Written by AOA Executive Director Scott Barrett.
As we continue travelling the province and meeting Alpine Ontario members, we narrow our focus today to a Volunteer Extraordinaire family in the National Capital Division. The Division suggested we reach out to the Alexander Family so here goes with a look into the life of another busy ski racing family lead by parents Jamie and Jill….
Q1: What club are you with? When did you join?
We are with the Calabogie Ski Racing Club (CSRC). We joined the Club in 2008 when the first of our three kids turned 8.
Q2: How many kids do you have in the program? What ages, teams, etc?
We have three kids in the race program; a 15 year old boy (Jack) and a 14 year old boy (Sam) who are both racing in the U16 program and a 12 year old girl (Carly) who is in her first year of U14.
Q3: Do you volunteer or coach as well?
I am the President of our race club and also sit on the National Capital Division Board. I dedicate almost all of my time outside of work to volunteering. In addition to volunteering at all of the races our club hosts, I (and many other parents) regularly take on volunteer roles at other hills in our region. Volunteering is an important part of the culture in the National Capital Division and our athletes recognize and appreciate the effort we put into hosting our races. Parents who do not get involved (and there are very few at our club) are missing a tremendously rewarding part of the experience that leads to great relationships from hill to hill and region to region.
Q4: what do you for a living, where do you live?
I am an electrician and my wife is a lawyer. We live in the Village of Carp which is in the far west end of Ottawa and about an hour away from Calabogie.
Q5: what other sports do your kids do? How do these stack up next to ski racing?
Skiing has been the primary competitive sport in which our kids have participated. Both of our boys enjoy golfing and windsurfing during the summer months where we spend most of our time at the cottage. Our oldest boy has played competitive soccer for a number of years.
Q6: How would you compare AOA/Ski Racing as a sport next to other PSOs (provincial sport organizations?) If applicable?
Because our kids got involved in ski racing at a young age, they haven’t participated in many other organized competitive sports so we are not in a position to make a comparison. Having said that, we can’t imagine an organized sport that would provide a better quality of life and environment for every member of the family. The collegiality among the ski parents is second to none and we get to enjoy skiing while the kids train.
Q7: Where is your favourite place to ski?
We enjoy skiing at all of our local hills. One of the most impressive hills we have skied at recreationally as a family is Le Massif in Quebec. The views are spectacular!
Q8: What sort of coaching do you like? Dislike?
We have only experienced the coaching at Calabogie. Our head coach, Bruce Monkman, is one of the most experienced and well respected coaches in our region. What we appreciate most about Bruce is the interest he takes in every single athlete in our club. Our club has produced an impressive number of very skilled racers and those racers have never been elevated above or favoured over the others. Bruce has never wavered in his focus which has always been athlete development.
Q9: How has AOA or the sport changed during your time involved?
As parents of kids who ski outside of the Southern Ontario Division (SOD), early on, it was our impression that the AOA and its decisions were largely influenced by the race clubs in the SOD. In recent years, AOA has been sending representatives to races in our region and should be commended for this effort. We very much appreciate being invited to provide input on issues that are important to the development of our athletes which should be a common goal of all clubs regardless of location.
Q10: What’s your wish list for this sport?
The current programming appears designed (unintentionally) to phase kids out of ski racing following completion of the U16 program unless they are on track to become members of an elite or provincial team. Many of these kids have not reached their ultimate height or weight and it seems like an abrupt end to a sport that has provided so much personal and athletic development growth and enjoyment.
by John O’Sullivan from Changing the Game Project
I remember the day I coached my son TJ’s first soccer game. He was only five, and I was so proud, so excited, and couldn’t wait for him to play the game I loved.
There was one problem.
He didn’t want to play.
When the game was about to start, he said, “Dad I don’t want to play today.” I was OK with it and the game went on. That week he went to practice, had lots of fun, and I thought all was right in the world. The next weekend, I was equally as excited for TJ to play his first game. Sadly, he was not.
