Opinion

I enjoyed the article written by Kirk (Dwyer) and he brings up many valid points

In the mid 1970s, CBC journalist David Ritchie penned a book, “Ski the Canadian Way,” along with chapter contributions from notable athletes his brother, John, was coaching at the time: Ken Read, Steve Podborski, Dave Irwin and Dave Murray. You read that correctly — the Crazy Canucks.

It’s hard to believe the summer, what I consider Phase I of the ski racing

This should be posted as a point of public service. I have just come across

It's important to remember that athletics often require an array of strength, power, mobility and stability across multiple planes of motion. Often times we can get carried away with the weight on the bar or the speed at which we are training but neglect which direction we are going.

University of Colorado coach Richard Rokos chimes in with some words of wisdom about the upcoming season. Things aren't as bad as they look on the surface, he says. We can make the best of this!

The issue is not that there are not enough opportunities for athletes to receive comprehensive and professional training and coaching; the issue is there are too many.

Thank you Ski Racing Media for sharing Todd Firestone’s letter: Why the Pandemic Could Spur

Mental training, traditionally called sport psychology, can suffer from ‘guilt by association’ with the broader field of clinical psychology that still carries the stigma that only screwed-up people seek professional help. This perception, however inaccurate it is, can prevent athletes, coaches, and parents from seeing mental preparation for what it is.

I think a lot of ‘ski’ people dream of replicating the atmosphere and winter culture

In Junior Development Part 1 – Lessons from Soccer, a look inside the Philadelphia Union

Where are the Europeans training this summer? Check out the article on FIS Alpine about

Curry and Brady are just two examples that any scientist would say are anecdotal examples, not scientific proof of nurture versus nature. But given that there is science behind this principle and many, many examples in ski racing, I propose it is irrefutable that ski racers can be made and are not necessarily born.

A combination of risk factors including high skiing speed, athlete strength, equipment, snow conditions, course/terrain changes, and the risk-consuming attitudes of a skier makes skiing one of the most dangerous sports.

"My family lived in Switzerland for a year where my son skied on a regional U14 team. ... Since we are not Swiss it was explained to us that we would have to pay a rather expensive fee - the charge for the full year was $600."

“It’s Not About Tech VS Speed” got my attention and made me compare what I

Consider the vital importance of the mind in ski racing. Motivation, confidence, intensity, focus, emotions, resilience, adaptability, patience, perseverance, coachability, attitude, collaboration, the list goes on. Yes, these mental “muscles” can develop on their own with individual athletes.

In his second contribution to our ongoing development series, veteran coach Kirk Dwyer addresses the evolution of sport and the emphasis on tech and speed in alpine development.