Editors note: This is a weekly column highlighting our ski coaches from around the country… including elite coaches, college coaches, high school coaches, volunteer coaches, and learn-to-ski coaches. This is an effort to sample a diverse group of coaches and recognize the people who are the backbone of today’s skiers. If you would like to nominate a coach for an interview, please email robertwhitney99@hotmail.com . Please give coach’s name, email, phone, and a small paragraph describing the nominee. The more diverse, the better.
Bryan Fish, 32, is Head Nordic Ski Coach for the recently-formed Team CXC, based out of the Midwest.
 at an early age. I’d travel with my parents to the citizen and USSA races, so it was only natural to jump into ski racing. I started racing in grade school. I liked winter sports and started league hockey at a young age as well, but that didn’t last long, for the hockey games conflicted with nordic races. </p><p>I raced through junior high and high school and had the opportunity to compete at Junior Nationals a few times. I then went to the University of Wisconsin — Green Bay and competed through my collegiate years.</p><p><b>When did you start coaching?</b><br />
My entry into coaching was unconventional. The UW-Green Bay coach retired the same year I graduated. I still lived in Green Bay with some of my former teammates. I took a position in research and development at an engineering equipment manufacturer (ENCAP) in Green Bay. UW — Green Bay was looking for additional coaching support and they approached me in the midst of my decision to accept a lead position with ENCAP.</p><p>It was a difficult decision. I had a new job and I still wanted to compete. I saw that the team could use some support, so I lent a hand. What I thought would be a one-season stint progressed into six more years as a part time head coach for UW-Green Bay while simultaneously maintaining my full time responsibilities at ENCAP. </p><p><b>How do you do it all?</b><br />
Yes, we have one coach for the CXC team and there is a lot that needs addressing. Race situations can be challenging. I try not to sweat the small stuff. There are numerous issues that arise that can distract, but likely won’t affect the end result. I do my best to put those on the backburner and focus on the major issues. We have not compromised our training plans. We have 7 athletes and 5 training plans. The athletes rest and recover well and we eat well. I’d like to think I am methodical about the issues that we feel are the major issues. There are still times I wish I were in two places at once and I hope to provide more support in the short and long-term future. Focus and staying positive are crucial.</p><p>I really like to coach. I think if you really like your job then you don’t worry about working more than 40 hours per week. I truly believe in finding a career you have a passion for and you’ll want to work hard through the ups and downs.</p></div><div class=)
Describe a typical day.
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturdays are our hard days. Get up, eat something light, then we go for an easy 15-20 min jog at 7 & then do 30 minutes of body resistance strength (isometric strength). We have breakfast and then leave at 9 for intensity training. We do a lot of lactate testing and I video when I’m not testing. The athletes stagger themselves, so I can test each athlete. Lunch. I do paperwork between 1-3PM. At 4 we hit the weight room or do a specific strength effort. My days are about 50% with the athletes and 50% paperwork.
Monday is off for the athletes, so Yuriy and I have an 8:00AM conference call. Monday is also a travel day. We try to minimize any sort of stress on Monday to allow for recovery. That includes limiting travel stress. Fortunately Tiny (our van) has a lot of room to spread out in, so the athletes chill out or sleep while I drive.
Wednesday, Friday and Sunday are distance days. The athletes often have two distance work outs on Wednesday and Friday. The AM distance work out includes technique drills &/or speeds. The afternoon effort is general endurance, so the athletes do their own thing.
Any certain/ specific philosophies that you coach by?
1. Learn from others. You can always get better.
2. You can start to fall behind when you think you know enough and have done enough.
3. Do it because you love it.
4. Use others to display good examples, but always coach as if every person is unique and therefore has unique needs (physiological and psychological)
5. Full scale coaching is working with athletes face-to-face and day-to-day — all year!
What is CXC and what has CXC done – in one year – to go from nothing to having a full-on team?