As I set starting lineup he again said: “Dad I don’t want to play.” I don’t think he liked the screaming parents and coaches from the previous game, as well as all the hustle and bustle that is five-year-old soccer. This time I was angry. I was embarrassed. I was this A licensed, “all-star coach” and my own son refused to play. TJ, on the other hand, found a cricket to play with over by the fence. He was content. I was a mess.
What is wrong with my son? Why won’t he play? What if he doesn’t like soccer? Isn’t he going to fall behind?
On the car ride home, I felt the need to address this issue, (likely to make myself feel better, as he was fine.) “So TJ…” was all I could say before my wife, who was in the passenger’s seat, karate chopped me across the chest.
“What was that for?” I asked her incredulously.
“Really, didn’t you just write a whole book about this?” she said with a stern look.
Indeed I had. But I was scared. I was afraid TJ was missing out on a game I loved. I suffered from FOMO: the Fear Of Missing Out!
On that day, and many days since, I’ve had FOMO moments watching my children play sports. I saw other kids their age who were better players, and wondered “what have I failed to do?” I still see other kids who play only one sport, improving quicker than mine, and worry mine will fall too far behind. I see kids attending additional skill training sessions and summer camps that mine do not. And I worry that my kids may be missing out.
I know I am not alone in feeling this way. I hear from parents all the time who feel stressed and anxious about their child’s sports experience. Are my kids falling behind? If they don’t do extra training now, will they make the travel team? Will they make the high school team? Will they have a chance to play in college? These are very legitimate concerns for the modern day sports parent. They might even keep you awake at night.
But here is the thing: they are just kids. They are fine. They need to want to do these things, not be forced to. Your child’s path is not supposed to be every other child’s path. Yet the Fear Of Missing Out is such a persistent feeling it scares me. It makes me feel inadequate as a parent. It makes me worry I’m letting my kids down. You too?
I should know better. I have seen too many times how too much, too soon ends in injuries or burnout for kids who are forced down a path they didn’t choose, or who were never asked: “do you want this?” I have seen too many 12-year-old zombies walking around fields, with no joy in their step, and their love of the game long gone.
FOMO is one of the primary drivers creating a toxic youth sports atmosphere and making so many children walk away from sports far too soon.
We must overcome the fear.
As parents, we love our kids and we have great intentions, but FOMO causes us to focus only on the present, and not the long term. FOMO compels us to make all the decisions and steal ownership of their sporting experience. FOMO leads us to suck the enjoyment out of the sport in pursuit of dreams of stardom and scholarships. FOMO drives many sensible folks to take kids away from playing with their friends, search out the winning team, and make them specialize in spite of all the evidence to the contrary. FOMO makes us feel that we are letting our kids down by not providing them with every single opportunity, regardless of costs, time commitments, and the stress endured by our family.
Parents, I give you permission to take a deep breath, look at the evidence, and choose a different path. I give you permission to love your kids for where they are today, and not what they could be tomorrow. I give you permission to love yourself, even when you say no to a coach or a great opportunity because you simply cannot add one more thing to your plate or that of your child. I give you permission because the fear of missing out is ruining youth sports. It is time for all of us well-intentioned, well-educated parents to put a stop to the FOMO.
How? Answer these questions:
What do kids want from coaches? Sure, kids like to be on successful teams and have chances at scholarships, but what they want most according to research are positive role models who care about the person, and not just the athlete. They want coaches who respect and encourage them, who provide clear, consistent communication, who teach them the game, and who listen. Are you evaluating your child’s next coach on that, or simply wins and losses?
Why do they play? Kids play for enjoyment and social aspects of sports. As they get older, they may define enjoyment and fun a bit differently than an 8-year-old, but one thing I can tell you is the day college, professional and Olympic level athletes stop loving what they do, they stop playing. So will your child. Ask your kids “why do you love playing, and what makes you love playing even more?” Then do more of that!
