This week’s guest has a history that is tough to fit into a nutshell introduction. Larisa Yurkiw has had a whirlwind ski racing career that launched her from Owen Sound, Ontario to the top of the World Cup circuit and the Olympic Games. Just under a year ago, after her best season yet, Larisa made the decision to pivot from professional ski racing for the sake of preserving a healthy body long-term. I say pivot, not retire, because since then she has actively sought out new challenges for herself including completing an MBA, expanding her public speaking business, and being a host on S-Media’s Ski TV. Larisa shares how she has coped with this transition, how her identity has been shaped, and where her entrepreneurial spirit came from.

Listen to the full episode here or on iTunes.

Congratulations to the SX Provincial winners from the races held at Beaver Valley Ski Club, Feb 28-29th weekend.

PROVINCIAL RESULTS 

Open Male:           

1st          Cameron Gray   Elite

2nd        Reece Ralph       Fenninger Racing

3rd         Trevor Smith      Elite

Open Female:        

1st          Lexi Ransom       Elite

U16 Male:   

1st          Andrew Hevey  Horseshoe

2nd        Colton Eggert     Elite

3rd         Alexander Wray               North Bay

U16 Female:     

1st          Taissa Martschenko        Horseshoe

2nd        Jennah Jones     Horseshoe

3rd         Elizabeth Andersons       Horseshoe

U14 Male:    

1st          Logan Baird         Fenninger Racing

2nd        Max Hong           North Bay

3rd         Andy Bulloch      Independent

U14 Female:     

1st          Abbygail Byer    Devil’s Glen

2nd        Mikayla Cornthwaite      Independent

3rd         Sarah Andersons              Horseshoe

Here are the Season Overall Winners:

Open Male:

1st          Cameron Gray   Elite

2nd        Reece Ralph       Fenninger Racing

3rd         Trevor Smith      Elite

Open Female:

1st          Lexi Ransom       Elite

2nd        Jessie Armstrong             Fenninger Racing

U16 Male:

1st          Andrew Hevey  Horseshoe

2nd        Colton Eggert     Elite

3rd         Andrew Ouellet                Horseshoe

U16 Female:

1st          Taissa Martschenko        Horseshoe

2nd        Emma Margie    Horseshoe

3rd         Elizabeth Andersons       Horseshoe

U14 Male:

1st          Andy Bulloch      Independant

2nd        Logan Baird         Fenninger Racing

3rd         Ezra Hill Fenninger Racing

U14 Female:

1st          Leah Dufresne  Elite

2nd        Chyenne Boissonneault                Elite

3rd         Abbygil Byer       Elite

Honoured Lifelong Official, Dick Beare passed away last night at the age of 74.

Dick had served as Chief of Timing for every level of our sport, from Nancy Greene Ski League to Nor-Ams to the Canada Winter Games and the Lake Louise Winterstart World Cups. His volunteer contribution to alpine ski racing went well beyond the Timing Building. Dick worked tirelessly for decades training new officials and race administrators. Dick was inducted into the Canadian Rockies Ski Racing Hall of Fame last November in Calgary. He will be deeply missed and always fondly remembered by all who knew him. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with Dick’s wife Myrna, daughter Marina and his entire extended family.

As posted by Alberta Alpine earlier today on Facebook

National Ski Academy
The home of ski racing and academic excellence

Job Title: Head of School
Job Type: Full Time
Location: 200 Oak Street Collingwood, Ontario L9Y 2Y1

About NSA
The National Ski Academy (NSA) is a non-profit registered charity that was established in 1986 to provide an environment for student athletes to maximize individual potential through the pursuit of alpine ski racing excellence, academic achievement and personal growth.

The NSA prides itself on its comprehensive academic programs and “education that travels”. NSA graduating students have achieved a combined average of 84% over the past five years and gained acceptance and scholarships into some of the top Canadian and US universities.

