US Ski & Snowboard Combined Alpine & Freestyle Training System

Program Philosophy & Core Objectives

This combined program bridges the Active Start (Phase 1) and Adventure (Phase 2) stages. The focus transitions from establishing fundamental movement skills and sport enjoyment through play to developing self-discovery, versatility, and confidence across all mountain terrain and variable snow conditions. The emphasis remains on building a lifelong passion for snow sports while expanding dynamic technical and tactical movement patterns.  

• Biological Age: 7 years old  

• Time in Sport: 1–5 years  

• Technical Focus: Active start through terrain exploration — Riding all mountain terrain and developing dynamic balance.  

• Tactical Focus: Self-discovery on variable terrain, gaining confidence on snow, and maximizing mountain mileage through structured and unstructured freeskiing/freeriding with coaches, family, and peers.  

• Mental Focus: Love the sport and compete for fun.  

Progression & Training Volume Metrics with Age Comparison 

Parameter	Phase 1 (Age 7)
Annual On-Snow Volume	~75 hours per season
Off-Season / Summer Training	None
Coached Freeskiing / Freeriding	70%
Coached Technical Drills	15%
Coached Venue / Gate Training	10%
Competition Simulation / Showcase	5%
Complementary Sports	Multi-sport exploration (ABC skills).

Combined Physical Fitness Domain 

• Growth & Development: Early steady growth giving way to refined muscle control and fine motor coordination.  

• Endurance: Sustained naturally through open-environment play, time-structured games, and longer duration mountain exploration.  

• Mobility: Dynamic multi-plane movement exploration and play-based flexibility work.  

• Strength & Power: Bodyweight movement mastery, jumping, landing, and short-burst quickness development (0–10 seconds).  

• Motor Skills: Progressive mastery of Agility, Balance, Coordination (ABC), spatial awareness, and fluid movement execution.  

• Nutrition & Recovery: Developing foundational healthy habits modeled by coaches and parents; establishing formal rest and sleep routines.  

Technical Domain (Integrated Alpine & Freeski) – Adventure stage: skiing all terrain and exploring the mountain. 

• Turn Mechanics & Shape: Progressing from round, parallel turns on gentle slopes to varied turn shapes dictated by skier choice across all speeds and slopes.  

• Stance & Dynamic Balance: Establishing an adaptable, athletic stance; introducing upper/lower body leg separation as center of mass moves dynamically over terrain.  

• Edge & Pressure Control: Developing outside ski dominance throughout the turn, foot-to-foot transfers, two-foot jumping, hockey stops, and independent edge/rotary/pressure management.  

• Freeski & Feature Progression: Transitioning from small natural bumps to switch skiing, 180° to 360° rotations in both directions, grabbing small jumps, and navigating entry-level box/rail features.  

Tactical Domain 

• Terrain Exploration: Skiing all groomed terrain, variable snow conditions, and off-piste terrain with increasing speed and control.  

• Terrain Adaptation: Adapting line and turn rhythm to changing pitches, bumps, trees, and natural mountain obstacles.  

• Park & Feature Tactics: Transition riding, edge control for speed/amplitude in pipes, following race lines, and executing flat ground/park maneuvers (ollies, presses, switch takeoffs).  
• GS & SL Tactics: Focus on drill courses & skills obstacle courses. SL with stubbies or cones and other imaginative sets are utilized.

Equipment Selection & Setup 

• Skis: 1 pair of twin-tip and/or 1 pair junior alpine skis, progressing from chest-high (Phase 1) to eye-level or above (Phase 2).  

• Boots: Soft, even forward flex to ensure proper ankle movement and flex progression.  

• Poles: Introduced in Phase 2; fitted so the elbow forms a 90° angle when the pole tip is planted in the snow.  

• Protection: Properly fitted helmet required at all times.  

Mental & Psychological Domain 

• Goal Setting: Transitioning from session-based fun goals to collaborating with coaches on basic skill acquisition goals.  

• Social & Team Dynamics: Supporting teammates, practicing good sportsmanship, and engaging in supportive group environments.  

• Focus & Visualization: Identifying positive self-talk, utilizing basic focus cues, and visualizing execution before attempting new skills or runs.  

Competition & Event Domain 

• Focus: Love the sport and compete for fun.  

• Event Structure: Progression from non-competitive club showcase days (Phase 1) to 1–2 entry-level local club events focused on skill acquisition and fun (Phase 2).