Are sports an extension of the things we value as a family? I am amazed how many times strong-valued families turn a blind eye to the values epitomized by their sports coaches and organizations. People who would never let their child lie or disrespect an authority figure consistently allow sports coaches to do those things, and are afraid to speak up because of FOMO, or because they are afraid their child might get blacklisted (and at times they are right, what does that say about an organization?)
Do we have sport/school/life balance? One day there will be no more practices to drive to, then what? Will sports still have provided your child and family with worthwhile, lifelong lessons in character, overcoming mistakes, working with others, and more? Did you spend any quality time with your spouse the last fifteen years, or take a non-sports, family trip? Do we question the coach who tells us we have to choose between grandma’s 90th birthday or a league game? I’m not criticizing the families who make incredible sacrifices to allow their kids to play sports. I’m merely asking, “should we?”
These questions are far more important than asking ourselves “is my kid missing out on a scholarship?” or “Is my child going to make the high school team?” These questions are all driven by fear.
As Sophocles said, “All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.” We cannot be too proud to admit the current environment is based on fear, and while it serves the needs of many, the athletes are rarely at the top of that list.
Here are a few thoughts on how to remove FOMO from your child’s youth sports journey.
1. When in doubt, ask your child: What should I say on the car ride home, or on the sideline of your game? Do you really want to work with a private coach, or spend summer weekends at tournaments instead of with friends? Do you want to play multiple sports, or only one? How can I support you on your journey? If you are unsure, ask your child what he or she wants. The answer may surprise you.
1. Read the research: It is a lot easier to combat your fear of missing out when you know you are standing on a foundation based on solid, scientific research rather than conjecture and “keeping up with the Joneses.” I am amazed by many so-called “professional coaches” who’ve read no books or research, nor attended a coaching course in years (or ever), but who pontificate about getting to the next level. It’s up to parents to know right from wrong and hold coaches accountable as we would school teachers. Start learning from experts in the sport. Here are some links to articles we have written on various topics with plenty of links to more research (CLICK HERE TO READ):
• Early sports specialization
• Talent identification
• Scholarships and Recruiting
• What kids want from coaches
• The importance of enjoyment
• The Car Ride Home
1. Demand more from your youth sports organization: Don’t look at the coach’s win/loss record. Dig deeper. How does he treat the players? Does she invest in them as people first? How many quit the team every year without good reason? What happens to all the kids who don’t get a scholarship? Would the parents on the team recommend this coach to other close friends or family? What are the organization’s core values, and do they hold everybody accountable for them or do they turn a blind eye to poor behavior by parents and coaches and “just win baby”? What are they willing to compromise to win? What will your child get out of this experience if they don’t win everything or get a scholarship? The answers to these great questions will speak volumes about the organization and coach. They reveal true intention.
1. Be part of the solution: If you don’t like the direction of your youth sports organization, be part of the change you wish to see. Coach, or run for the board of directors. I am convinced the vast majority of parents are great people, and if we’d ban together and start asking our youth sports organizations for the right things, great things will happen.
The next time FOMO sets in, take a deep breath. When you start to worry your child cannot miss this one weekend opportunity, or if he doesn’t go to the all-star camp at age 10, or he is falling behind, take a moment and reassess. Is her career really about to come to a screeching end for taking a few weeks off? Even Mia Hamm took a season off from soccer as a child because she was burned out, and it worked out OK for her.
We cannot allow the Fear Of Missing Out to be the primary driving force in youth sports. We cannot let the small percentage of charlatans in the coaching, camp and sports facility world continue to manipulate us with fear, and convince us we are bad parents if we don’t go to every event, play year round, or get in front of college scouts in middle school. If your child has the talent, drive, and love of the game, he or she will play long enough and hard enough to get noticed. The only thing for certain is that all kids who quit or have career-ending injuries before high school do not play in college!
