Over 90 Aspiring coaches participated in on-snow workshops this season

This season, more than 90 developing coaches participated in on-snow workshops as part of their progress towards Snow Australia’s Foundation Coach Accreditation.

Workshops were held at Perisher, Thredbo, Mt Buller, Falls Creek, and Mt Hotham, for Alpine, Freestyle, and Snowboard disciplines. Cross Country Coach Technique Workshops were also delivered, extending the reach of the program across snow sport disciplines.

Shawn Fleming, Snow Australia Alpine Program Director, who co-led several Alpine workshops alongside local resort coaches, emphasized that the sessions were “not just focused on skills and drills—but on communication, understanding young participants, and creating a positive environment on the snow.”

He explained that the key message for coaches was learning “how to inspire a love for skiing and snowboarding through appropriate challenges on the hill. Supporting young athletes means encouraging their passion for the sport and helping them explore ways to push their own abilities.”

Snow Australia thanks the resorts for hosting the workshops, participants involved, as well as the local workshop facilitators: Chri Geiger, Richard Haslau, Jack Goddard, Martin Firle, Tim Stuart, Alexei Sotskov, and Jeff Books.

“We’re thrilled to see such strong engagement across all disciplines this season,” said Finn Marsland, Coach Education Coordinator at Snow Australia. “The Foundation Coach Accreditation is an important first step in our coaching pathway, and these workshops give participants the chance to apply what they’ve learned online in a real-world, on-snow setting.”

The Foundation Coach Accreditation is the first level of Snow Australia’s Coaching Pathway, providing an essential entry point for individuals beginning their coaching journey in winter sports. The program combines e-Learning modules on the Snow Academy with the practical, discipline-specific workshops, offering a comprehensive introduction to coaching best practices on and off the snow.

Designed for instructors, current and former athletes, and those new to coaching, the Foundation Coach Accreditation continues to play a crucial role in building Australia’s coaching capacity across all snow sport disciplines.

For more information on Coach Accreditation, visit https://www.snow.org.au/pathways/coaching-accreditation/