2014/15 TEAM HARDWOOD PARENTS GUIDE

Transcription

1 2014/15 TEAM HARDWOOD PARENTS GUIDE This document contains information for Team Hardwood parents and is intended to familiarize parents with our program and to offer advice on how they can support their child/athlete during training and racing. Topics covered include: CONTENTS 1. Why the heck do I need this parents manual 2 2. Club Governance 2 3. Program Structure 3 4. Training Schedule 5 5. Important Dates 6 6. Communication 7 7. Things you will need for the season 8 8. Roles & Expectations 9 9. Wax tools and Ski prep Racing Licenses, Registration & Costs Fundraising Initiatives Emergency Response Procedures 13 1

2 1. WHY THE HECK DO I NEED THIS PARENT S MANUAL? It takes a community to raise a child. We take the responsibility you have entrusted to us very seriously. Your children are more than just athletes and this program is more than just skiing. Our goal is to offer a safe program that your kids will enjoy coming to, have fun, make new friends, get fit and learn to enjoy the sport of cross country skiing. The reason for this manual is that this program is founded on parent support and involvement. This means that to accomplish the goals of the program we need you to know what we are about and how we function so that you can be part of the team. We endeavor to make everyone s time spent with the club enjoyable. We hope you will discover that committing to Team Hardwood also means entering a friendly, fun-loving and supportive circle of families that are devoted to helping their kids realize their dreams. Welcome to the Hardwood community! 2. CLUB GOVERNANCE Team Hardwood is a program of the Hardwood Hills Nordic Development Centre (HHNDC), a non-profit organization with a Board of Directors made up of Team Hardwood parents. HHNDC is a member in good standing of the Southern Ontario Division (SOD) of Cross Country Ontario ( the official sport body for cross-country skiing in the province. HHNDC s board is chaired by Patricia MacDonell and meets at least once a year. All parents are welcome to attend board meetings. Team Hardwood currently has three coaches working with athletes of various ages. Ron Howden - Head Coach and Technical Director of Team Hardwood as well as the Coach of the National and Provincial programs. Andrew Kerr Club and Junior Program Coach as well as Assistant Coach for Provincial program. Jack Sasseville (President and General Manager of Hardwood Ski & Bike) - Founding Head Coach of Team Hardwood who provides overall advice and mentorship as Coach Emeritus. Jack is also coach of the Masters racing team. Parent Coaches & Athlete coaches - From time to time we will recruit parents and senior athletes to help with the coaching and direction of the program. If you are interested in helping out, it is a challenging and rewarding way to give back to the sport. 2

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4 3. PROGRAM STRUCTURE National A Program This program is designed for athletes who were born in 1997 or earlier who have chosen skiing as their full-time sport. This year round program supports full-time skiers by offering ongoing high level coaching which includes: personalized programs, periodic testing, program monitoring, early snow opportunities and race support at Provincial, National and International races. The National A program is limited to 8 athletes who show a high interest in progressing in the sport. National B Program This National Jr. program is designed for athletes who were born in 1999 & 1998 who have an interest in skiing and training year round for cross country skiing. These young athletes are encouraged to balance their training with other sports. Much like the senior program the juniors receive: personalized programs, periodic testing, program monitoring, early snow opportunities and race support at Provincial & National races. The National Junior program is limited to 8 athletes who show a high interest in progressing in the sport. Provincial Program The provincial program provides an entry into higher level racing for High School aged athletes interested in cross country ski racing. Provincial program athletes attend the Ontario cups in Duntroon Jan 10-11, Canadian Eastern Championships Jan 30-Feb 1 and Timmins Feb 28- March 1. In addition to these races they will attend club races in Southern Ontario and the Southern Ontario Championships on February 22 nd. Club Program The club program is the foundation of the racing program. It is designed for High School aged athletes that may be new to racing or for those who may have been racing for a number of years and enjoy skiing with a team. The club will primarily be based out of Hardwood Ski and Bike with some trips to local races. Junior A Program *New* Much like the Provincial program the Junior A program is for Elementary school aged athletes looking for a challenge. The program will support the team at Ontario cups in Duntroon Jan 10-11, Canadian Eastern Championships Jan 30-Feb 1 and Timmins Feb 28- March 1. In addition to these races they will attend club races in Southern Ontario and the Southern Ontario Championships on February 22 nd and the Midget Championships on March 7 & 8. Junior B Program The junior program is a progression from Jackrabbit program and Team Hardwood s entry level program. Elementary aged skiers will learn fundamentals while having fun on skis and participating in 2 club races. 4