Please, everyone, take a deep breath and let’s reclaim sports for our kids. Let’s ignore the FOMO. Ask your kids what they want, and support the things they are passionate about. If they want to do certain things, and they are within the realities of your family budget and time, by all means, try to make them happen. But if your child looks at you and says “I really want some time off, I really want to take a break from soccer,” then let him do it. Let her be with her friends.
Don’t let the Fear Of Missing Out in youth sports be the cause of your child missing out on his or her childhood. That would be the greatest tragedy of all.
Aaron Puskas of the Norwesters Alpine Club/LSDA is just home from a whirlwind trip to Italy for the weekend Alpecimbra FIS Children’s Races 
(U14 & U16). He was selected, along with 5 others to Team Canada, based on their outstanding performances at the recent Mackenzie U16 National Championships on his home hill, Loch Lomond. Considering this was his first taste of International racing we decided to ask some questions..What else does Aaron do? How did he get to be one of Ontario’s top U16 racer? How does his family/coaches support him? What are his goals in this sport?
We started with his family and were delighted to learn so much. We also asked his coach Matt Fisher and finally heard from Aaron himself. Thank you to “racer mom/surgeon” Tracy Wilson for helping to coordinate all of this. Let’s start with her….
When did it all start?
Aaron started skiing at age 3 and racing Nancy Green at 6. He followed his two brothers, Jake (4 1/2 yrs older) and Liam (2 1/2 yrs older). He was hooked immediately and loved skiing more than any other sport.
How have your other children influenced Aaron?
Jake and Liam both raced until second year U16, racing for Team Ontario at CANAMs most years. His brothers both loved skiing but found it hard to navigate ‘skiing at the next level’ while skiing in Thunder Bay. Jake (19 yrs) in the end chose football and plays for Queens University. Liam decided the path to CIS football was clear and will join his brother at Queens next fall playing Gaels football. Aaron followed his brothers watching all of their Provincial races, and often forerunning, and has never questioned his desire or ambition to ski race beyond U16.
Were you and your husband ski racers? 
No but we are both heavily involved in sports and fitness. I grew up skiing at Mt Blanc, Quebec and Dave in Collingwood. We put our boys into Nancy Green in order to allow them to learn to ski… For life! What we got was three competitive racers!
Do you encourage other sports for your kids?
Yes! Aaron loves hard hitting, adrenaline rushing sports including football, water skiing, wake boarding, bare footing and wake surfing. Aaron has been courted by a few select football teams already but I have never seen the joy and intensity that he brings to his skiing.
What is his skiing schedule like now?
A typical ski week involves two hours of twilight ski race training Wednesday & Thursday and then full days Saturday and Sunday. In LSDA we don’t have a full Ontario race schedule so his team will fill the schedule in with one or two USSA races but often these kids arrive at provincials with only two to three races behind them.
Is it a challenge racing outside of SOD?
Yes somewhat, the biggest challenge has been exposure to consistent coaching and difficulty accessing large fields of competition. Although Aaron has been blessed having Matt coach him for at least four of his last 6 years. This makes the season difficult to plan for both coach and athlete and can leave these athletes out of a variety of training opportunities, and somewhat alienated.
I’m told you have the best trailer at the races.
Well we like it! Like so many other families ski racing has become a family passion and our tuning trailer – which many of you saw at Nationals – has become a family tradition at races… cook a steak; share a glass of wine, tune skis and swap racing stories with anyone and everyone who chooses to stop by! It’s definitely what we love about this sport!
What’s the key to Aaron’s success?
I have rarely seen a more dedicated, disciplined athlete! He loves racing and goes into every race as though it was a championship. I am sure this is the passion displayed by most young athletes at this level, but one that I have nary seen.
Your husband served in the military – did that mean long trips away?
Yes Dave served in the military during his undergrad and volunteered as a civilian surgeon for his first tour in 2007, then returned to the military for his second and third tours (2009, 2010). His tours were long and difficult for both him and our family but were life changing for us all! We will always live life thankful and feeling very blessed to be Canadian and live in a great, inclusive community like Thunder Bay!
