Salzburgland, Austria Faces Critical Shortage of Junior Ski Coaches Ahead of 2025 World Championships

Featured Image: Junior club picture. Credit: GEPA

Salzburg’s struggle to find coaches for junior skiers highlights a significant cultural shift in Austrian ski racing. Clubs once quickly staffed their teams, reflecting the sport’s importance in the country. Today, even permanent job offers fail to attract coaches. This change shows Austria’s growing difficulty maintaining its ski racing supremacy as other sports and career paths draw interest. The shortage of willing coaches signals a changing dynamic in Austrian sports culture, where the once-unquestioned passion for ski racing appears to be losing momentum.

Salzburg’s Struggle: Finding Coaches for Junior Skiers

Salzburg is gearing up for the 2025 Ski World Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, a much-anticipated event. However, despite the excitement, the local ski association faces a serious problem: a shortage of coaches for school and junior skiers. Many clubs are struggling, and even permanent positions aren’t enough to attract staff.

Desperate Search in Zell am See

At the Zell am See ski club, the situation is dire. “We can’t get any coaches. There’s nothing on the market,” says board member Fritz Unterganschnigg. The club has been searching for two years, trying everything, including internet advertisements. Even the offer of a permanent job with the local mountain railway has yet to help. “We don’t know where this will lead,” adds Unterganschnigg, concerned about the future of skiing in Austria. He questions, “How far have we come as the number one skiing nation?”

A General Problem

Zell am See is not alone. According to Bartl Gensbichler, president of the Salzburg regional ski association, this is a widespread issue. “This is a general problem,” he stresses. Clubs across the region are struggling to find trainers, much like other industries in Austria that are also desperately seeking staff.

Gensbichler’s club in Saalbach-Hinterglemm was lucky enough to find a coach, allowing them to expand their junior team from eight to 46 children. Still, this rare success does not hide the fact that something needs to change.

Looking for New Solutions

The problem is clear: Salzburg needs new approaches. With the World Championships around the corner and the sport’s future at stake, finding a solution is crucial.

As Sebastian Steinbichler from Kronen Zeitung points out, “The search for junior ski coaches in Salzburg has reached a historic low point.” The region’s legacy as a powerhouse in skiing depends on how quickly they can turn this situation around.

(Source: Sebastian Steinbichler, Kronen Zeitung)