5 4. Training Schedule Below are the regular training days for the programs, days may change from week-to-week for the provincial and national programs depending on the race schedule. Dry land Schedule Day AM PM Tuesday Thursday 5pm National Programs 5pm Open to all programs 5pm National Programs Saturday Sunday 9 am National Programs 9 am Provincial Program 12pm Junior A Program 9 am Club Program 12pm Junior B Program 9 am National Programs 9 am Provincial Program 9 am Junior A Program On Snow Schedule Day AM PM Tuesday Thursday 5pm National Program 5pm Open to all programs 5pm National Program 5pm Provincial 5pm Junior A program Saturday 9 am National Programs 2pm National Programs 9 am Provincial Program 12pm Junior A Program 9 am Club Program 12pm Junior Program Sunday 9 am National Programs 9 am Provincial Program 9 am Junior A Program 5

6 5. Important Dates Sept 6, am to 11:30am National programs begin & team meeting Sept 13, am to 1pm Provincial Program begins, meeting for Provincial & Jr A programs Sept 27, 2014 Epic 8hour Parking volunteers will be needed Oct 4, am to 11am National, Provincial & Club training 11am 12pm Club program meeting 12pm 2pm Junior Provincial and Junior program training 2pm 3pm Junior Program meeting Oct Olympia Fall Camp for all programs Oct 24 to 26 All day Ski swap volunteers needed and training will be modified Oct 25 4pm Black light run Volunteers needed Oct 24 Nov 2 Trip Frozen Thunder National program athletes Nov 8, am International Erg challenge Nov Dec Dec 21, 2014 Dec 29, 2014 Leave for Foret Montmorency National Program Leave for Vermont - races Yuletide Blast ( club & provincial programs) Hardwood Night race and alumni clinics Dec 31, pm New Years Hardwood Jan 4, 2014 Jan 8-11, 2015 Jan 10 & 11 Jan 18, 2015 Jan 29- Feb 1 Feb 5 8, 2015 Feb 22, 2015 Feb 28-March 1 March 7 & 8 March 12, 2015 March March 28, 2015 Midland Duathalon World Junior Trials Duntroon Ontario Cup Duntroon Inter-club race (Hardwood hunt start & relay) Canadian Eastern Championships National & Provincial Supertour Craftsbury National A Southern Ontario Championships Midland Ontario Cup Timmons National B & Provincial Midget Championships Travel to Thunder Bay for Nationals Thunder Bay Nationals Hardwood club championships 6

7 6. Communication Our communication strategy is set-up to give athletes and parents up-to-date information on what is happening in the club as well as information they will need for training sessions and races. Every athlete is asked to fill in a contact form so that we can make a complete list of s and phone numbers. s Our goal is to streamline the communication so that you receive fewer s from the club. We will reduce it to a Monthly newsletter and event s. Rather than filling your in box with s we are making information available to you online through the website and team blog. Monthly newsletter Starting September you will receive a monthly newsletter if you have subscribed to the list, this newsletter is sent out to keep everyone up-to-date on what is happening at Team Hardwood. Info Before a race, camp or fundraising event you will receive an with all of the information about the event that you need to know. Athletes will also receive an after the coaches meeting which is the night before the race. T-Rex or Text This is communication from the coach or team manager that is urgent, it is telling you about last minute changes, weather problems, corrections or information you will need. This needs to be read and responded to so that we know who has not received the information. Information to keep you informed day-to-day Website The website is filled with lots of information about the programs, races and what s going on in the club. We will make every effort to keep the calendar current but please refer to the team blog for the most current up-to-date information. Team Blog Each program will have a blog to give information on the team training, race updates, camps and other information. This will be the most up-to-date information so it should be checked before coming to practice. Google Docs Each event will have a google doc that will have information about the race, we experimented with these last year and they worked out quite well. 7

