The FIS registration season is upon us earlier than usual.  Although we have a much earlier deadline for registration, the paperwork is actually not due in the BC Alpine office until August 20th.  In order to get your athletes registered in time for the May 31 deadline, all that is required is that they are registered/re-registered through the BC Alpine online registration system. 

All registrants entered into the online registration system by May 31, 2006 will be eligible for the $410 registration fee.  They will then have until August 20th to have their paperwork in to the BC Alpine office (note, this does not mean postmarked by, but actually in the office by).  Should the paperwork NOT be delivered to the office in time, the registrant will be assessed a late registration fee of $150 on top of the current registration fee.  Although paperwork is not due at this deadline, a single club cheque along with list of athletes must be received at the BC Alpine office by June 10th or the registration(s) will be removed and re-entering the registration will fall into the next deadline's registration cost.

If online registration is entered between June 1st and Aug 20th, the registration fee will be $460.  All paperwork must still be in the BC Alpine office by the Aug 20th deadline in order to avoid a $100 late fee (for clarification, see Registration Package available at the link below).  A single club cheque along with list of athletes must be received at the BC Alpine office by Aug 30th or the registration(s) will be removed and re-entering the registration will fall into the next deadline's registration cost.

The online registration system is only available to the clubs (registrars) and online registration for the 2006-2007 season does not begin until May 10th. Individuals MUST register with their clubs directly and have the club add them to the BC Alpine database.  Any registrant that attempts to register with BC Alpine directly by sending in their paperwork to us without first registering with their club will not be processed.
DOWNLOAD THE FIS REGISTRATION PACKAGE HERE

FIS DEADLINES OVERVIEW:
May 31 - $410 Online Registrations Entered
June 10 - Single Club Cheque for May 31 must be received
Aug 20 - $460 Online Registrations Entered
Aug 20 - All FIS Paperwork must be received
Aug 30 - Single Club Cheque for Aug 20 must be received

It is with some regret that we announce Gordie Bowles will be leaving BC Alpine this summer to pursue new ventures.  Over five years of dedicated work with BC Alpine, Gordie has implemented new programs to support BC athletes, coaches and clubs such as the 'Best to Best' B2B program (FIS, Kinder and Zone B2B), J1 Nationals, Snow Stars, Gold Cup, Entry Level Academies and the Provincial Coaches Council. Gordie has been instrumental in changing the design of our athlete development system and encouraging clubs to pool their resources for the benefit of the athletes.

During his tenure, Gordie has committed BC Alpine to new athlete and coach support initiatives that exceed $250,000 annually, over and above existing program funding. Gordie will remain with BC Alpine through the summer as BC Alpine transitions to a new Program Director.  We wish Gordie every success in his future endeavours.

See the job posting for BC Alpine Program Director at www.bcalpine.com and in this newsletter; applications will be accepted until May 20, 2006 with the starting date of August 1, 2006.

Seeking Candidates for BC Alpine Program Director Position
The British Columbia Alpine Ski Association is the provincial sport organization that oversees the sport of alpine ski racing in BC. Working with the ski clubs across the province, BC Alpine provides the structure for athlete-focused, skill-based ski programs for entry level through to the BC Ski Team.

The BC Alpine Program Director provides the technical and organizational direction for BC Alpine.  Reporting to the General Manager, the Program Director’s main focus will be to lead participation and performance programs. As a club liaison, the Program Director will work with club coaches and volunteers to provide service for their continued improvement.  This includes a broad range of tasks such as: planning, direction-setting for BC Alpine, coaching development and education programs, club communication, rules, direction modification and implementation of our strategic plan.

