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SnowsportGB Technical Skills Assessment

Aims & Objectives

  1. The Technical Skills Assessment is to use a variety of skiing conditions and tasks for assessment of the technical skiing basics of athletes, and their ability to adapt to different snow conditions and terrain, through adjustment of position, ski pressure and rhythm.

  2. Through the endeavours of club programmes to develop young athletes in Skiing, they should expose skiers to the conditions, tasks and situations as described in the assessment protocol. This will act as a tool for guidance of club programmes and individuals wishing to progress within the SnowsportGB structure and as a training tool the assessment criteria will assist in developing good technical basics for athletes

  3. The principal objective of the SnowsportGB Technical Skills Assessment is to ensure a full development of athletes. The Technical Skills Assessment is to be used along with physical assessment and competition performance as described in the Alpine Physical Assessment criteria and the Alpine Competition Criteria.

Protocol:

  • Athletes will be nominated and selected to the technical skills assessment as described in the SnowsportGB Selection policy.

  • Athletes nominated and selected will carry out the Technical Skills Assessment at the British Junior & Children’s championships.

  • Athletes will be required to carry out Assessments A,B & C relative to age group

 

Athletes entering Children1 & Children 2 Assessment A, B & C
Athletes entering Junior 1 Assessment A & B
Athletes entering 1st year only Junior 2 Assessment A
Athletes entering 2nd year Junior 2 and older No Technical Skills Assessment

Assessment will be carried out by a minimum of 6 SnowsportGB coaching staff from throughout the SnowsportGB performance structure as follows:

  • Performance Director

  • World Class Performance Coaching Staff

  • World Class Potential Coaching Staff

  • Home Nations Senior Development Coaching Staff

  • SnowsportGB Junior Team Coaching Staff

  • Home Nations Junior Development Coaching Staff

  • SnowsportGB Children’s Team Coaching Staff

 

Format:

The Technical skills Assessment is to be carried out, on snow, through 3 skiing assessments

Assessment A:  Free Skiing: Adaptation to terrain & snow conditions

2 from the following 6 tasks will be assessed

           ·         Control of turn size and shape in varied terrain

Task 1.              Short to long Radius: steep to flat

Task 2.              Long to short radius: steep to flat

Task 3.              Long to short radius: flat to steep

 

·         Control of turn size and shape in unprepared snow

Task 4.              Unprepared snow: constant short radius turns

Task 5.              Unprepared snow: constant long radius turns

Task 6.              Unprepared snow: Long to short radius turns       

  • Short Radius = 6 – 10m

  • Long Radius = 18 – 25m

 

Assessment B:  Technical Drills: Timing & co-ordination

2 from the following 5 drills will be assessed

                                          Drill 1.                  Short turns on one foot

Drill 2.                  Long turns on one foot

Drill 3.                  Turning with 3 steps

Drill 4.                  Turning on the outside ski

Drill 5.                  Short swings

   

Assessment C:  Stubby Corridor: Turn size & rhythm adjustment

2 from the following 5 tasks will be assessed

                                          Task 1.              Rhythm change med / long

Task 2.              Rhythm change short / long

Task 3.              Long radius turns

Task 4.              Medium radius turns

Task 5.              Short radius turns

 


Protocol: Assessment A:

Assessment A:  Free Skiing: Adaptation to terrain & snow conditions

The free skiing element of the assessment will take place in 2 of the following 3 conditions and parameters in Table 1.

Table 1. Free skiing conditions

Condition

Terrain and Snow condition parameters

1.

200 – 300m.  piste with marked terrain change from steep into flat around mid point, marked by a single gate.

2.

200 – 300m. Prepared piste with marked terrain change from flat into steep around mid point, marked by a single gate.

3.

200 – 300m. Unprepared piste of reasonably constant gradient, or off–piste if conditions and staff appropriate. Mid point marked by a single gate.

Assessors will allocate pistes on which to carry out the assessment. Details will be given at the beginning of each assessment.