8 6. Things you need for the season Athletes are responsible for ensuring that they come to training with the appropriate equipment and clothing for each training session: Running shoes for dryland training Appropriate workout clothing for the day s weather and activity Ski-striding poles for dryland training (10cm shorter than your regular Classic poles) Digital watch with chrono functions Racing skis, poles, boots & bindings for both Skate & Classic technique (please refer to table for guide for various levels of Team Hardwood athlete) Program Equipment Club Junior Devo Provincial National Heart Monitor Skate Roller skis Classic Roller skis Skate Skis Alternative 1 race & 1 training 2 race & 1 training Classic Skis Alternative 1 race & 1 training 2 race & 1 training Combi Skis Skate Poles Classic Poles Skate Boots Classic Boots Combi Boots Junior Devo - Minimal equipment is combi skis, combi boots, skate and classic poles. Both classic and skate skis can be purchased if the athlete is showing interest and aptitude for cross-country skiing. Provincial Athletes - Race skis are required and training skis are recommended. Training skate skis should be a first priority as there are a greater number of skate races. National Athletes-Race skis (multiple pairs are recommended) and training skis are required. Training skis for skate Training skis for Classic preferably similar to race skis in flex and length Skate race skis cold & warm Classic race skis hard wax (long low camber), Klister (higher camber) Poles Skate, classic & striding poles Personal training wax kit ( see wax guide) In addition, Junior and Senior Devo athletes and coaches will have access to Team Hardwood s wax box, benches, test skis, and heated tent at selected races, including O-Cups, World Junior Trials and Nationals. This vital team equipment is funded through donations and team fundraising activities including running the parking lot at the Canada Cup and Epic 8 Hour mountain bike races. 8

9 7. ROLES & EXPECTATIONS The success of Team Hardwood s racing program is based, in part, on all participants (athletes, coaches and parents) recognizing and adhering to a set of responsibilities and expectations. The following sets out a list of responsibilities and expectations for the conduct of athletes, coaches and parents involved with Team Hardwood s racing programs. Coaches Team Hardwood athletes and parents can expect our coaches to: Design and implement safe training and racing programs that are compatible with the long-term interests and development of athletes as whole people; Act in a professional manner at all times, including treating all athletes and parents openly, fairly and respectfully, and refraining from abusive or harassing behavior; Act in a professional manner towards race officials, and athletes and coaches from other teams; Participate in regular professional development activities such as coach training courses to increase their knowledge and skills; Respect the privacy and confidentiality of all Team Hardwood athletes and families; Arrive on time and adequately prepared for team training sessions; Communicate regularly with athletes and parents about upcoming training and racing activities; Monitor athletes training log entries and comment when appropriate; Be responsive to athlete requests for assistance and feedback; and to parents questions and concerns; Hold at least one parents meeting per season to discuss the program and how it can be changed/improved; Be reasonably familiar with CCC and CCO race rules and regulations; Act as your child s advocate before a race jury in the event of any racing rules infractions and/or sanctions, whether s/he is the perpetrator or victim of said infraction; Be familiar with and abide by both Cross Country Canada s Coaches Code of Conduct ( and Cross Country Ontario s (CCO) Coaching Code of Ethics ( Athletes Team Hardwood coaches and parents expect our athletes to: Commit to their own progress and success and the training program designed by the coaches; Commit to their own health and well-being by ensuring proper nutrition, hydration, recovery and sleep; Attend group dryland and on-snow training sessions on a regular basis; Develop self-reliance and independence appropriate to their age in matters such as: arriving to training and races on time and with appropriate clothing and equipment, caring for equipment, and waxing skis for training. Be supportive and encouraging of their teammates and to treat them with respect; Be respectful of Team Hardwood coaches and parents, as well as of other competitors, coaches and race officials; Lead a balanced life, including keeping up with schoolwork and spending time with family and friends; Participate actively in team fundraising and social events; Keep a training log and record daily training activities and other developments that might affect their training (e.g. illness); Represent and embody the sporting values of Team Hardwood, including trying your best, teamwork, fair play, and respect for others. In addition, Team Hardwood athletes are expected to familiarize themselves with and adhere to the Cross Country Ontario Athlete s Code of Conduct: 9

