The process of developing athletic talent spans the entire formative life of an athlete. The USSA Training Systems outline the complete development for USSA athletes from the earliest stages of learning to ski and ride to the last days before leaving the competitive stage of the sport. It is based on a long-term athlete development model for skiers and riders that emphasizes age-appropriate training and competition that will allow each athlete to reach their full potential.
As program directors, coaches and adminstrators of the programs in which these atheltes develop their skills, we have a clear challenge. Our challenge is to provide the leadership, structure and resources necessary for each and every athlete to meet the challenge they will face.
Based on the recent "best practices" review of the most successful skiing and snowboarding nations in the world and other high performance sporting organizations the following principles have been condensed in an effort to review and refine the USSA competition model for skiers and riders.
The sport-specific guidelines are laid out in the following training system outlines.
National Training System - Freestyle - coming soon!
National Training System - Snowboarding - coming soon!
Check back soon for supporting resources for each area listed in the training systems above.
For some excellent resources on general Long-Term Athlete Development, click here.
View the Alpine Training System Powerpoint presentation and accompanying notes here:
Please see the following document for background information on the alpine training system model and long-term athlete development.
Season Preparation - The Pitch for Planning