The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club Development Program assists member clubs striving to improve the athletic experience for all constituents. Well organized and managed clubs are key to a successful experience for athletes and their families, coaches and other stakeholders. The Club Development Program supports clubs in their increasingly complex environments through education, certification, recognition, and resources.

The cornerstone of the Club Development Program is the Podium Certification Program. This certification process is mission-driven and self-reflective and allows a club to benchmark their performance against established standards; creating a platform for setting goals and measuring success. It provides a club with a roadmap for ongoing evaluation and continuous improvement.

Clubs that are not yet ready to engage in the certification application process, or are not sure if they have the capacity to start, can still benefit greatly from reviewing and discussing the materials and exercises related to the process. It will give them tools to understand best principles and practices and how they can improve as a club, as well as give them a realistic idea if they have the structure and resources in place to initiate the certification process. 

Podium Level Club Certification is designed for clubs that want to perform a comprehensive organizational assessment in order to verify and demonstrate their understanding of the best principles and implementation of best practices. The process is a partnership between U.S. Ski & Snowboard and the individual club, supported by education and resources, and culminates with a club interview (bronze level candidates) or club visit (silver/gold level candidates).

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Podium Certified Clubs are expected to engage in a continuous process of self-assessment, reflection and on-going improvement that enables them to stay relevant to their missions and to the athletes and families they serve. Clubs demonstrate this commitment by working continuously to improve their programs, actively participating in professional development opportunities and pursuing and maintaining certification.

Bronze-certified club: Podium level of certification for established or new clubs that have all the required elements in place for organizational and athletic success. The certification process involves a comprehensive organizational assessment putting the club on the path to continual improvement. The Bronze certification process is open to all clubs.

Silver-certified club: Podium level of certification for well-established and highly functioning clubs both organizationally and athletically. These clubs serve as a model in these areas, have consistent and long-standing track records of organizational and/or athletic success. Silver-level certification requires the approval of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club Development Manager before starting the process.

We hope you are planning to join us for our second Club Excellence Fall Summit! Reminder: if you are not able to join live, you may still register and watch the recordings. These sessions are relevant for our entire ecosystem, including administrators, coaches, parents, and volunteers. So, please SPREAD THE WORD.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATION CLICK HERE

Please join us for our four-part Club Excellence Fall Summit Webinar Series - Every Wednesday in October 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM MDT

 Each of these four sessions will provide content for coaches, administrators, parents, and volunteers to further their understanding of best principles and practices that are the foundation of a culture of continued improvement. Prior to each session, there will be an opportunity to consider your current level of knowledge; following each session you will ask and discuss questions, and reflect on what you have learned. We look forward to your engagement!

Session 1 - October 6th - Travis Dorsch, PhD, Associate Professor and Founding Director of the Families in Sport Lab in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Utah State University

"Parents, Can’t Live With ‘Em, Can’t Pay the Bills Without ‘Em: Implementing the Cornerstones of Quality Parenting in the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Ecosystem”

Session 2 -  October 13th - Emilie Lazenby, USOPC Contractor, Winter Sport Performance & Nadine Dubina, Character Coach Developer, USMA – West Point

“Building Strong Relationships"

Session 3 - October 20th - Annie Kao, Founder Ascent Inclusion Consulting

“Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Foundations for Snowsports”

Session 4 - October 27th - Mark Williams, PhD, Chair, Healthy, Kinesiology, and Recreation; Professor, Kinesiology

“The Best: How Elite Athletes are Made”

*Each session will include Pre-Work, 60 Minute Presentation, Q&A Discussion, Post-Work, and Survey. 

• Attend all four sessions and complete the survey for each to receive 4 continuing education credits

Please note all four sessions will be recorded so if you are interested in registering for the sessions but cannot make the live date we can provide you the webinar recordings and pre/post work and all communication for continuing education credits. You will still need to register and pay using the link above by October 4th. 

Please reach out with any additional questions and we hope you will join us in October!