10 Parents: Team Hardwood athletes and coaches can expect parents to: Support their child/athlete in a positive and constructive manner as s/he pursues their competitive goals in ski racing; Be supportive and encouraging of other Team Hardwood athletes; Treat all coaches, athletes, parents, and race officials with respect; Let the coaches coach; Participate in at least one team fundraising activity per year; Volunteer to assist at races in some capacity (e.g. hotel logistics, wax support, tent set-up etc.) Pay program fees and other event costs to Hardwood Ski & Bike in a timely manner. WHAT CAN YOU DO AS A PARENT TO HELP OUT? In addition to supporting your athlete, there are a number of ways in which parents can contribute to the success of the team as a whole. In addition to participating in fundraising activities, there are a number of roles and tasks that need to be carried out, particularly on race days, and that help ensure the collective success and well being of all our athletes, coaches and parents. These include: Driving athletes to races and training sessions Organizing the Canada Cup/Epic 8 Hour parking lot fundraiser Making team reservations and catering arrangements at race hotels Helping set up/take down the wax tent at races Prepping skis and wax testing on race mornings Delivering coffee and cooking breakfast for the wax crew Driving athletes to and from the race venue Bringing more coffee and donuts to the wax tent! Cheering on all our athletes Taking photos and video of the races Writing race reports 10

11 8. WAX TOOLS AND SKI PREP Careful preparation, maintenance and waxing of skis is a critically important task for successful ski racing. Each athlete on the Devo Squad must learn to care for and wax their own skis. Coaches, parents and athlete mentors will assist throughout the year. Grip Waxing Tools and Wax Tools 1. Corks 3 corks are ideal, 1 for each kind of wax (cold, warm and base wax 2. Plastic Scrapers one for grip wax one for the groove 3. Putty knife this is used to remove wax, a flexible blade is best. 4. A klister brush to apply klister (brass brush with a wooden handle). 5. Citrus wax remover. 6. Heat gun for applying klister and base wax. 7. Blue shop towels (Home Deport or Canadian Tire). 8. Green painters tape (wide) to mark zones when waxing. Grip Waxes Hard wax Klister Glide Waxes Swix V30, VR40, V55 (Red Special) KR22 (universal), LF6, HF 8 (bulk CH6 and CH8 for travel wax) Rode Multigrade blue, super blue, Multigrade Violet, Red extra Violet, Rossa, Rossa special Yellow Vahti K18 (carrot), K15, K21, K12, K9, Kbase HF Blue, HF Pink Start Black Magic Universal wide HF80 Skigo Graphite 11

12 9. RACING LICENSES, REGISTRATION & COSTS All National and Provincial program athletes need a Cross Country Canada (CCC) racing license or a Supporting Member Day License (SMDL) to participate in Ontario Cup and/or NorAm and other CCC sanctioned races. Racers without a valid license or signed waiver will NOT receive a race bib. Devo athletes of Juvenile age or older should purchase a CCC license so that they (and the team) can accumulate Ontario Cup points. This is the only way to ensure athlete eligibility for selection to the Ontario Ski Team and the Ontario Development Ski Team. Annual CCC racing licenses cost $55 (for athletes born in 1990 or later) or $65 (for athletes born in 1989 or earlier). CCC licenses can be purchased online via the CCC web site. It is the responsibility of athletes to ensure that they hold a valid racing license for each event. To obtain or renew your license, please go to Follow the steps and enter your information. You will also require the following information: Coach: Ron Howden, NCCP # , level T2T Club official: P. MacDonell (President, Team Hardwood) High school and club races as well as local/regional loppets do not typically require a racing license but may require skiers to sign a liability waiver (or have parents do so). Additional athlete licensing information is available on the CCC and CCO web sites. Race registration All races require athletes to register and pay a registration fee (typically prior to the day of the event) and it is the athlete s responsibility to ensure that they are registered for events; this is NOT the coach s responsibility. Parents are urged to ensure that their athlete is registered prior to race day to avoid disappointment. Low key, local races often allow same-day registration but O-Cup races DO NOT. Online registration for O-Cup races is easy and conveniently available via the Zone4.ca web site. Please note that all athletes and accompanying family members are responsible for their own travel, accommodation and meal costs associated with races. These costs are not covered by the program fee. A designated parent volunteer will liaise with the team s hotel to negotiate a good price for room rates and co-ordinate team dinners. 10. FUNDRAISING INITIATIVES Team Hardwood athletes, parents and coaches are expected to participate in periodic fundraising activities to support the purchase of team equipment. In particular, the proceeds of fundraising go towards the purchase of supplies for the team wax box, which we use at races. High performance racing wax is NOT cheap. A single stick of high fluorocarbon wax can cost over $100. One of the benefits of being a member of Team Hardwood is our ability to offer world class waxing service. Our coaches and many of our parents have a high degree of technical knowledge and experience in applying these advanced preparations. Athletes will tell you that knowing that they are racing on fast skis gives them an extra dose of confidence on race day. In order to ensure that the team has a good supply of a wide range of different products for all conditions, therefore, it is imperative that all athletes and their families contribute some of their time and energy to fundraising every year. One of our most important fundraising activities is to organize and manage the parking lot at Hardwood Ski and Bike during the Canada Cup (early June) and Epic 8 Hour (summer and fall) mountain bike races. Typically, Devo parents handle the parking lot duties while the Devo athletes solicit donations to the Team as drivers enter the main gate. Devo athletes and parents also help out at the annual Ski Swap and Open House in late October, by receiving and processing items for sale at the swap or at the New Year s Eve fundraising event. In most cases, helping out at these events involves little more than a couple of hours of your time. 12

