April 2, 2009 (Park City, UT) – The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) has launched a cross country coaches level 100 certification program, the first level of a multi-level cross country-specific coaches education certification system. The curriculum is based on up-to-date practices used by the U.S. Ski Team in the quest for Olympic medals. The course material comes directly from the Team’s coaches and several of their key partners. The rollout of the certification system will occur throughout the next several seasons, and once completely launched, course content will continue to evolve with the sport.

The certification is based on a curriculum of cutting edge coaching techniques, which are used by the U.S. Ski Team in its coaching of athletes like World Championship silver medalist Kikkan Randall (Anchorage) and World Cup podium performer Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, VT).

“This cross country-specific coaches education certification system is a major step forward in our development as a skiing nation. Level 100 coaches will be better suited to provide the training environment that will maximize an athlete’s talent, allowing them to advance to the next stage of the pipeline,” U.S. Cross Country Coach Matt Whitcomb said. “Ultimately, the U.S. Ski Team is only as successful as the clubs that are developing athletes from early on, and thus wide spread buy-in to this program is important to the goal of winning Olympic medals.”

Level 200 coaches certification will be launched in the Spring of 2010, and level 300 in the Spring of 2011. For more information on level 100 certification click here and select the cross country tab.