Year of Birth: 1976
Hometown: Ottawa, ON
Years coaching the Academy: 8

Career Highlights: 

• 2006 Olympian

Favorite Place to Ski: Gatineau, QC
Favorite Recovery Meal: Pasties!
Interesting Fact about Chris: He has two children!

Year of Birth: 1980
Hometown: Mount Beauty, Vic, Australia
Years coaching: 16 some part-time and some full-time

Career Highlights: 

• winning the Blåbär Loppet at the Vasaloppet in 2002

Coaching Highlights:

• Coach Australian team World Junior/U23 Championships in Liberec, Czech (2013) where Australia fielded its first ever woment’s relay team at a World Championships.
• Team Manager Australian team World Championships Val di Fiemme (2013) where Australia lead the first lap of the men’s ream sprint in Semi Final A!
• Being part of the Ski Tour Canada!  What a great experience to be working with the Australian team but watching Canadian athletes I had worked with represent their country and, finish all 8 stages.  Amazing!
• Many more moments not on as grand a scale including the “great toque catch with Sam Hendry”, special handshakes with the twins and watching younger (12-14 y.o) push themselves to new limits!  Coaching is really the best job!

Favorite Place to Ski: Falls Creek, Australia!! Ramsau, Austria
Favorite Recovery Meal: Home made energy balls and anything with Vegemite
Interesting Fact about Allison: Contrary to the stereotype of Aussies living in the Bow Valley, I grew up skiing (at Falls Creek), I have never worked as a “lifty” or worked in a bar (my mum still think I’m a ski bum though 🙂
Coaching Philosophy: I love helping athletes put the pieces of the puzzle together to become the best person they can be.  Being a successful athlete is more than being physically fit and strong.  You need to be mentally tough, be injury free and most of all, having fun!  I have a nerdy love for functional movement and physical literacy, so I enjoy making athletes move in many different ways and doing weird stuff that takes them out of their comfort zone!