The NSA offers integrated Academic/Fitness/Ski Racing programs with boarding as an option. These programs have helped to develop exceptional student athletes, including Ontario and National Team ski members and many of the top coaches in the country.

The Opportunity
With a 30 year history of success, we face the dawn of a new era and the next generation of high performance student athletes. This creates a very special opportunity within the NSA for a “renaissance” woman or man to lead our education programs and shape our academic environment going forward

The new Head of School will form part of the leadership team alongside the Executive Director, Head of Athletics and Director of Operations. The Head of School will support a small, but dynamic group of teachers, create strategy and fulfill the administrative duties of an independent school principal. Your zeal and experience at work and play will help to create outcomes that make the National Ski Academy the leading ski academy in North America. Your ability to work at a high level with a multi-disciplinary team will result in excellence across the broad spectrum of school, sports, citizenship and wellness.

Built in 1893, “Tornaveen” is one of the town of Collingwood’s heritage mansions and is home to the NSA. Collingwood is adjacent to the Blue Mountains and is on the southern shore of Georgian Bay. We are approximately 90 minutes from Toronto International Airport. The history and prosperity of the town was built with a creative and entrepreneurial spirit similar to that of the founders of the NSA.

The National Ski Academy is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from any qualified applicants.

Qualifications
This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual with extensive program and or academic management experience to grow and further develop the NSA. The successful candidate will partner with the Executive Director and work collaboratively with a high-performance Leadership Team and Board of Directors.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience and acumen in the five core educational leadership capacities:

1. Setting Goals
2. Aligning Resources with Priorities
3. Promoting Collaborative Learning
4. Using Data
5. Engaging in Courageous Conversations

Specific requirements will include, but are not limited to:
• Minimum B. Education degree with at least 5 years of experience in a senior program and or academic management position
• Principal’s Qualification Program – minimum Part 1, Part 2 preferred
• Qualifications in Guidance and Career Education would be an asset
• Previous experience managing human resources function including personnel, compensation and recruiting
• Effective implementation of strategic planning initiatives
• Demonstrated knowledge of experiential learning initiatives
• Knowledgeable and experience in the use of technology, digital platforms, mobile apps etc. for learning
• Analytic and decisive decision making with the ability to prioritize to staff key objectives and tactics necessary to achieve organizational goals
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a collaborative management style
• Budget development and oversight experience
• A demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards in a diverse workplace
• Use of analytical thinking to make critical decisions and solve business problems
• Capacity to build consensus among conflicting points of view through active discussion
• Ability to look at situations from several points of view
• Effective delegation of responsibility

• An approach to operational management that is action-oriented, entrepreneurial, flexible and innovative
• Knowledge of ski racing and/or high performance athletics

Our growing organization offers exceptional potential for a long-term career opportunity. If you are a qualified principal and educator looking for a challenge, a change and being part of an exciting organization, please begin the journey by submitting your curriculum vitae along with a cover letter and at least two appropriate references that we may contact to careers@nsa.on.ca before March 24th,
2017.

To learn more about the NSA, please visit our website at www.nsa.on.ca.

We thank all applicants for their interest. We will confirm receipt of your application in a timely manner.

This week I sit down with Georgia Simmerling a few days out from the Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup, returning to Blue Mountain this weekend. Georgia’s passion for elite level competition has driven her to three different Olympic Games (Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, and Rio 2016) in three different sports (Alpine Skiing, Ski Cross, and Track Cycling). Georgia also finds time in her hectic schedule to be an athlete ambassador for Fast and Female, as well as the RBC Training Ground program. She shares her unique perspective on the importance of not specializing early (or at all), what life is really like on a World Cup Circuit, and how she physically and mentally has been able to perform at a high level in multiple sports without burning out.

Be sure to come out to Blue Mountain on March 5^th to cheer Georgia on at the Ski Cross World Cup Finals!!

Listen to the full episode here or on iTunes.