Pistes may be selected for Children and Juniors separately, with steeper gradients and greater degrees of terrain change for junior assessments.

 

Athletes must perform a variety of short and long radius turns in the terrain and snow conditions as specified in table 2.

·            Short radius turns (6 – 10m radius)

·            Long radius turns (18 – 25m radius)

During each assessment athletes perform, and will be assessed on, 2 from the 6 tasks as specified in table 2.

Athletes will only be told which tasks will be performed at the beginning of the assessment.

Each task will be demonstrated first by a SnowportGB nominated senior team athlete.

This athlete will perform each task as a baseline for assessors to standardise their scoring.

 

Table 2.Free Skiing: Adaptation to terrain and snow conditions

Task

Conditions

Objective

Guidelines

Scoring

1. Short turns to long turns. Changing at mid way marker.

1.

Rhythmical short turns of constant radius, changing to rhythmical long turns of constant radius at the mid way marker.

Change of rhythm must be apparent for both turn radius and speed.

Athletes must maintain technically sound skiing in the basic position;

 

·    Neutral alignment

·    Balanced over the feet

·    Equal flexion of all lower limb joints

·    Angulation as appropriate

 

Athletes should use turn shape and body position to control speed, without skidding the skis.

Athletes will be scored out of 10 for each task.

 

10 will be set as the score performed by a SnowsportGB nominated senior team athlete representative who will perform all assessments.

 

Assessors will consider rhythm, control of speed, ground speed, basic position & adaptation to terrain.

2. From long turns to short turns. Changing at mid way marker.

1.

As above with long turns to short turns

3. From long turns to short turns. Changing at mid way marker.

2.

As above

4. Constant short radius turns

3.

Rhythmical short turns of constant radius

5. Constant long radius turns

3.

Rhythmical long turns of constant radius

6. Long radius turns into short radius turns. Changing at mid way marker.

3.

Rhythmical long turns of constant radius, changing to rhythmical short turns of constant radius at the mid way marker

Protocol: Assessment B:

Assessment B: Technical Drills: Timing & Co-ordination

The Technical drills element of the assessment will take place on prepared pistes nominated by the assessors at the outset of the assessment, within the guidelines specified in table 3.                               

Table 3. Technical drills conditions

Age group

Terrain and Snow condition parameters

Children 1.

Prepared piste of constant low gradient slope

Children 2.

Prepared piste of constant medium gradient slope

Junior 1. (1st yr only)

Unprepared piste with gradient varying between low and medium.

During each assessment athletes perform, and be assessed on, 2 from the 5 drills as specified in table 4.

Athletes will only be told which tasks will be performed at the beginning of the assessment.

Each drill will be demonstrated first by a SnowportGB nominated senior team athlete.

This athlete will perform each drill as a baseline for assessors to standardise their scoring.

Table 4. Technical Drills: Timing and co-ordination

Drill

Technical Specifics

Parameters

Scoring

Drill 1.

Short turns on one foot

·       10 linked short turns on 1 foot, followed by

·       10 linked short turns on the other foot

To change from one ski to the other, one turn will be allowed before scoring starts for the next 10 turns  

Stubbies will be set between 8 & 12 m as a guideline for turn radius.

Successful turns are counted as every carved turn within a radius of 8 – 12m.

Each time the other ski touches the snow or the ski is skidded, the turn will not be counted.

Athletes will start with 10 marks. Each un-successful turn will result in a 1/2 point being deducted.

Drill 2.

Long turns on one foot

·       5 linked long turns on 1 foot, followed by

·       5 linked long turns on the other foot

To change from one ski to the other, one turn will be allowed before scoring starts for the next 5 turns

Turns must be carved, with a radius between 18 – 25m.

The drill should be completed in 180 to 250m

As above

 

 

Athletes will start with 10 points. Each un-successful turn will result in 1 point being deducted.

Drill 3.

Turning with 3 steps

·       5 linked turns within the parameters set by the piste.

