WELCOME TO OUR JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOR THE 22/23 SEASON!

All of our youth programs are designed around Sport Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development principles and follow Cross Country Canada’s program guidelines. The JD (Junior Development) program is for athletes 13 to 17 years who are interested in developing their full range of skiing skills, off-season training and have a desire to compete at regional and provincial levels, in preparation for joining one of our High School Nordic Academies.  A commitment to scheduled team training sessions in the summer and fall and additional, independent training at home and on the snow may be expected.

This program is suitable for athletes who are graduating from the Track Attack program (or are at comparable fitness and skill levels) and are entering or about to enter the “Training to Train” stage of growth and maturation.  JD athletes already enrolled in this program may remain in it throughout their Junior years. The JD program is also a potential entry point for 12-17-year-old athletes from other sports that are “newer” to XC skiing.

Levels of training for individual athletes will vary according to their individual goals and other sports commitments. Goal setting and review meetings with a program coach will be held seasonally to assess progress and adjust training as necessary.  Athletes will be provided with a general year-round training program, and weekly practice plans with general guidance for individual training.

Program Details

Covid Resources for Programs

• Year-round training access
• Training 4-6 days/wk (including team (~3x) & independent sessions)
• Access to summer, fall and winter club/regional/provincial training camps
• Strength program including instruction in proper strength and weight lifting techniques
• Seasonal goals review and planning sessions (group and individual) with coach
• General Yearly Training Plan (YTP) including weekly general guidance for individual sessions.
• Training log monitoring
• Video analysis of technique

Competitions

This program has a training and racing focus. Athletes will be well supported as they prepare for the ski season and compete in local, Provincial and National level competitions that may include:

• SLNC Best in Snow
• OK Cups
• BC Cups, BC Championships
• Western Canadian Championships
• NorAms
• Canadian Championships
• + other local events and loppets

Training camps:

• Contact Jacqueline for details of local/regional camps [email protected]
• BC Talent Squad, BC Development Squad, BC Ski Team camps available to respective athletes

Testing:
2 SLNC summer/fall field tests for energy system fitness & strength will be offered

• Nutrition and Regeneration/recovery protocols
• Psychological techniques training (relaxation, activation, visualization, strategies, coping…)
• Technical video analysis off-season & on-snow (roller skiing, striding, skiing…)
• Online Team calendar and training session postings
• Pre-season program info/orientation meeting – mandatory for all athletes and parents.

Expectations of Athletes

This is a training and racing program. Athletes should have a desire to train year-round and compete at provincial and national levels. A commitment to scheduled team training sessions in the summer and fall and to completing independent training is expected. Daily training logs (including resting heart rates, sleep hours, energy levels, etc) are introduced and used to monitor training response and give appropriate training advice. Athletes are expected to be proactive in informing coaches of upcoming events & activities that may conflict with scheduled training.

Note: Athletes at the JD level are often involved in other organized sports in the summer, fall and occasionally winter. We encourage multi-sport involvement for enjoyment and to develop a full range of athletic abilities. Older JD athletes often have work and other responsibilities. The Head Coach will meet with athletes and parents pre-season to preview schedules, clarify goals & mutual expectations to outline a plan that balances the individual needs of the athlete with the needs of running a cohesive club program. The Head Coach will be flexible in helping to determine the right balance and reserves the right to set minimum training and attendance requirements.

* An SLNC 22/23 season pass is required for participants in this program.

No formal programming: Dec 19-Jan 2