July 09, 2012 – The AltaGas Club Coaching Support Program (“ACCSP”) is a CCC initiative aimed at supporting Canada’s high performance clubs and coaches by optimizing High Performance coaches’ ongoing practical education and training.

The financial support aims at improving the outlook for more full-time professional club coaching positions in Canada and consequently at increasing the number of Canadian clubs delivering year round, full-service programs.

As CCC has recently renewed its partnership with AltaGas for the next few years, the ACCSP selection committee has selected the following three clubs to benefit from a multi-year support program starting this season:

– Club Montériski (QC)
– Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club (BC)
– Red Deer Nordic Ski Club (AB)

The ACCSP will support these clubs for a period of 3 years, provided that clubs meet the expectations specified in the related agreement on a yearly basis in regard to meeting deliverables and demonstrating progress towards achieving the clubs’ goals.
The financial support over the three year term will be allocated according to the following schedule:

1. First year: $12,000
2. Second year: $10,000
3. Third year: $8,000

Through the ACCSP, CCC seeks to achieve the following goals:

1. Help clubs hire full time coaches for to improve the clubs’ ability to provide adequate programs that meet the development requirements of athletes from the L2T to T2C levels outlined in the LTAD, which will consequently enhance the quantity and quality of athletes constituting the NST talent pool;
2. Help create a standardized and sustainable career path for professional club coaches and thus increase the retention level among our coaches; in particular this objective is focused on clubs and coaches who have demonstrated an ability to develop athletes through the L2T to T2C levels of LTAD and a commitment towards professional coaching development;
3. Improve coaches’ financial conditions by recognizing acceptable and appropriate levels of remuneration;
4. Enhance the quantity and quality of coaches working at the T2C level including those coaches constituting the future NST coaches talent pool;
5. Encouragement of clubs to improve self-funding by providing initial support to build their capacity.