Athlete Programs:
• Coordinate the Alcan NGSL program, including the Entry Level Academies and Snow Stars training
• Manage Team BC activities for National Championship events (K2, J1, Senior)
• Manage Performance Enhancement Team (P.E.T.)
• Manage the B2B programs (Kinder, FIS, Zone)
• Oversee BC Ski Team activities
• Liaise with the Alpine Canada Alpin to provide feedback and program modification for BC
• Monitor club and zone programs, recommending changes to make BC’s programs the best in Canada
• Promote and implement AIM in the province
• Coordinate the dryland testing protocols and data collection
• Act as facilitator for the BC Games and Canada Games
• Work with BCST coaches to build continuity in the Provincial programs
• Extensive planning and implementation to facilitate an integrated program
• Coordinate the provincial programs with the educational needs of our athletes

Program Delivery:
• Help in developing an annual competition calendar following AIM
• Ensure a coordinated effort with club coaches in the province
• Monitor participation and satisfaction in all programs

Coaching Development:
• Manage the Provincial Coaches Council (PCC)
• Organize and implement coaching certification and delivery of the CSCF Entry Level (Level 1) courses, integrate activities with the CSCF and coordinate the professional development seminars bi- annually
• Communicate with clubs on coaching development, hiring, education and other best practices

Qualifications:
• Minimum 5 years coaching experience
• University or post-secondary degree (Physical Education / Kinesiology an asset)
• Minimum CSCF High Performance Level 3 or foreign equivalency
• Superior inter-personal skills and organizational expertise
• Superior communication and writing skills
• Computer and IT expertise
• Ability to build teams and encourage cooperation

Please submit cover letter and resume to Bruce Goldsmid (bruceg@bcalpine.com or by mail to #306, 1367 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC, V6H 4A9) by May 20, 2006 and include salary expectations and references.

The position starts August 1, 2006 at the BC Alpine office in Vancouver

BC Alpine Announces New Athletic Staff Structure for 2006-07
After spending nearly a decade coaching at the sport’s highest level, Whistler’s Jim Pollock is returning to the BC Ski Team. As the head coach of the Women’s World Cup Technical Team for the past eight seasons, Pollock coached Olympians Allison Forsyth, Britt Janyk, Genevieve Simard and Brigitte Acton. He now looks to bring his experience back to the provincial system and to the coaches in BC where his focus will be specifically to lead a group of talented female athletes toward the national ski team path.

 “My goal is to challenge, motivate and push our girls’ team to reach a very high level,” said Pollock. “I believe we have the talent in BC right now to get to the podium at Nor Am races - that will be our focus.”

Pollock joins BC Ski Team coach Nancy O’Neill on the women’s staff. In her new role as the Women’s Athletic Director, O’Neill will be responsible to oversee the women’s BC Ski Team as well as the female FIS B2B athletes. O’Neill is excited at the opportunity to work alongside Pollock next season: “Jim is known as an innovator throughout the world of Alpine skiing. He combines the science and art of coaching like no other,” O’Neill said. “This is a very unique opportunity for our girls, one that rarely comes along at the provincial level.”

Following Dale Stephens’ recent departure from the BC Team staff, Glenn Thomsen has moved into the driver’s seat with the Men’s BC Ski Team. Similar to Nancy O’Neill’s new position, Thomsen will take on the responsibility as the Men’s Athletic Director.

BC Alpine is pleased to announce that Andrew Lambert, who has just come off a successful season coaching the Okanagan Ski Team, will be joining Thomsen as coach of the men’s BC Team.  Lambert will also take on the role of coordinating all fitness and dryland training programs for both the men’s and women’s teams. Lambert coached the women’s BC Team for one season and has been the BC Alpine FIS B2B head coach for the past two years.

The 2006-07 BC Ski Team roster will be announced at the BC Alpine general meeting on May 13, 2006 in Kelowna.

BC Ski Team Staff 2006/07:
Nancy O’Neill – Women’s Athletic Director
Jim Pollock – Women’s BCST Coach
Glenn Thomsen – Men’s Athletic Director
Andrew Lambert – Men’s BCST Coach, Fitness Coordinator (Men and Women)

They're going fast - Friday is the final day to book your room in Kelowna.  CALL SOON, there are just a few rooms left at the Coast Capri for the BC Alpine Spring General Meetings, May 11 to 14.  

