Norwesters Alpine Club
We are an alpine ski racing club based at Loch Lomond Ski Area in Thunder Bay, Ontario. We are a not-for-profit community driven organization supporting the development of life-long skiers. We are a member club of Alpine Ontario Alpin (AOA) and Alpine Canada Alpin (ACA). Our programs are guided by and designed around the ACA Long Term Athlete Development model.
Our coaching staff are certified under ACA – Canadian Ski Coaches and the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance (CSIA). We have also embraced the Responsible Coaching Movement with our entire staff trained under the Respect in Sport initiative. We are strong supporters of coach education, offering pre-season professional development sessions and support for individual certification development. At the heart of the club are our young athletes and everything we do is designed to support them.
Athlete Centered, Coach Led, Parent & Volunteer Supported
COVID-19 NOTICE: Due to COVID-19, all NAC athletes, coaches, parents and spectators are expected to follow the social distancing and recommended protocols as detailed in the “Alpine Ontario 2021 Return to Sport Framework”. This document will be provided to all families and is available at www.alpineontario.ca
Little Rippers
(Ages 3-6)
This program is designed for little racers that may not be able to ride the lift on their own yet, but are interested in racing and are already strong independent skiers. This program is designed as a pre-entry point to our core racing program and is only for advanced and independent Little Rippers, it is not a replacement for proper instruction and lessons offered through the ski school. At Loch Lomond - children should be able to confidently ski the Snoopy, the Sunbowl and the Chicken and independently ski the Pine.
U8 Program
(Ages 6/7)
The U8 Program is focused on the gliding start & skier essentials phases of the LTAD. Introducing the elements of gliding, tucking, jumping and moving over terrain skills. Athletes start off on a lower gradient of terrain at the beginning of the season and progress to more challenging terrain.
U10/U12 Program
(Ages 8/9 and 10/11)
The U10 / U12 Program is focused on the Skier Essentials and Learn to Train phases of the LTAD. It continues to build on the elements of gliding, tucking, jumping and moving over terrain skills with a focus on linking terrain features and turn shapes together. Athletes start off on a lower gradient of terrain at the beginning of the season and progress to more challenging terrain.
U10/U12 Enhanced Program (Ages 8-11)
This program is all about spending more time on snow for those athletes that are interested and ready to spend more time at the hill. It includes unlimited access to all training sessions offered by NAC and can include training opportunities up to 5x per week. There are also no additional daily costs for Christmas, March Break and and other early or in-season training or camp opportunities. Every athlete at this stage has different needs and the ability to handle training volume will vary greatly. Each athlete will have an Individual Athletic Plan prepared for the season which will identify their specific training requirements and provide a suitable balance with other sports and activities they participate in. Participation in this program is also influenced by the recommendations of the coaching staff to ensure athletes are adequately prepared for the program.
U14/U16 Programs
This program is designed to support athletes at the Learn To Train and Train to Train stages of development. The train to train stage is the gateway for several opportunities including the transfer of learned skills, entry into the Podium Pathway or transition into the Ski for Life stage. Ski racers in the Train to Train stage are focused on transferring fundamental technique and basic tactical skills into the competitive environment. Ski racers are introduced to a variety of critical race elements from start to finish including movement over terrain and gliding. Ski racers begin formalized speed and ski cross training progressions to develop their skill sets in these areas.
Coach Apprenticeship Program
The Coach Apprenticeship Program is new for the 2021 - 2022 season. The program is designed to provide continuity in the sport for athletes that have completed U16 and chosen not to pursue a competitive racing stream at the U19 / FIS level. The goal of the program is to develop the next generation of coaches and instructors trained to the highest levels following the principle "Every Athlete Deserves a Great Coach". Athletes must be a minimum of 16 years of age to enter the program. The program includes completion of the ACA-CSC Entry Level Coaching Course and CSIA Level 1 Instructor Certification. On-going support will be provided throughout the season to complete the Environment Setting Module and additional National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) requirements to achieve Entry Level Certified Status.
Our Amazing Sponsors
We are so thankful to these individuals and businesses who provide incredible sponsorship to our Club. Please support them!
Questions? Contact Us
Email us at nacracing2010@gmail.com
© 2021 Norwesters Alpine Club
