Ages: HS: 13-17 PS: 18-24

Ski Academy

High School Program
Post-Secondary Program
Leaders

The program is currently under construction for next year’s information and will be finalized soon.
–
–
The Sovereign Lake Nordic Development Academy in partnership with the Okanagan School District #22 Snowsports Academy, offers Western Canada’s first high-performance development program for Cross Country and Biathlon athletes in grades 8 through 12. This program caters to athletes with a commitment to academic and athletic excellence within a common high school timetable.
–
This Program has established a pathway to post-secondary excellence, tying in with our Post-Secondary Nordic Dev Academy. For athletes who intend to ski throughout University, our program will collaborate with UBCO and Okanagan College to provide a seamless transition from high school to Post-Secondary Academics.
–
The coaching staff will help guide you through your high school racing career. Sovereign Lake is unparalleled when it comes to early and late season training opportunities, hosting the first and last on-snow camps of the season in partnership with CCBC. With multiple FIS and National calibre races planned each season at our venue, there is a real hometown advantage for athletes attending our program.

 

–
–
Eligibility:
  • Currently enrolled in a Regional High School (or online program) in Grade 8 through 12. Need help finding a school? Contact Us
  • Must have a valid Student Season Pass
  • An online Onboarding Session is required*
  • Maximum 30 participants across both Cross Country and Biathlon Programs for the 2022-23 season
  • Registration Deadline: April 30th, 2022.

 

Cost Schedule: $3000/year

2022-25 Team Sponsors

Why Join the SLNC Nordic Development Academy?

  • Integration with Okanagan School District #22 provides students with daytime training in Block A/B of the common timetable permitting the entire ski team the chance to train together, regardless of school or grade.
  • Any opportunity for athletes from smaller clubs to come together with like-minded high school students to train as a larger team.
  • Increase scholastic resources and individual training support.
  • Possible bussing support is planned for the 2022-23 season to decrease reliance on parent driving. There will be a monthly bussing fee throughout the training season to offset this cost.
  • All Grade 11 and 12 students will attain NCCP Introduction to Community Coaching and Community Coaching Courses as part of their curriculum with scheduled Bunny Rabbits and Jack Rabbits Coaching sessions, giving back to the ski community is an important part of being an athlete.
  • A CANSI Level 1 Instructors Course will be offered at a discount for Academy athletes.
  • Full Waxing Support and Coaching Support at Team led races,
  • Early and Late Season On Snow Training with almost 6 months on snow.
  • Year-Round Training Program.
  • Athletes receive a Physical Education credit.
–
*Consultation and approval to participate in this program must be given by SLNC Head Coach Jacqueline Akerman and Snowsports Nordic Academy liaison Glen Stiven before registering. This is to ensure that the Academy is a good “fit” for student-athletes and that they are aware of  – and appropriately prepared for –  the demands of Academy training and academic study.

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

No formal programming: Dec 19-Jan 2

 

Program Details

Dates
 July 4th, 2022 - March 31st, 2023 (School Snowsports Academy Semester runs September 6th, 2022 - Jan 27th, 2023) + May and June Training Camps
Sessions per Week
 3 to 4 days dryland, 5 to 6 on-snow. Year Round Weekly Training Program.
Length of Session
 1.5 to 3
Cost
 $3000

–

SLNDA is Western Canada’s newest high-performance development training program for Cross Country and Biathlon athletes.

SLNDA provides training opportunities for athletes looking to continue racing immediately after high school or transition into post-secondary education while racing at a high level. We cater to athletes with a commitment to academic and athletic excellence. Many SLNDA athletes attend UBCO or Okanagan College and are able to adjust their school schedule to fit optimal training sessions. SLNDA has high-quality training opportunities at our facility providing athletes a stepping stone toward National Training Centers and National teams.

–

Our team of full-time, year-round coaching staff will help guide you through your post-secondary racing career. Sovereign Lake is unparalleled when it comes to early and late-season training opportunities, hosting the first and last on-snow camps of the season. At an elevation of over 1600m, we offer daily high-elevation programming on arguably some of the best-groomed trails in the world.

–

With FIS and National caliber biathlon races planned each season at our venue, there is a real hometown advantage for athletes. With close proximity to one of the top 40 universities in the world and an international airport less than one hour away from our training facilities, SLNDA is an obvious choice when considering post-secondary training opportunities.

 

The Okanagan valley is home to hundreds of kilometers of running and mountain biking trails and picturesque roller skiing and road cycling routes. Famous lakes and beaches provide a fun and relaxing environment to cool off after a long workout.

 

Eligibility:

  • High school graduate between 18 and 24
  • Post-Secondary school enrollment is encouraged but not required
  • An online onboarding session and code of conduct agreement is required
  • Maximum 15 participants for the 2023-24 season between XC and biathlon
  • Application deadline: April 20th, 2023, or until spots are full

 

Apply for post-secondary schooling: Many programs have placements available. Contact the Academic Advisor for details.

 

2022-25 Sponsors:

Why join our SLNC Nordic Development Academy?

