Each year Snow Australia XC sends teams overseas to international events including World Cup, World Junior / U23 Championships and the Winter Youth Olympic Games, or for training tours in Europe or North America. Typically these events and tours are led by experienced Australian coaches, but those coaches also have to gain that experience somewhere. Expressions of interest for coaches to lead or fill assistant coaching roles on international programs are typically called for between April and June. More information can be obtained by contacting the Snow Australia XC Program Director.
Periodically the National Team offers coaching opportunities for a recently trained coach looking to gain high level coaching experience on National Team camps. These are typically with either a physiological testing camp at the AIS or with the on-snow camp at the start of the winter. 2014 coach experience recipient Rob Jones had this to say about the experience:
“… the coaches not only allowed me to actively participate in the running of the tests, but gave me in depth knowledge as to what I should be looking for and how these results can shape an individual’s training program. Coming out the other side of the camp though shaped me as a coach, giving me a drive to continue as a coach in the sport to develop my skills further.”
Rob went on to coach with the Australian Junior Development Team in Canada at the end of 2014, then as assistant coach at the 2016 World Junior / U23 Championships, and is leading the Australian Team to the 2017 World Junior / U23 Championship.
Whenever these coaching opportunities arise they will be posted in the news section of this site.
Each year the ASC offers Women in Sport Leadership scholarships and grants for coaches, managers, officials or other leaders within the Australian sporting community. A number of cross country skiing coaches and initiatives has been successful in gaining scholarships and grant funding under this program.
Scholarship recipient in 2013 Allison McArdle embedded with a ski club in Canada to coach under the mentorship of a highly experienced Canadian coach. Subsequently Allison coached with the Australian Team at World Cup and World Championship level, and led the Australian Team to the 2015 World Junior/U23 Championships.
Application details and more information can be found in the Women in Sport section of the ASC website.
Fast & Female Australia sponsor an annual coaching experience scholarship for up and coming female Australian coaches. The scholarship pays for travel and accommodation to attend and assist with coaching at a State or National Team training camp. Calls for expressions of interest for the scholarship are advertised in the news section of this site.