Coaching Program Introduction

As an all-volunteer organization, we rely on our parents to coach. Coaching is a commitment and involves teaching kids and maintaining safety and accountability…it’s also deeply rewarding and incredibly fun! We want you to feel comfortable as a coach, and we are always willing to show you the ropes. To that end, we have put together the following outline of our program and included videos of what we teach. Take a look, get involved, and enjoy time on the Beach (Lake Trails) with your kids. 

1. For Parents  (video)
2. For Coaches  (video)

All Groups

1. Trail Etiquette
   1. Avoid walking on groomed trails (stay to outside if necessary)
   2. Stay to the right when skiing or stopping
   3. Ski in the proper direction of travel
   4. Don’t stop on blind corners or on downhills
   5. Don’t skate or herringbone on Classic tracks
   6. Yield tracks/trail to faster skiers
   7. Announce your intentions when passing “on your left” or “track”
   8. Help keep trails clear of debris (litter, sticks, rocks)
2. Sportsmanship and Saftey
   1. Attentive participant and respectful to Coaches
   2. Positive, supportive attitude
   3. Maintain pole awareness
   4. Refrain from cutting skiers off or quickly stopping in traffic
   5. Avoid collisions

Polar Cubs

1. Deadbug  (video)
   1. Technique for teaching how to get back up after falling
   2. Call ‘earthquake’ or ‘windstorm’ randomly on trail to practice
2. Star Turn  (video)
   1. Technique to introduce turning or changing direction on skis
   2. Play the Hokie Pokie  (video)
3. Angry Penguin Position  (video)
   1. Technique to introduce proper stance and good balance
   2. Emphasis on getting low and bending knees
4. Stopping: Pizza Wedge / Snow Plow  (video)
   1. Technique for slowing down or stopping
   2. Games:
      1. Red Light, Green Light – Flat and hill versions  (video)
      2. Mr. Fox, “What time is it?” (video)
      3. Sleeping Giant (variations: sneaky feet – ski on toes)  (video)
      4. The Squeeze – put two poles on hill that can be skied through and have kids top with the wedge after skiing through
5. Duck Walk / Herringbone  (video)
   1. Technique for climbing uphill
   2. Play Red Light, Green Light (uphill version)  (video)

White Group (Beginners and Zoomers)

1. Introduction  (video)
2. Kick and Glide
   1. Techniques for emphasizing kick and glide in Classic style
   2. Kick, Kick, Glide drill  (video)
   3. Countdown – Establish a distance, have kids count the number of strides they take to cover the distance. Repeat and challenge kids to reduce the number of strides.  (video)
   4. Games:
      1. Fox and Hound  (video)
      2. Sharks and Minnows  (video)
      3. Snowball Relays
3. Poles  (video)
   1. Holding poles  (video)
   2. Classic style (diagonal stride) with poles
   3. Double pole  (video)
   4. Herringbone with poles  (video)
4. Turning on Downhills  (video)
5. Downhill Tuck  (video)
6. Games:
   1. Simon Says
   2. Name Game
   3. Tag (Freeze, Infection, etc.)
   4. Caputure the Flag

Blue, Purple, Competitive Groups

1. Continue progression with Classic technique
   1. Diagonal stride
   2. Double pole
   3. Step turns
   4. Race starts
2. Introduction/review Skating technique
   1. Power  (video)
      1. Athletic stance (loading up core muscles to push)
      2. Gravity (allowing gravity to pull forward)
      3. Drill: Leap Frog
   2. Ski-to-Ski Balance  (video)
      1. Cycle of skiing: Compress, Propel, Glide
      2. Drill: One Skate Dance
   3. Free Skate Technique  (video)
      1. Technique for skating with no poles
      2. Good for recovery/rest and increasing speed on downhills
   4. V2 Skate  (video)
      1. Primary technique for skating on variety of terrain
      2. Double pole on both skate pushes
      3. Emphasis on landing on flat ski in the direction of travel
   5. V1 Skate  (video)
      1. Technique for climbing steep uphills
      2. Double pole on one skate push
      3. Emphasis on leaning into hill and keeping momentum (quick feet)
   6. Step/Skate Turns  (video)
      1. Technique for building or maintain speed on turns (flat and downhills)
      2. Emphasis on small, quick steps to navigate the turn  (video)
      3. Add a skate push with outside skate to build speed
      4. Drill: Figure 8s  (video)
      5. Drill: Cone Tag  (video)
3. Competitive Racing
   1. Discuss race rules
   2. Discuss race strategy and tactics
   3. Discuss and practice dynamic and static stretching
   4. Practice race starts