CXC stands for Central Cross Country Skiing. The USSA (United States Ski Association) recognizes CXC as the sole governing body representing a 10 state region in the Midwest. A majority of our members reside in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. CXC has ski programs for youth, high school, collegiate, seniors, masters/ citizen, coaches & officials. Bottom line — CXC’s goal is to promote skiing at every level. The misconception is that we only have an Olympic Development program, which is not the case. Our Olympic Development program is only one specific program we just created.
There is a great need in the country for development programs. There are high school teams, college teams and then there are only a handful of development teams. The other option for post-collegiate athletes trying to continue in the sport is ski company teams. CXC saw a great need to try to fill this gap in the Central region. Our concept is similar to Europe’s in which we have ski camps for two weeks and then the athletes go home and train on their own. I think this is a good blend, so the athletes stay fresh both physically and mentally.
Frankly, I think full-on and year round training is the only option to support the development of athletes that have elite national and international aspirations. Our goal is also to develop athletes that are role models and ambassadors of the sport. We want our athletes and programs to support one another and help raise the bar for all levels of skiing.
Thanks to our sponsors (Lake Express, American Birkebeiner Foundation, Salomon, Toko, Exel, Rudy Project & Tidd Tech) that also see the benefits of our program and have supported us. Yuriy Gusev has to be commended for his tireless involvement with our sponsors. Scott Wilson and Cresthill Resort have played a major role in supporting our athletes and our program. We also have additional support from the Hayward community. Individuals like Dennis Kruse, Greg Grossi (Frontier Reality), Diane Tremblay and Gordy Penman have been generous in allowing us to utilize their facilities to minimize expenses and to support our goals.
Why CXC?
Yeah, a lot of people have asked me that question. A new program generates questions and concerns. I had been through a start up with ENCAP and had witnessed and lived through the challenges. I had a fair number of questions, but I thought this to be an attainable challenge. CXC had made some significant strides over the past few years to promote skiing in the Central region. I looked at the CXC position as a positive challenge and opportunity to work with dedicated athletes on a year round basis.
Who are the CXC Athletes?
WOMEN:
Caitlin Compton — Minneapolis, MN (hometown — Warren, Vt, school — NMU)
Laura Valaas — Hayward, WI (hometown – Wenatchee, WA, school — Whitman College)
Men:
Bryan Cook — Rhinelander, WI (hometown — Rhinelander, WI, school — NMU)
Matt Liebsch — St Paul, MN (hometown — Osseo, MN, school — U of MN)
Brian Gregg — Hayward, WI (hometown — Methow Valley, WA, school — Western State & UAA)
Andre Watt — Duluth, MN (hometown — Duluth, MN, school — UMD)
Garrott Kuzzy — Hayward, WI (hometown — Minneapolis, MN, school — Middlebury College)
Do you miss racing?
Heck Yeah! I jumped into a couple events last year while I was coaching collegiate and had a blast. I hadn’t ski raced in over a year and a half, so I didn’t know what to expect. I jumped into a low-key early season race in Ironwood, MI. There was some trash talking steered in my direction from the GB skiers. The first day was a classic and the second was a pursuit skate. I did pretty well in the classic and then the taunts were strengthened as to my inevitable demise in the skate pursuit. Fortunately I tend to be a better skater. The taunts were all for fun and it really emphasized how much I like to compete, but coaching certainly has a competitive component to it. I jumped into a couple races at the end of last season without any intensity training and they were a bit harsh.
Anything else? Last notes?
There are a number of sports that do a great job promoting and supporting at all levels. I’m optimistic that the ski community can continue in a direction to support one another.
Thanks to my parents/ family, CXC, USST, coaches, teammates, peers, athletes, FEECO & ENCAP co-workers, UWGB. Bottom line — thanks to those who have given me opportunities and have supported and influenced me throughout the years!
Check out our website at www.cxcskiing.org to check out what we are up to and how to get involved.
