Recruiting Skier for Snowboard Racing

[bartron]

Don't know if this is old news or not, but I figured it would perk up a few ears here:

"On the alpine side, the CSF and its provincial snowboard associations will work with up to five Alpine Ski clubs to introduce interested alpine ski racers to snowboarding."

You can read the entire article here on the CSF site.

'later...

[patmoore]

Great idea!

[Kent]

I applaud the effort...as "many" of the best snowboard racers started out or still race skiis.

It's perhaps for budgetting purposes, but its silly to claim its a 2010 initiative. It's no secret who are the FASTEST guys in Canada. They should spend their money on development rather than on identification.

It's a GREAT program for 2014, but snowboard racing isn't going to be around then......

[skategoat]

Interesting. I don't know about you guys but I was a pretty good skier and it helped me zero/nada/zilch when I jumped on a snowboard for the first time. I don't see how there are any transferable skills with the exception of how to choose a line on a course.

CSF must have a lot of extra coin to throw around with the OTP2010 program. CSF would be better off looking for skateboarders, wakeboarders and surfers.

[Allee]

CSF would be better off looking for skateboarders, wakeboarders and surfers.

They're the guys in the half pipe.

It might be nice to actually have a presence though. I've searched for a snowboard racing club in Calgary or Banff (not boardercross, just straight alpine racing) and I can't find one. So what chance does anyone wanting to get started have of getting a start in the sport?

[skategoat]

They're the guys in the half pipe.

It might be nice to actually have a presence though. I've searched for a snowboard racing club in Calgary or Banff (not boardercross, just straight alpine racing) and I can't find one. So what chance does anyone wanting to get started have of getting a start in the sport?

I hear you. I looked for a program in S. Ontario. You'd think with a population of 10 million plus, we'd have one or two. Well, there are a bunch but they are all at private clubs. For publicly accessible programs, there is exactly one - Oshawa Kirby. We ended up at Milton Heights which offers a BX program and then attended GS races independently.

For 06/07, I aim to change the situation. I took on a volunteer position with AOS (Assocation of Ontario Snowboarders) and my mission is to try to breathe some life into GS racing in Ontario. Wish me luck.

[Kent]

a pretty good skier and it helped me zero/nada/zilch when I jumped on a snowboard for the first time. I don't see how there are any transferable skills with the exception of how to choose a line on a course.

CSF must have a lot of extra coin to throw around with the OTP2010 program. CSF would be better off looking for skateboarders, wakeboarders and surfers.

Indy, Nascar, Sprint, Road....a fast driver is a fast driver. Of course, there are always exceptions.

It would be easier to name the top 100 snowboard racers who didn't start out ski racing than name the ones who did.

[dragon fly jones]

I got you on this one. My bro Mark Ballad has a club there in the calgary area and I know he would be down to help you out.

Holla back on the board and I'll get you his info. Class guy, knows his stuff and fun to boot.

DFJ

[Allee]

Ooh, give it to me... it might be a bit late for this season, but I'd love to get into it next season! Drop me an email and let me know.

[MJB]

Allee

Two options in Calgary. High Performance team or masters team. check out www.calgarysnowboardclub.com. If you are serious about getting involved training and racing, drop me a line at mark@snowboardcoach.ca

regards, Mark

[skategoat]

Indy, Nascar, Sprint, Road....a fast driver is a fast driver. Of course, there are always exceptions.

It would be easier to name the top 100 snowboard racers who didn't start out ski racing than name the ones who did.

Yes you're right, racing experience will help a lot but I'm just thinking, in a 2 day camp, you're just not going to identify the future stars especially if those guys/gals have never been on a snowboard. I suppose the skiers who will be interested in the camp will only go if they can actually link a turn on a board so there is already a weeding out process.

[Jim Callen]

Skate, have you ever been to Holimont in Western NY? They've got a program of about 35-40 kids, all on hardboots and ripping it up.

[skategoat]

Skate, have you ever been to Holimont in Western NY? They've got a program of about 35-40 kids, all on hardboots and ripping it up.

I've been to Holiday Valley many times but not Holimont. Didn't a bunch of you show up at the Provincial Championships and leave with some of our hardware?

[bartron]

They just cancelled the program in question. Check out the announcement .


'later...

[cb200]

I looked at the BC Snowboard association website and they have 0 alpine events planned for this year thats a shock and pretey much show how well they are planning to own the podium at present. I think alpine athletes would be better served by their own specialised orginization.

[Jamie]

Why the CSF would want to bring new athletes into the sport for 2010 rather than support current riders (who are bellow the Project 2010 level) is beyond me… it seems a bit late at this point.

[mthorp]

I'm from BC and my kids race BX. They started racing slalom snowboard (on softboots) in a Nancy Greene program along with skiers aged 6-12. Once they were 12 there was no further racing opportunities for them in BC except to BX race or to slalom race with their high school team. My kids would love opportunities to get onto their alpine gear and race with anyone else interested.

I agree with you Jamie that there are lots of alpine racers out there, but think that the intent of the CSF program was to start building interest in alpine racing for 2010 and beyond, and I welcome any alpine program that the CSF/BCSA wishes to start. I don't feel it's necesssary to start with skiiers, but think that they could pick up where the grass-roots snowboard programs leave off (age 13+). There is enough interest out there. For example, at the recent BC High School Alpine Championships held at Panorama, there were 161 snowboarders racing and only 122 skiers.

Merr

[Rob Smith]

There are so many similarities between skiing and carving.
I believe Alpine Canada ( the skiers) shut down our recruitment program...
Sounds pretty insecure to me.
I play in both camps, and enjoy the tete a tete between each.
Vive la differance.