Do yo want Aaron to continue to the next level?
As parents, we hope that Aaron will continue to race as long as he LOVES to race! We believe his potential is endless but realize that the traps and snares that end racing careers are many. We will support him always and love to see the smile on his face entering each competition!
Now from a coach’s perspective….we ask Matt Fisher, LSDA Division Team Head Coach a little bit about his athlete:
I’ve coached Aaron and several members of the division training group since the 2009/2010 season when I came to Thunder Bay for University. I spent one season in Revelstoke in 2015 but have been back with the team full time the last two seasons.
What kind of learner is Aaron? Easy to coach or hard?
Aaron seems to be dominantly a visual learner; he’s very dedicated and spends quite a lot of time watching video. He has had some really solid racers and coaches around (like North Johnson and Riley Remme) to chase more recently. He’s not always the easiest athlete to coach and we are constantly trying to challenge him. He’s a really awesome guy and understands that things are never perfect and we’re learning with him.
Lastly we finally caught up with Aaron upon his return from Italy:
Where do you see yourself going in the next 1-3 years?
I’d like my next 1-3 years of my ski career to be as safe and productive seasons as possible. By that I mean keeping my body healthy, staying ahead of school and trying to move my way up the “ranks” in terms of FIS points.
What about 4-6years?
Looking ahead I know it is a long journey so to have the best FIS points as possible so I have many options for future ski teams. Whether this is in the United States or with Alpine Ontario I don’t know. I’d love to be on the Ontario Development team or National Development team.
Has your coach helped with this year’s success?
Yes of course, I have been working with Matt since 2009 and he has been very critical to my development as an athlete on and off the hill. Over the course of our years of work together our friendship has grown stronger enabling a very effective and trustworthy coach-athlete relationship.
Results from Italy:
March 10th SL
Ladies:
7 – Alyssa Hill / Panorama
13 – Cassidy Gray / Panorama
20 – Avery Lebsack / Lake Louise
Men’s:
14 – Jeremy Laniel / BC Alpine
15 – Rapheal Lessard / Quebec
17 – Aaron Puskas/ NAC/LSDA AOA
March 11th GS
Ladies:
26 – Avery Lebsack
28 – Cassidy Gray
dnf- Alyssa Hill
Men:
6 – Jeremy Laniel
14 -Raphael Lessard
18 – Aaron Puskas
Written by AOA Executive Director Scott Barrett.
Today I had the pleasure of running commentary for the Dual Slalom event which saw the best 14 and 15 year old athletes in the province racing head to head in a dazzling display of what this sport is all about. The knockout style event whittled down a field of 101 boys and 75 girls to a round of final eight.. then to a round of four and eventually to just two athletes battling to cross the finish line first. In the end two National Capital Division racers from Camp Fortune Ski Club clinched the top spot, Kobe Villeneuve and Keirsten Harvey.
The nonstop action didn’t let up with the end of the race. With this being the final day of the event it was time to hand out some hardware!! It is my pleasure to present you with the inaugural winners of the Pizza Pizza Cup – your Aviva U16 OCUP Final Champions Daisy Taylor from the National Ski Academy and Ben Smegal from the Craigleith Ski Club. These two individuals racked up the highest combined point totals from this weeks Super G, Giant Slalom, and Slalom event.
The Awards Ceremony this afternoon also included the trophy presentations for the OCUP Overall Series Champions, tabulated over the entire OCUP U16 Series with Alpine Ski Club’s Elizabeth Sullivan winning for the women and Zachary Temertzoglou from Georgian Peaks for the men.
I cannot go on any further without extending a huge shout out to Northern Ontario Division Alpine, the Race Organizing Committee, the Searchmont Ski Runners, the volunteers, the parents, and of course the athletes for coming together to create such a successful finale to another exciting season of U16 ski racing in Ontario. You have once again made me proud and have cemented the idea that you don’t need the biggest slopes to produce top notch athletes.
