To take advantage of all this fantastic new snow, for Sunday, Feb. 26th, we will be skiing at ALPENTAL.  Please meet your coaches outside the Alpental lodge, near the ticket window at 8:45.  Our schedule will be the same with lunch from 1130-12:30.  We will be working on powder skiing including stance, timing and pole plants.  

If your athlete will not be at training tomorrow, please let me know.  If you need to reach me for any reason tomorrow, please call my cell at 206-919-0109.

I am including the link to the I-90 race next Saturday, March 3rd in case you are interested but haven't signed up yet.  Thanks to those of you who have already let me know.  I will let you know the coaching arrangements once I know how many Devo athletes are going.  

https://secure.summitatsnoqualmie.com/slc_sales/itemList.aspx?node_id=326987

Have a safe drive up tomorrow and see you on the mountain!

Sunday was a super fun day of training and the conditions were excellent for taking video.  The video is available to view by clicking on the links below.  

Part 1 has Sydney’s, Zach/Sarah’s and most of MP’s groups in the course.  Part 2 has the rest of MP’s and Rosie’s groups in the course, Syndey’s group free skiing and MPs group jumping.  There is no way to go directly to your athlete’s run, so you will need to watch until you recognize him/her.   

I have listed a few common movement patterns below, providing both the preferred movement pattern followed by the the less ideal one.  You can use these questions to analyze the video while viewing it with your athlete.

• Is my child’s weight centered over the ski...... or is he/she sitting back?
• Are my child’s hands both out in front of him/her...... or are they down at hip level?
• Is my child using pole plants to help with timing and balance?
• Does your child have more weight on his/her outside ski....or on the inside ski?
• Is my child’s upper body facing in the direction of the upcoming turn..... or turning uphill?

Great work everyone!  Your coaches have certainly seen a lot of improvement since the beginning of the year.

What a difference a week makes.  The weather gods are shining on us for this weekend and the Devo team is looking forward to a fun day on Sunday!  This Sunday, Devo will be training at Summit West.  Athletes should meet their coaches at 8:45 at the base of the PC lift.  Lunch will be from 11:30-12:30 with parents.  We will wrap up our day at 3:00 (which gives you 1/2 hr. before the start of the Super Bowl :)).  The focus of this weeks training will be on edging movements and short radius turns.  We will train SL in the afternoon, conditions permitting.

Thank you for your patience getting your race t-shirt from last weekend.  The t-shirts have been reordered and I will hopefully have them to hand them out at the end of training on 2/12.  

Registration for the TAS Extension Program is now available on the TAS website.

The Extension Program starts in March and runs for 3 weekends (3/17-18, 24-25, 31-4/1) and April 14th.  This program is for athletes ages 8-12 and gives Devo athletes the opportunity to train with the TAS Buddy Werner Team.  Enrollment in this program is recommended only if your athlete placed in the top half of the field at the I-90 race and/or with coaches approval.   Program requirements state that "wedging is not allowed.  Athletes without the ability to ski with linked, parallel turns will be asked to return next season".

http://www.tasskiteam.com/index.php/programs/extension-program

See you on Sunday!  

This Sunday is the David Kincaid Memorial a.k.a. I-90 Race at Summit West.  The race will be a GS and will be on the run we typically train on under the Pacific Crest Chair.  Check-in and day of registration will be located on the lower level of the lodge under Rosita's starting at 7:30.  I would suggest getting to the mountain a at least 1/2 hour earlier than usual so you will have extra time to check in.  Please meet your coach at the usual meeting spot at 8:45 after you have already checked in and wearing your bib on top of the layer you will be racing in.   

Groups will be slightly different since the race is run in order of age.  Coaching assignments are listed below:

• J-6s (born 2003 and younger) MP and Rosie
• J-5s (born 2001-2002) Sydney and Zach
• J-4s (born 1999-1000) Sarah

Once inspection is over the coaches will stay with the athletes until they are in the start gate.  Lisa will be at the finish to make sure Devo athletes find their parents and know the schedule for the rest of the day.  The J-6s and J-5s will have time for a lunch break after their run but the J-4s may need to go back out for 2nd run inspection after their run and then grab lunch after 2nd run inspection (Sarah will tell you when to meet back out).  Coaches and athletes will meet for 2nd run inspection at 11:50 at the bottom of the PC lift  (subject to change based on the actual start time of the 2nd run).  After the second run (youngest to oldest within age group in reverse order), athletes are free to ski on their own or with their parents till awards which will be 1/2 hr after the finish of the race.  

 Schedule:

  8:30am     Lift Opens for Athletes

  8:45am     Inspection Run 1

10:00am     1st Run Start

12:00pm     Inspection Run 2

  1:00pm     2nd Run Start

It is possible to walk to the bottom of the course from the base area.  Parents are welcome to watch from the finish or alongside the course outside of the rope.  If your child needs clothes carried down, please allow the coach to help them take off their outer layers and be available to carry their coats and jackets down to the finish for them.  Coaches will also be able to carry down clothes but you will have to wait till the end of the age group for them to come down.  If your pass is attached to your coat, make sure it is taken down for you so that you will be able to ride the lift back up.  

Please have your athletes get a good nights sleep and a nutritious breakfast before the race.  If you have any other questions about Sunday, please feel free to email me.  See you all  on Sunday for an exciting day!