  • Year-round training program
  • Monthly training camps (spring/summer/fall)
  • 3-5 in-person sessions weekly on average, year-round
  • High-performance development focused
  • An opportunity to be a part of a team that is dedicated, driven & like-minded
  • All participants will have the opportunity to attain NCCP (coach) training
  • Athletes will sometimes coach within our youth and masters programs – giving back to the ski community is an important part of being an athlete
  • Waxing and coaching support at team-led events
  • Early and late season on-snow training – 6 months of snow!

–

*To participate in this program you must have a consultation with a Sovereign Lake Nordic Development Academy coach and receive approval from the SLNC Head Coach. This is to ensure that the Academy is a good “fit” for student-athletes and that they are aware of  – and appropriately prepared for –  the demands of Academy training and academic study.

* An SLNC 23/24 season pass and club/provincial/national membership in cross country  are required for participants in this program

* A Silver Star nordic pass is required

No formal programming: ~ Dec 19-Jan 2

Program Details

Dates
 May 1st, 2023 – March 31st, 2024
Sessions per Week
 3 to 5 coached sessions weekly average, year-round and yearly training plan
Length of Session
 1.5 to 3
Cost
 $3500
Registration Deadline
 April 20th, 2023

 

Head Coach: Jacqueline Akerman

A career ski and biathlon coach, Jacqueline has been involved as a high-performance coach for 25 years in a professional capacity. The Canada Winter Games started her off as both an athlete then a coach. As a former head coach of the Camrose Ski Club and Augustana University teams, she brings extensive and diverse experience to our programs. Jacqueline, a former Jr National Development Biathlon Team athlete, transitioned into a long-term leadership career with Biathlon Canada, coaching athletes, national and junior national teams at all levels, at countless national and international events, including Youth Olympic Games, four University Games, multiple World Cups, and Championships. Her role as Coach and Athlete Development Manager and Master Coach Developer has laid a foundation on which to build a strong training environment and talented athletes. Jacqueline is a member of Nordiq Canada’s – Coach Technical Committee, proudly serving our members across the country. She has an undergraduate degree in Physical Education and a Master’s degree in Coaching.
 
Sport has always been a focal point for Jacqueline – starting as a distance running athlete then skiing and biathlon, Jacq has a passion for the pursuit of excellence for herself and those around her, this laid the foundation to be an incredibly skilled coach. “I learned from a young age that knowledge and long-term excellence come from hard – smart work, dedication, and patience. That the key to success in sport and in life is enjoying the work of continual improvement in technical, tactical, physical, mental and life skills, the best athletes are those that are very well rounded and love the pursuit of excellence through sport”.

 

V-Learn Coordinator: Glen Stiven

Hello! I moved to Vernon for work in 1993 and that same winter bought skis, joined SLNC and have been learning to ski ever since. Our whole family now skis at Sovereign and Silver Star and we even have a racer in the house. A long weekend ski on the Sovereign trails is right up there with my favourite things to do. I believe that Sovereign Programs is a quality choice for families and support it as a parent, coach and race official.
Role: Snowports Nordic SD22 liaison and Sport Development teacher. I teach Science in SD22’s Alternate and Online Programs as well as the online Sport Development course that our Academy skiers do to facilitate their daytime training. My philosophy, as the Sport Development teacher, is to support the vision of the Sovereign Coaching Staff and build the course around what is happening during the Academy daytime training and other Club activities. I have coached in Sovereign Programs from Jackrabbit 3/4 through to JD and have NCCP training to T2T for cross country. I also coach Youth Rowing where I am certified as a Learn to Row and RCA Coach. I hold a HBSc (Biochemistry) and M.Kin (Coaching Specialization – Rowing) both from UWO.
Other athletic experience: Basketball was my favourite sport in high school, but I also learned to row in the summer. I continued rowing at UWO as a member of the men’s lightweight varsity crew, ’86-’90. Rowing introduced me to friends (like my wife Pam), coaches, training, and racing. Along the way, we enjoyed memorable wins (because it took a while and we had come up short before) at Canadians, Canadian Henley, OUAA’s, and Head of the Charles. I still row and also enjoy skiing, biking, bocce, and an annual round of golf.

 

Eric Schryer – Biathlon Lead Coach 

Hailing from Sudbury, Ontario, Eric began his journey in skiing and biathlon by striding and gliding around his property with his parents. After discovering biathlon he patiently waited until he was old enough and then began learning to shoot in his local air rifle biathlon program. This quickly evolved to teaching himself how to shoot .22 rifles with a small group of athletes. After racing domestically, Eric was quickly scooped up by the coaching world. Eric began coaching with the Chelsea Nordiq ski & biathlon club. Along with leading this talented group of biathletes, Eric coached at the 2019 Canada Winter Games, and a multitude of Jr. IBU cups, IBU cups, and World Youth / Junior Championships with Team Canada. Eric is a member of Biathlon Canada’s Domestic Committee and is continuing his education in the field of psychology.