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Shelburne Free Press https://shelburnefreepress.ca/?p=6531 Export date: Tue Jul 23 7:26:29 2024 / +0000 GMT |
Freestyle Skiing Ontario stops by Mansfield to showcase a sport on the rise Buoyed by Canada's recent success on the international stage, the sport of freestyle skiing is undoubtedly growing in popularity among youth in Canada. Freestyle Skiing Ontario is hoping to usher that excitement ahead and build a strong program at the grassroots level by running a series of events for all ages and skill levels throughout Ontario. The tour stopped at the Mansfield Ski Club last weekend for some sapling sessions that introduce young skiers to freestyle. “Right now our overall objective is to break down the barriers for kids that would be scared of the train park,” said Roxanne van Gemert, club development manager for Freestyle Skiing Ontario. “Freestyle Ontario is going into these clubs and trying to show them that progression in small parks and features to show them the way to go.” The hope with the sapling sessions is to put the kids in a safe situation with trained staff to allow them to try things out. The sessions are two days long, usually on weekends, with the first day clinic based with an instructor and then the second day that is explored further and ends with a showcase at the end where the kids can show off their skills. “Younger kids are intimidated of train parks, so if the smaller stuff isn't there then they're never going to go on, so with camps like this the kids sort of get to learn new tricks in a fun, controlled safe environment and the parents can see that and appreciate that and then our hope is the next year they come and enroll in the freestyle program that is eight weeks long and then this club sort of starts to develop at a grassroots level with these kids.” There were 10 sessions this winter, with the goal of expanding for next winter. Van Gemert said that it's also important to show youth that they can do these things locally and just have to travel to the bigger clubs. T.J. Biedenhofen, 9, was one of the young skiers participating in the sapling session at Mansfield Ski Club and wants to keep taking it further. “Yeah, I have gone in the progression park before, but nothing like this,” he said. “My favourite part was probably going on the rails, because I just learned them today.” Biedenhofen said he saw some of Canada's athletes dominate the slopes at the Olympics in Sochi and sees it as inspiration. “I want to just try and keep getting better at the rails and get better at doing 180's,” he said before taking off down the hill. In addition to their sapling sessions Freestyle Skiing Ontario is running their Timber Tour, which is a provincial competition circuit for all three disciplines: moguls, slopestyle and halfpipe. The Timber Tour allows athletes to travel across Ontario to compete in safe and fun competitions while collecting points towards their provincial rankings and is targeted towards athletes in competitive freestyle programs offered at Ontario ski resorts. The Timber Tour didn't stop at Mansfield Ski Club this winter, but there are still some events to come and the goal is to have more events like this locally at the club. “Interest has definitely been increasing since the Olympics,” van Gemert said. “I think people are starting to see it at the same level as racing now and that is an option. There is a safe, controlled way to do things and places like Mansfield have amazing programs here that are all built around long-term athlete development plans and safe progression.” For more information, visit www.ontariofreestyle.com By Jeff Doner        
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Post date: 2014-03-12 15:38:27 Post date GMT: 2014-03-12 19:38:27 Post modified date: 2014-03-19 14:07:52 Post modified date GMT: 2014-03-19 18:07:52 |
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