 |
|
|
J1 - FIS Programs 2006-2007 As you may or may not know Alpine Ontario has once again restructured their programs and this will have implications for each of the club and development teams such as the HADT. Last year's expanded HPDT really shook up and disrupted a number of the club programs (including HADT) by taking athletes away from the club programs before they were ready to be competitive at the Provincial and National levels. This year, AOA has really tightened up the criteria for selection to the Ontario Development Team, so much so that currently a number of last year's Development Team athletes no longer qualify for that team. AOA seems to be taking the position that development of Junior FIS athletes needs to be re-encouraged at the club level and that they should be focusing on working with those athletes who have demonstrated by performance a current capacity to make it to the National Team. In fact, Pat Wright from HADT and the Ontario Ski Team has been selected to the Canadian National Ski Team this season. HADT has always focused on individual development - each in their own time, in their own way to their own ends - and in doing so we have put athletes on to the Regional (SOD & HPDT), Provincial and National Team. I know from my experience exactly what it takes to be competitive and to continue to love the sport and find great joy and accomplishment from the Athletic development, and in particular alpine skiing, happens individually and no single program will be best suited for everyone. Nevertheless, the fundamentals are the fundamentals - fitness and time on task are the two most important elements in athletic development and achievement. A fitness program must be comprehensive - it must develop endurance, flexibility, speed, strength and general athletic and sport specific skills (ie throwing a ball and counter rotation). Every athlete needs a clear and reachable goal(s), not something they can succeed at today but something they can contribute to today, something that only with hard work and commitment will at the end of their season have been achieved. Goals are purposes, they are the why in athlete (youth) development. Most importantly though is what has to be done to accomplish one's goal(s), for it is in the doing that we discover our nature and our potential. The athlete, their parents and coaches will most likely all have some different goals but they must all share some goals - these are our global goals, indeed, it is these common "global" goals and what we do in common to achieve them that defines the program. Each athlete then needs a set of individual goals which is their route to achieving the common goals of the program. For example, if the common goal is for each athlete to achieve FIS points below 100 in both technical events (GS & Slalom) what does the individual have to do to get there. Clearly, each athlete must ski faster in the real races to score under 100, but each athlete has to do individual things (physically, technically and psychologically) to achieve this result. For next season, at the Junior Level (15+ years of age) we see having two distinct programs, each with a common goal that individual athletes can focus upon achieving. These two programs reflect what we believe are the development needs and potential of the athletes in the program. This year at the Regional Junior Level (AOSD J Series) we had a very successful season; 9 athletes scored 24 top ten finishes including 7 podiums - we scored in all disciplines and were on the podium in Here are the programs that we think have the clear and appropriate goals necessary to help our team of athletes achieve the success we are all striving for. Regional Junior Program Program Goal - Each first year athlete to score at least one top ten result in each discipline, second year athletes top 5 results This program will focus on training and developing fundamental skiing and racing skills and techniques.
|
