XC DEVELOPMENT COACH / D-TEAM COACH

Attributes:

This position requires extensive travel, domestically and internationally. It requires excellent leadership, coaching, training and technical skills, with 4-6 years of professional coaching preferred. It requires communication skills, both individually and in groups of individuals under the age of eighteen as well as adult.  Foreign language skills are a plus. The Cross Country Development Coach must be detail and task oriented, goal driven, and always positive and professional.

Position Summary:

The Development Coach will perform ongoing core duties, as well as certain key actions, which are developed annually and relate to the accomplishment of the objectives identified in U.S Ski & Snowboard’s high performance plan. Core Duties (in order of importance): The Cross Country Development Coach will work in all aspects of development competition skiing, including Continental Cup, U23/Junior World Ski Championship and some World Cup competitions and preparation for those events.

The Development Coach is expected to be proficient in all coaching methods as used by the team of U.S. Ski Team (USST) coaches, and to be directly involved with team training sessions.

Roles and Responsibilities Include:

• Oversee and provide leadership to the U.S. Ski Team D Team.  The Cross Country Development Coach will direct and frequent correspondence with the D Team athletes as well as direct and frequent correspondence and collaboration with D Team club coaches and parents. 
• Develop and carry out the National Training System. The Development Coach will coordinate and work with regional and local coaches to develop best practices and elevate each and every region along with national development pipeline. The Development Coach will work closely with the Cross Country Sport Development Manager coordinate with all regions to schedule and staff Regional Elite Group (REG) camps, National Elite Group (NEG) camps, National Training Group (NTG) camps, and participate in the Under-16 National camp.
• Oversight and execution of the day-to-day operational details of the U23/Junior World Ski Championship trips and select COC trips. This includes the planning and coordination of travel, flights, vehicles, cash advances, lodging, entries, meals, equipment needs, and anything necessary to properly accommodate and prepare the team.  Manage the team’s equipment/wax supplies and radio inventory by recording, registering and modifying frequencies as necessary.
• Develop and carry out the National Coaches’ Education Curriculum. The Development Coach will work in collaboration with the Cross Country Sport Development Manager in the creation of a coaches' education system and in the development of coaches' education materials. The Development Coach will work in collaboration with the Cross Country Sport Development Manager to develop new educational materials including the new Level 200 manual, XC SkillsQuest materials, and XC Club Development materials.
• Fulfill Development Partnerships.  The Development Coach will be responsible for writing and taking photos to posting event report to the NNF for projects that they support financially.
• Take part and support U.S. Ski & Snowboard SuperTour, US Championships, U.S. Ski & Snowboard SuperTour Finals, and Junior Nationals.  The Development Coach may be expected to be present at U.S. Ski & Snowboard SuperTour, US Championships, U.S. Ski & Snowboard SuperTour Finals, and Junior Nationals in a scouting, recruiting and networking/communication role as a representative of the U.S. Ski Team with the goal of establishing strong relationships with coaches and athletes from around the nation. As a result of these trips, the Development Coach should be able to create scouting reports for many of the top prospects in our sport from U16 through U23 age.
• Lead talent identification. Tracking these prospects, maintaining communication with them and their coaches and communicating information to the rest of the USST coaching staff on a regular basis is going to be the key to this strategy evolving into future performances. In addition, the Development Coach will be responsible for Team Naming of Under-18 Nordic Nation's Competition Trip (U18 Scando), and JWSC/U23 Teams at U.S. Championships when present at the event
• The Cross Country Development Coach will communicate directly and continuously with the Cross Country Sport Development Manager and the Head Coach to learn of and be appraised of plans.

The Development Coach will adhere to essential business directives as set forth by the Chief Financial Officer. This includes timely, accurate and ethical expense reporting, staying within the budget allocated for specific projects, and exercising foresight regarding changes of plans, contingencies, etc. The Development Coach will lead all financial matters while on the road, ensuring all coaches under his or her direction to submit detailed expense reports in a timely manner after each project.

The Development Coach must continue his or her sport education at a high level by studying team training plans, systems of monitoring and peaking, staff management at camps and competitions, and attending seminars and planning meetings when available.  He or she should seek to establish a professional relationship with coaches from foreign national teams, and learn from those programs.  Observation of the U.S. Ski Team coaching staff and sports science staff, and studying videos and literature is critical. The Development Coach should prepare to move into another role within the Team. The Development Coach will take the lead role on projects involving regions running REG & National Training Group (NTG) programs including but not limited to approving coaching staff, athlete selection, training plans, and training camp plans. He or she will take the lead on naming, organizing and running the NEG camp.

Responsible To:

Cross Country Head Coach and Cross Country Sport Development Manager