·       Turns should be finished completely.

·       Each turn should start from the point of crossing the fall tine.

·       During each turn athletes should so 3 steps from the outside ski to the inside ski.

step 1.      before the fall line

step 2.      in the fall line

step 3.      after the fall line

 

Successful steps are counted as steps where athletes:

·       Clearly and dynamically shift from outside ski to inside ski.

·       Skis stay parallel throughout step.

·       Step onto middle of ski.

·       Step onto inside edge.

·       Turns should be linked  

Athletes will start with 10 points.

 

Each turn before the fall line will count as 1/2 mark. The turn in fall line and turn after fall line will count together as a 1/2 point.Each un-successful step before the fall line will result in a 1/2 point being deducted. Either un-successful turn on or after the fall line will result in a 1/2 turn being deducted.


Protocol: Assessment B (continued):

Assessment B:  Technical Drills: Timing & co-ordination (cont’d)

Table 4. Technical Drills: Timing and Co-ordination  (cont’d)

Drill 4.

Turning on the outside ski

10 linked turns on the outside ski. Changing skis at the point of crossing the fall line.

 

Inside ski should be clearly off the snow throughout the turn. Inside ski tip can cross the outside ski tip slightly.

Successful turns will be counted as turns where:

·       Inside ski stays off the ground throughout the turn.

·       There is no hesitation while changing skis.

·       Inside ski tail should be higher than the ski tip.

Athletes will start with 10 points. Each un-successful turn will result in 1 point being deducted.

Drill 5.

Short swings

10 short swings.

 

Skis should be turned in the air with clear and correct pole plant to manage timing

Successful short swings will be counted when:

·       Skis are clearly turned across the fall line in the air.

·       There is no noticeable pause between turns.

·       Pole plant is in the correct place and at the right time.

Athletes will start with 10 points. Each un-successful turn will result in 1 point being deducted.

 
Protocol: Assessment C:

Assessment C: Stubby Corridor: Turn size & rhythm adjustment 

Stubby corridor will be set on a medium gradient of constant slope.

Gates set with 6 – 8 metre horizontal offset and 8m vertical distance.

During each assessment athletes perform, and be assessed on, 2 from the 5 tasks as specified in table 5.

Athletes will only be told which tasks will be performed at the beginning of the assessment.

Each task will be demonstrated first by a SnowportGB nominated senior team athlete.

This athlete will perform each task as a baseline for assessors to standardise their scoring.

Table 5. Free Skiing: Adaptation to terrain & snow conditions

Task

Objective

Guidelines

Scoring

Task 1.

Rhythm change med / long

4 turns inside the corridor followed by 4 turns crossing to the outside of the corridor.  

Corridor should be used as a set of parallel lines. Not as a course.

Turns inside the corridor should be linked turns of medium radius and rhythm.  

Turns outside the corridor should be linked turns of long radius and rhythm.

Athletes will be scored out of 10 for each task.

 

10 will be set as the score performed by a SnowsportGB nominated senior team athlete representative who will perform all assessments.

 

Assessors will consider rhythm, control of speed, ground speed, basic position & turn radius.

Task 2.

Rhythm change short / long

3 short turns on the right side of the corridor around 3 stubby gates,

followed by one long turn to the left side of the corridor,

3 short turns on the left side of the corridor around 3 stubby gates.

Repeat till end of the corridor  

(first turn must pass to right hand side of right corridor to ensure 3 turns leads you to the other side of the corridor)

3 short rhythmical turns on either side of the corridor should be linked with one long turn to cross the corridor.

Task 3.

Long radius turns

Turns to the outside of the corridor always round 2 stubby gates

Turns should be long and rhythmical with good control of speed.

Task 4.

Medium radius turns

Turns around every second stubby on alternate sides

Turns should be rhythmical and of medium / long radius.

Task 5.

Short radius turns

Turns around every stubby on one side of the corridor

Turns should be of a fast rhythm and high speed