U14 Race Team – Program Outline

Long Term Athlete Development Plan 

US Ski & Snowboard — Alpine Training System 

Training Elements 

• Coached Freeskiing: 45% 

• Coached Drills: 20% 

• Coached Gate Training: 25% 

• Competition Simulation: 10% 

• Freeski with Friends & Family: As much as enjoyable 

• Complementary Sports: Continue to participate in many activities and sports. Begin to identify with primary vs. complementary sports. 

Biological Age	Pre-puberty before growth spurt
Chronological Age	12–13 years old
Time in Sport	4–7 years in sport
Training Volume	220 hours per season, 3-5 sessions per week
Summer / Off-Season	10 days

Physical Fitness Domain 

• General Concepts: Start to incorporate focused dryland training 1-2 days per week. Enhance body awareness, balance, timing of movements and spatial anticipation through games and drills. 

• Growth and Development: Rate of growth increases again in preparation for adolescence. Growth rate may have adverse effect on agility, balance and coordination. Weight and height increases. 

• Endurance: Develop aerobic conditioning with scheduled activities along with increased time spent in games and training. 

• Mobility: Introduce range of motion, mobility drills, general exercise preparation and coordination through semi structured play. 

• Strength: Implement structured body weight exercises with proper technique to develop overall strength. 

• Power: Appropriate volume and intensity of body-weight training. Use dynamic exercises and movements in multiple planes to enhance power movements. 

• Motor Skills: Incorporate multi-plane movements that increase ABC and range of motion across all planes of movement. Begin to use focused exercises to target specific movements. 

• Nutrition, Hydration, Recovery: Athlete awareness increases about importance of nutrition. Healthy sleep habits becomes a component of training and physical fitness. 

Technical & Tactical Domain 

• General Focus: Technical stage – Developing precision of basic skills while learning advanced techniques over a variety of terrain and features. 

• Athletic Stance and Balance: Leg rotation is independent of upper body (torso and pelvis) to initiate short radius turns. The body stays perpendicular to terrain changes. 

• Skills (Rotary, Edging, Pressure): Skier is able to edge ski in different phases of the turn. Edging is achieved by angulation and/or inclination as turn radius and speeds change. Rotation comes from the hip socket. 

• Turn Strategies: Ability to maintain turn shape in a variety of turn sizes. Explore turn size allowing for smooth arc to arc execution. 

• Coordination of Movements: Turn initiation movements appear to start in the ankles and move up the kinematic chain. Upper/lower body separation is demonstrated by a stable upper body biased down the hill or race line. Optimal ski to snow pressure is maintained through gross and micro leg movements. 

• Terrain: Gaining comfort in applying various tactics in order to ski terrain using different strategies to achieve differing results. 

• Tech/GS and Slalom: Demonstrates understanding of GS line, appropriate to ability. Slalom gate clearing does not disrupt balanced turn mechanics. 

• Speed/DH and SG: Executes SG speed turns in a tuck. SG speed and turn duration is practiced. Athlete seeks out jumps during free skiing. Athlete learns jump progression for speed events. 

• Course Sets: Skis a variety of training courses that introduce line and tactics through self-discovery. Introduce more tactical focused drill courses. Skis slalom and GS training courses that have variety. 

• Competition Strategies: Racing more GS & SL added to a continuation of dual racing, obstacle courses and skill competitions. 

Equipment Selection & Preparation Domain 

• General Focus: Learn USSA rules for all equipment selection. 

• Skis: Slalom, GS and super G skis. Develop tuning skills. 

• Boots: Proper boot fit and flex are critical for performance. Boots facilitate interaction with the ski. 

• Protection: Head, arm, hand, shoulder, back, teeth (mouth guard) and shin protection recommended based on event. 

• Poles: GS-standard length. SL-pole guard for blocking and protection, pole may be slightly shorter. 

Mental Training Domain 

• Goal Setting: Identify the ‘why’ for sport participation and deconstruct into goals. Outline each factor linked to training and competition to identify controllables. Utilize reflection of past experiences to build awareness of effects on performance. Collaborate with individuals and groups that support and align with stated goals. 

• Team, Training & Competition: Engage with and support team members who share similar motivations. Perform training exercises that facilitate overall skill development and goal achievement. Perform in competitions to further develop skills, engage with others and achieve process goals. 

• Self-Talk: Interpret recurring thoughts that arise during performance related experiences. Assign verbal cues and scripts that support sustained focus and/or a shift in focus. 

• Mental Imagery: Identify the benefits of mental imagery. Imagine past successes and future achievements that generate confidence, motivation and grit to achieve goals. 

• Intensity: Evaluate intensity levels during past performance related experiences to determine causality and effectiveness. Perform mindful breathing techniques and engage in supportive self talk to either increase or decrease intensity levels to maximize performance output. 

• Focus: Learn mindful practices to strengthen the ability to focus, refocus and shift attention on demand. Formulate cues that support adherence to goals and focusing on the right thing at the right time. 

Competition Domain 

• General Focus: Compete for skill development. 

• Competition Types: Local racing leads to state and divisional championships in later ages of this phase which may lead to regional events. 

• Disciplines: Compete in U12 disciplines (GS, SL, Children’s SG, Kombi), SkillsQuest and NASTAR. 

• Race Season and Volume: Jan-April, 10-15 starts. 
• Race to Training Ratio: 1 race for every 6 training days.