Fairbanks XC Junior Racing Program Seeks Assistant Coach

(Press release)

Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks’ Fairbanks Cross Country (NSCF-FXC) junior racing program is searching for an assistant coach to work as part of a team of professional and volunteer coaches in helping guide its junior and masters athletes as they pursue their goals and dreams in Cross Country skiing.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a program that has been steadily growing and improving since its inception in 2006; the program currently engages more than 120 athletes on an annual basis.

The NSCF-FXC program is part of an integrated development path that begins with the club’s highly successful Junior Nordics program, which instructs over 200 young skiers ages 5-13 each winter. Athletes in the FXC junior program are split among three tiers: the Jr. Devo Team for late elementary skiers, the Prep Team for middleschoolers and the Comp Team for high school and post-graduate athletes. There is also a growing Masters program that was begun in 2013.

We are fortunate to have great opportunities as ski racers in Interior Alaska, due in large part to a strong and exceptionally supportive local ski community. Our home trail system at Birch Hill Recreation Area – one of two primary groomed ski trail networks in Fairbanks (and one of several in the Fairbanks area) – includes over 40 km of trails, 11 km of lighted trails, a full array of FIS homologated race loops, a terrain garden for ski play, and a 10,000-square-foot ski center with various outbuildings. The club provides grooming throughout the 6- to 7-month ski season, and our nationally recognized competition crew organizes a full slate of races ranging from youth events, to marathons, JN qualifiers, National Championships and FIS races. The long days of summer offer great dryland training opportunities particularly for activities on trails, and ready access to some of the most expansive wilderness in North America.

This position would start as a summer position with the potential to expand to year-round (our preferred scenario). Summer would include coaching with all levels of our junior program, while winter would involve both the juniors and work with our Masters program as part of an expansion of our programming at the masters level. Summer training would involve morning and afternoon and/or evening workouts 5-6 days per week with middays free; winter would be primarily afternoons and evenings with some weekend duties.

The ideal candidate would have raced at the collegiate level or higher, be enthusiastic about and have experience working with or coaching youth, possess excellent communication and organization skills, and be able to complete miscellaneous projects in a timely manner with minimal oversight. The assistant coach must be able to pass a background check and possess a valid driver’s license. If not already certified, it would be expected that the candidate completes the USSA Level 100 certification within 90 days of hire (with educational costs covered by the club).

The typical hourly commitment during the busy summer and winter seasons would be 15-25 hours of coaching per week plus 5-10 hours of organization and miscellaneous tasks. Weeks involving training camps, trips or important races would likely exceed 40 hours. The schedule allows for potential additional employment within the local ski community (coaching, lessons, grooming, etc.) and the Fairbanks community at large. The University of Alaska offers a wide variety of college and graduate level courses at its Fairbanks campus for those wishing to further their education.

For a broader sense of the NSCF as a whole, please consult our website: www.nscfairbanks.org, or the NSCF-FXC Facebook page for a better picture of our program. For questions or to submit an application, contact NSCF-FXC Head Coach and Director of Skier Development Pete Leonard at pete@peterleonard.net or (907) 978-6325. Applications should be submitted to the aforementioned email address and should include a cover letter, resume and three references. Initial review of applications will begin April 27, and the position will remain open until filled. Applicants should expect to be on the ground in Fairbanks by early June.