Written by AOA Executive Director Scott Barrett.
I successfully made it north after the final Devil’s Glen FIS races and woke up slope side in the Pizza Pizza RV to blue skies and bright sun!
Slalom was the name of the game today with a bullet proof track that almost felt like an injected slope but athletes punched through especially in the second run which saw some amazing skiing by many. The action on the hill was matched by the seasoned ski parent/coach/fans and the Pizza Pizza Patio set up at the bottom of the course. This area served as a quick pit stop to sit down, stretch the legs, and take in the view.
The bar has been set and this road trip crew can’t wait to see what’s in store for DAY 5 with the final Dual Slalom races of this series. I will be announcing these races while the rest of our crew man the Pizza Pizza RV Patio.
Pictured above is a shot from yesterday of the unique sight of a bonfire being lit by a flaming arrow after athletes were treated to a true display of Northern hospitality in the form of a free BBQ courtesy of Searchmont Resort.
This sport is steep in history in all four of the AOA Divisions and we really should talk about these legends more.
When we decided to feature a legendary family in the Soo two families immediately came to mind – The Mealey Family and the Real Brothers. Both are still heavily involved in the Searchmont Ski Runners which is amazing. We’re sorry we only caught up with 2 of the 3 brothers but the amazing photos make up for it! A walk down memory lane with Bill & Bob Real.
Q1: Where did you grow up? What ski club? What age did you start ski racing? (that’s Bob on the right in the gates)
BILL: We grew up in Sault Ste. Marie and started skiing/racing with the Searchmont Ski Runners when I was 4.
BOB: Same but I was 5.
Q2: What level did you get to in ski racing? Biggest event, best result, discipline, etc?
BILL: I raced on the NOD team, attended the Canadian Championships then made it to the Nor-Am Circuit.
BOB: I raced in the World Junior Championships and was 11th GS, then on to the Europa cup circuit with a 12th
finish in the DH Innsbruck, Austria. Canadian Champs Junior-1st GS. 1st SL and Canada Winter Games-SL 1st, GS 1st, SG 2nd (photo:Bob at the CanWinter games)
Q3: Did you coach? What level, etc…
BILL: I coached for a total of 18 years including at our club, with the SOD team, Ontario Ski Team, LSDA Team and eventually with the Canadian team
BOB: Coaching currently. Entry level.
(photo: Gord Acton and Jeff Armstrong in this race) .
Q4: What do you do for a living now? Where do you live?
BILL: I live outside of SSM and work in television production covering
live TV i.e. sports, concerts
BOB: Same.
Q5: I’m told you are back in the sport with young kids….
BILL: Yes 2 young boys 5 yr old (Bobby) 8 yr old (Brady) and yes they too love to ski.
BOB: 3 young kids. Ski racers. 8, 4, 1.
Q6: Are you involved in the ski club at Searchmont? If so how?
BILL: I’m a volunteer coach, on the SSR and on the NOD board
BOB: Yes. On the board of directors. Volunteer coach.
Q7: How would you say Canada is doing today compared with your time racing developing athletes, promoting the sport, etc?
BILL: Canada does not have the same athlete base as we did before and you need the base to push up the top level. The fact that ski racing is not on tv as it was is an issue.
BOB: Canada always has a group in the top 15, men and women. The skier cross team is extremely good, Canada has done a great job getting to the top of a new event.
Q8: Ski racing in Ontario is SOD focused based on population. Is it harder for smaller regions to produce an elite athlete? What are the challenges you club faces?
BILL: No it is not harder to produce an elite athlete in NOD but we don’t have the numbers to race with so we have to leave NOD to find athletes (races) to compete with. We’re big fans of more races with all division at all levels….. OCUP!
BOB: SOD has the population base and the financial support. They just use the tools they have. More racers, more volunteers, more races, more competition, bigger programs. We don’t have the population base to have a large program. There are small groups and travel to races is far in the North. We lose kids earlier because of our location and the cost.
