Full text from the Rocky Mountain Outlook: http://www.albertalocalnews.com/rockymountainoutlook/sports/49657117.html

The Alberta World Cup Academy team - a squad consisting of this country’s top up-and-coming cross-country ski stars - has announced the hiring of coaches Christian Flury and Eric Groeneveld for the upcoming 2009-2010 season.

Flury and Groeneveld will join head coach Mike Cavaliere, who led the academy’s athletes last winter to 22 medals, including three overall national titles at the 2009 Canadian Cross-Country Skiing Championships.

“We are very excited about Eric and Christian because they are passionate about skiing, and that is obvious when they come to work,” said Cavaliere. “They work hard and are not afraid to have a little fun. This combination helps create a positive training environment for the athletes. Being passionate about what you are doing is the foundation for success.”

Canmore’s Groeneveld, 19, who retired from ski racing last season after a successful junior career, has been hired by the academy as an apprentice coach.

“When Mike approached me this year about becoming a coach, I saw it as a great chance to transition away from competition but stay involved in skiing - a sport I love,” said Groeneveld. “Mike has been a fantastic mentor, and the more I’m involved with the team the more I enjoy myself. I’m learning new things every day that I know will help me become a coach that can contribute to Canadian skiing.”

“The academy is not just about athlete development; we also strive to develop more and better prepared coaches,” said Cavaliere. “With Christian and Eric we’re going to accomplish even more this season. We’ve more than doubled our coaching capacity, and in Eric we’re going to contribute to the development of one more very qualified coach in Canada.”

The 34-year-old Flury, a native of Switzerland who has spent the last six years as head coach of the Swiss Sports School Davos, says he’s excited for the opportunity to be a part of the Canadian ski community.

“Along with my experience in Nordic coaching I think I bring a slightly different perspective and some Swiss ingredients,” said Flury, who as an athlete represented Switzerland at the 1996 World Junior Championships. “I look forward to working with Mike to help the athletes reach their goals.”

The 2009-10 Alberta World Cup Academy squad, which was revealed in May, is comprised of Banff’s Heidi Widmer and Canmore’s Jess Cockney, Brooke Gosling, Annika Hicks, Rhonda Jewett, Gord Jewett, Dan Roycroft, Kevin Sandau, Madeleine Williams and Lucas Jungmann, as well as Kate Brennan (Ottawa, Ont.), Joey Burton (Kamloops, B.C.), Chris Butler (Thunder Bay, Ont.), Jordan Cascagnette (Penetanguishene, Ont.), Sara Hewitt (Calgary), Marlis Kromm (Calgary), Alysson Marshall (Salmon Arm, B.C.), Emily Nishikawa (Whitehorse, YK), Terrell Stephen (Calgary) and Bob Thompson (Toronto, Ont.).

The squad, which is preparing for its third season, will travel to the Haig Glacier for an on-snow camp July 13.

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