Athletes Learning From Each Other

At the LLSCs we have athletes ranging in the age from U6 to U21, and a couple weeks ago we had two amazing opportunities for our older athletes to work with our younger athletes. 

G12 Athletes Get Mentorship Ahead of First IFSA Competition

Athletes in the new G12 program are gearing up for their first taste of IFSA competition later this season, and on January 17th & 18th they received an invaluable boost: a mentorship session with some of the club’s veteran Freeride athletes.
The initiative—developed by coaches Sydney and Hanna—paired younger athletes with experienced freeriders to learn how to choose a competition line and execute it with confidence. The session delivered benefits on both sides: older athletes strengthened their understanding by talking through strategy and demonstrating techniques, while the younger skiers absorbed insights “like sponges,” watching high‑quality examples right in front of them.
The coaches say the exercise not only prepares G12 athletes for competition but also deepens community, leadership, and shared learning across the program. After the formal mentorship portion of the afternoon was done, the older athletes even asked to continue skiing with new ski buddies. We love to see this!

Bring your FIS Friend to Work Day

On January 17th we mixed things up with a special on-snow crossover we’re calling Bring Your FIS Friend to Work Day — where our current FIS athletes had the chance to ski alongside former teammates who are now part of our coaching team.
These athletes spent an afternoon freeskiing with our Grizzlies athletes, creating a fun and meaningful opportunity for athletes at different stages of the pathway to share runs, energy, and experience. For FIS athletes, it was a chance to reconnect with where their journey began, and for Grizzlies, it was an exciting glimpse into what’s possible as they continue to grow.  Here are some short reflections for our FIS team about this experience. 
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Emma Peterson:
“I had the incredible opportunity to ski with Abby and Kyleigh’s G12 group. It was so cool joining them and seeing the younger racers ski and push themselves. I really enjoyed the chance to connect with the racers and hope to do it again.”
Parker Howard:
“When I was skiing with Callum and Todd’s group we focused on skiing as much as we could. We explored the mountain and hit almost every jump in sight. It was a really fun afternoon and I enjoyed every second of skiing with the younger kids.”
Bertie Booker:
“When I was skiing with Ben and Maggie's group I had a great time and I tried to help by demonstrating good pole plants while skiing bumps. I really enjoyed how much energy the kids have and how much they seem to love skiing.”

Moments like these highlight what makes our club special: strong relationships, learning from one another, and a community that stays connected across every stage of the athlete journey, from Grizzlies to Freeride to FIS and beyond. 

Jennifer Clarridge

Athletic Director, Lake Louise Ski Clubs