 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The children's team was announced late last night on the above link!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Gillian, Well done Robert.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Well done to the 3 Norfolk skiers -
TJ in the Senior team. Harriet training with the Senior team & Megan J in the Children's team.
All that training on the East Anglian heights is paying off!!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Congratulations to all selected athletes in british and home nation (England and Scotland) teams but I am just curious in opinions about why so many of the top ranked junior skiers are not involved.
If you look at the Junior 1 category (i.e. those born in 1995 or 1996 consisting of skiers leaving the childrens' ranks and those with one year FIS experience) it looks like many of the better ranked skiers (especially English qualified for some reason) are not there although I note that some are involved in a training programme for the Youth Olympic Games. Weren't they selected or did they just choose not to be involved (presumably because of other, better arrangements)? In either case is it legitimate to ask whether the GBR/Home Nation representative structure is delivering appropriate support to the talent pipeline?
Just wondering what opinions are out there.
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g444eneva, I'm not too heavily involved in this as i instruct nowadays more than coach, but the idea is to let them get some experience before they are picked for the national teams. Happens in other nations not just a GB thing, idea is that FIS is such a big step up that its best to let them have a season or 2 to settle then put them forward for national teams. To be honest it makes sense it took me 2-3 season to get into FIS as i didn't enjoy it much until i grew a bit and got stronger.
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JJc,
No issue at all with "settling in" at FIS level as I agree that there is a significant step up. But I don't think representing the national team (although I am sure everyone involved likes the recognition) is as important for the younger skiers as ensuring that talent is identified and developed correctly. I have read the various official "pathway documents" and it looks like the current crop have decided to make their own way. Surely it is at this stage of development - as athletes move out of childrens' skiing into FIS - that guidance is at its most critical and you would have thought that national bodies would have had more to say and offer.
g444
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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g444eneva, there are a few things that have happened over the past seasons which could be behind some of it
1 the junior team has been cut down form 30!!! athletes to 12 with the further 5 on the youth olympic thing.... there is no cash, so they cut the team size, personally i believe that the junior and childrens teams should be left to the home nations with BSS concentrating on the senior team, but there is always a need for them to be involved for some reason!
many of the athletes have got full time or near full time programs with academies and this may be the decision that they and thir parents have made, as a GB team member they will be expected to attend certain training camps, if these clash with part of their season long program then they may decide to not bother being "on the team" as it interferes with their training and costs them more...the program is not full time and these athletes need to be training more than just a few weeks here and there
tough decisions to be made all round by the selectors, the coaches, the athletes, and the parents
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g444eneva, the selectors take many things into account whilst selecting, it´s not just all about the FIS ranking. The athletes have to pass various fitness tests, and thier technical skiing ability is also looked at,.
One thing that always puzzles me is why the minute the snow season is over , I think a matter of weeks, a majority of these athletes are up and down the country chasing BASS points on the indoor/dry slope series instead of taking the time to work on fitness/core strenghth. They should be cycling , running and going to the gym all week end and not faffing about on a 12 sec run in a fridge.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Minor correction - you don't get BASS points for indoor/dry slope races. SSE races at dry and UK indoor slopes get you BARTS points, and the Xscape series (now the British Indoor Grand Prix IIRC) give you BISS points. AIUI, the race at Landgraaf in a few weeks time will count for BASS points.
Also, of those in the Alpine team probably the only one still doing dry slopes is Emily, and she's only done a local regional race this year - not national. Some of the others may do some indoor races (Ashley, Matt) only. So I'm not sure your main point stands either. Doing indoor is probably a good thing for those in the Children's team.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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GrahamN, thanks for that and a happy birthday if I may be so bold to say. I just think the season is too long , I am talking about the children here and not enough time is spent on the fitness element, to get them physically in shape for FIS racing.
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This is not a beef about selection - far from it - rather an observation that there are several notable absentees and I was wondering why. This is particularly true of Junior 1 boys this year where it does look like many individuals (the majority in this age group?) are choosing to make other arrangements. So - are the national teams delivering what is needed if so many are choosing (and I think it is choosing rather than non-selection) not to get involved? I think CEM makes good points about clashes with academy/existing arrangements and these are definitely a factor but perhaps the national teams should review their focus. By all means provide coaching where it is better or cheaper than the private alternative but I think more emphasis on - echoing rayC's points - fitness or provision of advice/mentoring to parents and athletes would be welcome.
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You know it makes sense.
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g444eneva, could one of the lads you are talking about now be racing for another country??There are a few that I can think of who would all be eligible to race for other countries should they so wish.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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g444eneva, I see BSS have added another JUN1 boy to the team, he raced for Belgium last year at some of the big Childrens international races, looks like he is starting now for teamGBR, which is great news as he is a very talented and dedicated young athlete.
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FAQ