13 11. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES In the unlikely event of an accident/injury involving an athlete, Hardwood Ski & Bike has an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place to ensure a timely response by local emergency services (if necessary). All Team Hardwood coaches are trained in first aid and CPR, and are equipped with cell phones while in the field. Hardwood Ski & Bike staff are also first aid trained and have access to an ATV and snowmobile for responding to emergencies on the trail and for transporting injured athletes. Roller ski Policy Roller skiing is an integral part of the sport of cross-country skiing, providing one of the most enjoyable and highly specific forms of ski training that can be practiced in the dry-land training season. When roller skiing athletes are expected to abide by the following club policies Helmet must be worn at all times Obey rules of the road Choose terrain that matches ability Avoid areas with steep down hills, stop signs at the bottom of hills, railroad crossings, potholes, or other hazards; Bright reflective clothing must be worn at all times Roller skiers are not to roller ski on roads at dusk, in heavy fog or other hazardous conditions Roller skiers are to ski single file on the side of the road going with traffic When being overtaken by a car roller skiers are to double pole to allow the car room to pass Do not wear "i-pods" or other electronic devices that will decrease your ability to hear and react to any situation that may occur. COLD WEATHER POLICY For temperatures below -20 the program will shorten the time outside and move part of the program inside and take the opportunity to discuss: technique, tactics, race plans etc.. To ensure skiers remain safe on cold days (below -10C) the coaches will follow the below safety measures. Skiers who show up inappropriately dressed will be not allowed to ski with the program that day A hat must be worn at all times to ensure ears do not get frostbite. More frequent breaks inside to allow time to warm-up. With respect to racing, our policy is that: When temperatures are -20C or colder (temperature measured at the coldest point of the course and without wind factor) and competition distances are less than or equal to 7.5 km, we will not race. When competition distances are greater than 7.5 km and temperatures are -18C or colder (without wind factor), we will not race. Wind factors increase the effect of cold and will be taken into account in determining whether athletes will race. Where the head coach at an event feels that other weather factors put our athletes at risk, he may also pull the team from the race. The head coach is expected to use discretion in evaluating whether this consequence should include all age groups or not. 13

14 MISSING SKIER POLICY SEARCH PROCEDURES In the event of a person/persons reported missing on the trails: 1. Find out as much information as possible about the missing person (name, age, skiing ability, clothing, knowledge of trail system, fitness level, medical conditions, etc.) 2. Determine exactly where the person was last seen, which direction they were traveling, planned route, and time elapsed since last seen. 3. If people are immediately available to help, begin short duration initial search: Organize search teams of at least 2 people per team Use HSB snowmobiles as necessary (see below) Communicate information from step 1 and 2 (above) to teams Determine the priority trails / areas to search based on step 2 (above) Send out snowmobile teams to cover priority trails in logical fashion Send out other teams to ski priority trails 4. If no-one is available to help, contact ski club individuals listed below for assistance. Begin initial search as soon as searchers are available. 5. If initial search is unsuccessful, contact 911 to engage Search and Rescue (SAR) 6. Continue searching with available resources until relieved by OPP or Rescue First Aid supplies can be found in First Aid room on main floor of lodge SNOWMOBILES AND RESCUE TOBOGGANS: see main desk of ski lodge TELEPHONE: Emergency telephone is located on the main floor of the lodge, EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS Head Coach Club Personnel: Emergency 911 Hardwood ski and Bike Street Address 402 Old Barrie Road West Oro-Medonte, ON, L0L 2E0 GPS Coordinates ,