USST Coach Matt Whitcomb Talks About Training, Coaching, And His Cabin In Vermont

What do you take with you on the road? What’s indispensable?

A sharp blade, and a journal.

You grew up in Vermont. You own property near Burke. Does this help with the endless travel of a ski coaches life?

I actually grew up in Massachusetts, but I now own a swamp in Burke—which is maybe why you called it “property” and not “land”. It is a nice swamp though, and it’s the bulls-eye of the Nordic trail system in town. In May I began building a one-room cabin with a loft there with my dad and a bunch of kids from school, so that has been a fun project towards which my mind can drift while on the road. It is grounding.

As Development Coach, what are your projects at the moment?

I’m trying to figure out how to go fishing before our next camps starts. Also, and I suppose more importantly they tell me, Pete, Pat, and I are working on a technique CD that I mentioned above. We are WAY into it. The CD will be filled with a mess of drills and information that will help communicate what we are working on in the arena of technique on the ski team. The idea is to disseminate a level of consistent coaches ed. throughout the country. Our way of teaching technique is not the only way to do it, but it is a great way and we’re excited to share this video. With the exception of some World Cup and Olympic footage, the rest of the video was shot this August in New Zealand. The CD has turned into a very large project and has been a great process for us to experience. Look for it. That’s my plug.

What changes would you like to see from Eastern Collegiate skiing?

Eastern collegiate skiing is a tightly knit circuit that has many incredible coaches within its ranks. The colleges sit smack dab in the center of where many of the best junior skiers in the country are developing. It is a honey pot, nothing less. I absolutely loved it. The atmosphere at the races is fun and competitive, and I feel plenty of racers are able to develop within the 4-year system. I do think, however, that if collegiate skiing in the East could better integrate its racing calendar to accommodate developing juniors, the symbiotic relationship would help develop the region’s skier. I don’t know much about the restrictions and regulations, other than that they are many, but as a recently departed Eastern coach, I can’t speak highly enough about the Eastern Cup races that occur generally at Stowe or Bolton before Christmas. The competition is high with the large infusion of pre-season college skiers and all of the region’s juniors gunning for points, and trying to impress the college coaches. It is a weekend that develops racers. With the exception of nationals, these juniors do not see most of the college racers again until NCAAs are complete and the winter is in its wane. In my position of development, I would like to see entities such as public high school and collegiate skiing in the east to practice a philosophy that looks well beyond their own doors. Some of these programs do this already and they do it very well, but it is not a majority. State Championships and NCAA’s are often an overwhelming focus that are not as much about the process as they are about the goal. That can impede a skier’s long-term development. Having said this, I’ve had a number of college coaches contact me already this year to chat about training and development. UVM and Middlebury athletes showed up for our rainy time trial in Lake Placid. That’s initiative. Seize it. I’m into it.

Oh yeah. Train more, too. In general, train much more. 450 hours may win a carnival, but it won’t earn a spot at World Championships in Sapporo. 500, 550, 600+ can all be accomplished during the college years with a strategic training plan. Load up the summer and the lighter academic weeks or months. I know college is hard. If you don’t believe me I’ll send you my transcript from Middlebury. With a strategic annual volume plan, the weekly volume breakdown does not have to be overwhelming. It will be, however, if the skier doesn’t take advantage of the summer months. If a skier can graduate from college having just trained 600 hours instead of 479, their transition to CXC, Sun Valley, MWSC, USST, etc will be possible.

Having now experienced the US Ski Team crash course, what are your feelings about Park City?

Anyone who knows me well might think this is an absurd place for me to live. I tend to thrive on the woods and on living in rural places. But Pat Casey and I have a great setup in Pete’s condo. The price is right and the location is amazing. There are so many possibilities within a twenty minute or less drive. I’m talking about great fishing, hiking, hunting, plenty of roller-ski opportunities, biking, and running. The trails are endless and the training is really high-quality. To add to that the close proximity of the training, the incredible sports science department and strength center, and the ski team offices is very convenient. I think anyone who spends time living and training in PC will agree. All in all, it is great and I’m loving every minute of my time here. I may not be quite as ritzy as some of the locals, but I’m adapting.

More interview questions with Matt at www.middleburyskiing.org

Andrew Gardner is Head Coach of the Middlebury Nordic Ski Team.