CLICK HERE to have a look at the meeting schedule over four days - remember, everyone is invited to Saturday's general meeting - the rest...you know who you are!

Provincial Coaches Council Meeting:  Thursday the 11th, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
(CLICK FOR PCC KINDER AGENDA)       (CLICK FOR PCC FIS AGENDA)
(The Provincial Coaches Council is made up of representatives from each zone.  The above agendas, posted here for your information, were distributed to the council members one month ago in preparation for their Thursday meeting.)

Coaches Meeting:  Friday the 12th, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

General Meeting:  Saturday, May 13th, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM (CLICK FOR AGENDA)

Zone B2B Planning Meeting:  Sunday, May 14th, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Officials Committee Meeting:  Sunday, May 14th, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

All meetings are taking place at The Coast Capri Hotel, 1171 Harvey Avenue in Kelowna. Guest Rooms are available on the Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights – Single/Double for $99.00 & Triple/Quad for $109.00 per night.

Please call the hotel directly at 250-860-6060 to make a reservation OR you can email your reservation to reservations@coastcaprihotel.com. (Group Name: BC Alpine Ski Association, Block Number: 6416)

Cost for the General Meeting on Saturday is $30.00 per person - payment either by CREDIT CARD at www.pay.bcalpine.com or CASH/CHEQUE at the door (NO CREDIT CARDS AT THE DOOR PLEASE).

Red Mountain Racers, Kootenay-Columbia School District 20 (SD20) and Red Resort announced recently that the Red Mountain Racers Ski Academy (RMRSA) is significantly enhancing its program for the 2006/2007 season.  The academy will be adding another eight seats for a total of 25 athletes who will apply to be selected to either the Learn to Race or Learn to Win programs. The first will teach the fundamentals of skiing and racing while the Learn to Win program will provide the skills necessary to win top level competitions. There will also be the option of five- and 10-month programs through the academy allowing athletes to choose between a winter only option or the full package which includes intense pre-season training and academics for maximum race season preparation.

Head Coach Sean Valentine stated, “We saw theory become reality this season. The wonderful RMRSA balance between the classroom and the mountain enabled the racers to improve much faster than traditional weekend programs. The athletes were consistently on the snow five days a week allowing my staff and me the necessary time to work on building solid ski racers. With the new Learn to Race and Learn to Win programs we will be further catering to the skills needs of the individual athletes. I’m looking forward to 2006/2007,” said Valentine. (CLICK TO READ MORE) or check out the WEBSITE!

An Experience to Remember and Learn From – by Barry Peters, Chief of Race and President of the Mount Washington Ski Club
Mount Washington Ski Club (MWSC), Vancouver Island Society for Adaptive Snowsports (VISAS) and Mount Washington Ski Resort were hosts to the Disabled Alpine Ski Championships, March 27th to 31st, 2006.  Fifty athletes from all across Canada competed in two days of Slalom and two days of Giant Slalom racing. It was the first disabled event held at Mount Washington since the mid 1990’s and the first ever National Championships.  The competition was intense but the atmosphere was inspiring.  We wanted to put on a good show for these remarkable athletes and as always, our volunteers, Marmots and others rose to the occasion. The local VISAS group helped out a lot with providing extra volunteers for the race and some transportation for athletes and equipment. The big hit for our crews was the appreciation they got from the athletes. Many of our most experienced course crew members said they would work another race for these competitors anytime. Everywhere you looked there was always a smile, a handshake, a thank you.”

Competitors at this level are either on a Provincial Team, National Development Team or the National Team. It’s quite an experience to have the Paralympic Gold medalist ski down a course your crew has prepared. It was a special moment for our Chief of Course when a young athlete, all smiles, exclaimed “that is the first time I’ve ever completed a race!” Medals were awarded each day for Men and Women in Visually Impaired, Standing and Sitting categories. On the last day, all of the junior awards were presented with Andrea Dzeiwior of Nanaimo walking away with a string of gold medals around her neck.  Here’s Andrea ripping up the slalom course on beautiful Mt.Washington!