Q9: Who is the best racer you’ve ever seen over the years and why?
BILL: Alberto Tomba, Bode Miller. They were exciting racers with big personalities so even people who didn’t watch races wanted to know about them.
BOB: Bode Miller for his athleticism. Permin Zurbriggen-he was very focused and always rose to the occasion.
Q10: Whose is the best ski coach in your mind and why?
BILL: The same two coaches I had myself – Brian Mealey and Ulic Longford, who are still in my life.
BOB: Brian Mealey for hisgreat passion for the sport, Jim Pollock for hiscalm presence that can elevate athletes at big events and Ulic Longford who identifies and connects with the athlete and can get an athlete to perform above expectation.
This photo taken in 1972.
Written by AOA Executive Director Scott Barrett.
Before we get to an update on the whereabouts of the Pizza Pizza RV I’d like to acknowledge the 5 year anniversary of Nik Zoricic’s fatal crash during a World Cup ski cross in Grindelwald Switzerland.
I was fortunate enough to grow up ski racing with Nik and subsequently got to know Bebe, Silvia and Kat. With today’s Jr. Challenge being sold out with over 200 kids (many in their jeans as Nik used to wear) I hope the family can take some comfort in knowing that his legacy lives on. Nik was a big figure in all our lives. His big heart and passion for this sport was hard to match. Unfortunately I will have to miss Saturday’s After-party at Craigleith but shall raise a glass to my old friend from the RV at the side of a ski hill, which is something I know Nik would have loved.
Well the Pizza Pizza RV survived its journey north with Devyn and Marc at the helm and made it safely to Searchmont. Our mobile home has been given prime real-estate! (see photo below) close to the finish line at the bottom of the Slalom piste. Sunny skies greeted the women today for the opening Super G but the me had to navigate their way down through snow which proved to be a nonissue for the eventual winner…
Before I head north myself I’ve enjoyed the action at my home club, Osler Bluff , at the 2nd of 6 straight FIS OCUP races that will hit Devil’s Glen this weekend before concluding at Georgian Peaks on Monday and Tuesday. What a great race it was with an international field that included athletes from Boston College, St Lawrence, Green Mountain Valley School, Great Britain, Japan and of course our own provincial squads all in attendance with the National Ski Academy, National Captital Outaouis Team, Ontario Ski Team and the Southern Ontario Division Team all competing hard.
Tomorrow is Day 3 of our road trip and we’re excited to announce it’s also our ALUMNI spotlight with a feature interview with Real Brothers, legends and members of the Searchmont Ski Runners Club – our hosts while in the Soo.
- AOA announces new sponsor Pizza Pizza
- AOA announces new U16 Development Progam
- PodCast with Larisa Yurkiw
- Get your NZ tickets for Sat. events & after party
- Pierre Ruel coach education & more!
Written by AOA Executive Director Scott Barrett.
And “we” are off! The Road to the OCUP finals presented by Pizza Pizza has begun and Devyn (Social media guru) and Marc (Activation guru..he has the medals so he’s important) just left AOA headquarters here at 39A Stewart Rd… Our moving office will cover over 2000km’s during the next 10 days with Searchmont and Camp Fortune being the host clubs for our season ending OCUP finals events in both U14 and U16. I will be joining the motley duo tomorrow evening after the Cadillac Fairview, Oxford, Dream FIS OCUP at Osler Bluff Ski Club wraps up!
The folks up at Searchmont have already offered one of their hill side cabins for our steady ship to be anchored during the nights which is fantastic! The weather is looking like it will cooperate nicely with seasonal temperatures returning for the week and I know ROC chair Mike Schikofsky, aka, “Shicker” is keen to get the racing underway with tomorrow’s OCUP Final Super G!
We look forward to bringing you all the action from the bog events including daily video’s, pictures, and stories from our athletes, volunteers and alumni!
