Featured Image: A group of athletes working out at Apex2100

Apex2100 is an international ski academy based in Tignes, France. The basis of the academy’s philosophy encompasses three core pillars: Learn, Train, and Perform.  

The Apex Learn Program focuses on teaching traditional education subjects: math, science, history, etc. The primary emphasis of the Apex Train Program lies in ski coaching under the guidance of Sasha Rearick, the former Head Coach of the US Men’s Ski Team.

The Apex Perform Better Program teaches athletes the practical skills to help them execute better under pressure, in the classroom, and on the slopes.

Sir Clive Woodward, the Director of Sport for Apex, has been at the forefront of developing the Perform Better Program. 

He explains, “The program strives to equip athletes with the necessary skills to perform at the highest possible level in all areas of life.” 

Woodward came to the academy with a lot of experience and a great deal of knowledge about sports. He was the Director of Sport for Team GB during the Olympics in Beijing (2008), Vancouver (2010), and London (2012). He also led England Rugby to their first World Cup win in 2003. His knowledge has helped the Apex team shape their unique Perform Better program that effectively guides student-athletes to the podium.  

The Perform Better Program started about ten years ago on a blank piece of paper. 

Woodward explained, “How you prepare to perform is key to becoming a successful athlete. I found in my time of working with the Olympics and watching the different coaching styles that sports science and coaching had started to get muddled up.” 

Thus, Woodward, along with Sasha Rearick (Alpine Performance Director) and others from Apex, kick-started the Perform Better Program to re-imagine the science of sports performance. 

The program has access to hand-picked, world-class experts who deliver modules covering eight areas of performance: 

1. Nutrition
2. Athletic Development
3. Serious Fun
4. Brain Fitness
5. Sleep and Recovery
6. Digital Dexterity
7. Health Management
8. Life Skills

Woodward explained, “These are the core building blocks that allow young people to perform at their best”. These experts work with staff in the academy to build an environment for the athletes to succeed. For example, making sure the lighting in bedrooms is optimal for Sleep & Recovery and advising on the menu for the food in the canteen.  

Athletes at Apex discover the Perform Better Program through a mix of inquiry-led online content and practical education sessions with the experts and champions within the Academy. These experts have experience at the highest level of performance in sport and business. They have worked with teams including NASA, Mercedes Formula 1, New Zealand Rugby, Jaguar Land Rover, and Chelsea Football Club.

Woodward stated, “Athletes spend a lot of time on physical and skills training and possibly not enough on their own mental and physical wellbeing. It’s important to train the body, but also the mind”.

The ambition for excellence demands a lot from athletes. High-performing individuals will commit to these endeavors to achieve performances that test their potential. To be successful athletes must ensure that their physical and mental well-being is not neglected but prepared for the demands required to be at the top.

“Our team thought it was time to look at the approach to performance in a different way. I feel there are a lot of questions with the big phrase of ‘physical and mental well-being.’ At Apex, we think it is easier to break down core components that contribute to physical and mental well-being and educate our athletes on these subjects,” Woodward explained.

Apex is co-ed and has over 26 different nationalities. So, they stress their Perform Better Program and long-term athlete development goals, knowing that each athlete is highly complex and will develop differently than others. Nonetheless, each athlete will bring unique qualities to ski racing, so this holistic approach to developing a “complete” athlete is a top priority within the program.

Woodward stated, “Coaches, teachers, sports scientists, and psychologists need to work better together. We hope to accomplish this with the Perform Better Program, which is a long-term, holistic approach to performance.”