagan.

Camp # 2 testing, early June:
Our testing camp was a challenge for the athletes and the real welcome back to hard efforts for the year. For some athletes testing was a new experience, while others have over a decade of testing in their past. The goal was to get a baseline of each athletes fitness in a controlled environment, coupled with sport specific field tests that we can repeat later in the year.

Thanks to Cory, Cathy and Mike at TCR labs in Calgary (www.tcrsportlab.com) for doing such an outstanding job.

Camp # 3 on the Haig Glacier, mid July
I have been going to the Haig Glacier since 1995 and it just keeps getting better. This year we had excellent ski conditions and amazing support by the CODA staff, Joel Knopff and Johnny Frosst. This was an intense camp with lots of volume and technical work. Being back on snow after two months of dryland training was a great chance to break the monotony of roller skiing in circles. A competitive group workout focused on sprint starts and lunges was a highlight for the whole group.

In addition to our camps we all participate in daily sessions, in which we focus on proper technical execution, since economy of motion is something that can always be improved. Rob Sofer of PAN Training has done a terrific job of designing our strength program, which is obviously paying off in the power and strength we see from the whole team.

Here are some of the impressive improvements from spring testing to date:
– The uphill skate test has been used for years and is a good indication of specific summer fitness. Girls have an average of 7% improvement, while the boys have improved an average of 8.3%
– The double poling test is shorter, but again a good reflection of the maximal output of athletes in a 4-6 minute specific effort. Girls have had an average of 15% improvement, while the boys have improved an average of 11%.

All tests are done on Elpex F-1 Sprint skate roller ski, and we keep a set of skis specifically for testing. All of these improvements indicate that our new team is on track for success, and are the result of an incredible team effort.

Special thanks go out to:
– The Alberta World Cup Society
– The Alberta World Cup Academy committee: Ken Hewitt, Alain Parent, Lorraine Widmer, Sharon Hogg, Andrew Hicks, and Gordon Jewett
– Dr. Jeannie Armstrong
– Rob Sofer
– Scott Dunbar
– Coach Chris Jeffries

Thanks to our Sponsors
Alberta World Cup Society www.albertaworldcup.com
Canmore Nordic Sport Services, SOLDA’ Canada – www.soldacanada.com
Fischer Skis – www.fischerskis.com
Canadian Winter Sports, Elpex Roller Skis and Sinasalo Gloves – www.canadianwintersports.com
Podiumwear by Bora – www.podiumwear.com
SOS Headwear – www.sosheadwear.com
Alpina Sports, Exel Poles – www.alpinasports.com
Silver Star Mountain Accommodations – www.silverstarmountain.com
Ski*Go Canada – www.skigo.ca