Lastly, thank you to our amazing sponsors who are making both this trip possible but also allow AOA to provide all the many services to our membership and funding to our athletes!
Trip Sponsors: PizzaPizza, Summer Water Sports, Rossignol/Dynastar, NZ Foundation, Sporting Life, Aviva Insurance, Hutcheson Caswell Reynolds
AOA Sponsor: Mackenzie Investments, Cadillac Fairview, Oxford, Dream
Alpine Ontario signs on new sponsor Pizza Pizza
Launches ‘Road to the OCUP Finals’ presented by Pizza Pizza
COLLINGWOOD, ON (March 8, 2017) –– Alpine Ontario Alpin (AOA) is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Pizza Pizza and the launch of Road to the OCUP Finals presented by Pizza Pizza, March 10-18. The partnership involves promotion and support for the two season finale events; the AVIVA U16 OCUP Finals at Searchmont Resort in Sault Ste. Marie March 10-14 and at the MACKENZIE INVESTMENTS U14 OCUP Finals at Camp Fortune in Gatineau, Quebec March 15-18. In total more than 500 OCUP level athletes and their respective coaches and families will be participating in these ski races. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this partnership is the actual ‘road trip’ portion of the agreement, with AOA touring a Pizza Pizza branded RV to both OCUP Finals.
AOA Executive Director Scott Barrett explains, “We are excited about this new partnership with Pizza Pizza and their creativity in building a program with us so quickly for the OCUP Finals. We had envisioned an actual road trip to get us around and the idea of an RV came to mind where we can fit all the sponsorship activation gear, allow the staff to work plus provide accommodations. We quite literally will be slope side meeting and greeting the members of this great sport in two of the four AOA divisions.” Barrett continues, “I’m excited about additional projects next season that can further benefit AOA programs and enhance Pizza Pizza’s brand exposure.”
Promotional activities planned for the OCUP events include daily award presentations, presentation of the overall Pizza Pizza Cup trophy (note, this is different from the overall series winner that will be awarded the Mackenzie Investments U14 OCUP Series Trophy and Aviva U16 OCUP Series Trophy); Heritage/Alumni spotlights; daily Pizza Pizza video interviews, Volunteer Appreciation parties, BBQs, parent information meetings and free pizza for a year for the overall series winners and the provincial champion.
“Supporting local sporting events and the communities that we’re in is important to us and a big part of our culture at Pizza Pizza,” said Pat Finelli, Chief Marketing Officer for Pizza Pizza. “We are excited to be partnering with AOA on the OCUP Finals for the first time and look forward to connecting with participants and spectators in a fun and engaging way.”
About Pizza Pizza Limited
For 50 years, Pizza Pizza Limited has been guided by a vision to provide the “best food, made especially for you” with a focus on quality ingredients, customer service, continuous innovation and community involvement. With more than 750 locations across Canada, the company is Canada’s pizza pioneer and a quick-service restaurant leader, operating two banners – Pizza Pizza and Pizza 73 – that deliver quality food choices, diverse menus and exciting promotions for all tastes, lifestyles and budgets. Visit www.pizzapizza.ca and www.pizza73.com for more information.
About Alpine Ontario Alpin (AOA)
Alpine Ontario Alpin is the provincial governing body for the sport of alpine ski racing in Ontario. Alpine Ontario’s newly refined mission is to provide leadership and structure for high quality, sustainable and affordable programming and to communicate the competitive, recreational and lifestyle benefits of ski racing to the community. AOA represents four divisions, 44 member clubs and over 30,000 active athletes, coaches and officials (volunteers). AOA coordinates several successful programs across the province and continues to foster the development of “state of the art” ski-racing programs from the grass roots level to the elite level.
For more information contact:
Pizza Pizza:
Kathleen Stelmach
Torchia Communications
416-341-9929 x227
kathleen@torchiacom.com
Alpine Ontario Alpin (AOA):
Kristin Ellis
Interim Communications Manager
705-444-5111 x132
communications@alpineontario.ca