BIATHLON CANADA COMBINING CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING AND RIFLE MARKSMANSHIP ALLIE LE SKI DE FOND ET L’ADRESSE AU TIR Biathlon Canada Board Meeting 6-7 June,

Biathlon Canada Board Meeting6-7 June, 2008

BIATHLON CANADACOMBINING CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING AND RIFLE MARKSMANSHIP

ALLIE LE SKI DE FOND ET L’ADRESSE AU TIR

HIGH PERFORMANCE PLAN FOR 2008/2009

Stephen Hale

VP High Performance




Outline

• Athlete Assistance Program– Carding Nominations to Sport Canada for 2008/2009– Proposed Criteria changes for 2009/2010

• Training Squads Nominations• Coaching Structure for 2008/2009• Outline National Team Program

– Senior Team– Junior Team– Youth Team

• Selection Events• Junior and Youth Development Program• Athlete Team Fee and Sanction Costs• HP Budget 2008/2009




Carding Nominations• Sport Canada was presented the following nominations based on accepted

performance criteria– Senior Card (International)

• Sandra Keith• Robin Clegg *• Jean-Philippe LeGuellec• Marc-André Bédard• Jaime Robb• Megan Tandy

– Senior Card (Athlete – Injury/Illness Provision)• Zina Kocher

– Development Card (International Junior Criteria)• Maxime Leboeuf• Rosanna Crawford

– Development Card (Junior Extension)• Megan Imrie

– Development Card (Training Centre Criteria)• Scott Perras • Claude Godbout – 1st Alternate• Tyson Smith – 2nd Alternate




2009-2010 AAPProposed Criteria Changes

• No major changes will be suggested to the AAP criteria format of this year as Sport Canada is largely satisfied with our approach

• Percentage calculations will be adjusted based on current years result trends

• All percentages to be based on an average of the top three finishers for Canadian and international rankings to ensure consistency




Training Squads Nominations

• Senior National Training Squad– Zina Kocher– Megan Tandy– Sandra Keith– Robin Clegg (declined offer to Squad no financial

support)– Jean-Philippe LeGuellec *(Valcartier)– Marc-André Bédard * (Valcartier)– Jaime Robb

• Head Coach: Geret Coyne• Valcartier Coach: Jean Paquet





• Senior Development Training Squad– Nathan Smith (C)– Yannick Letailleur (C)– Patrick Cote (C)– Scott Perras (C)– Francois Leboeuf (C)– Claude Godbout (V)– Megan Imrie (C)– Maxime Lebeouf (V)– Tyson Smith (C) * HPWG nomination– Brendan Green (C) * HPWG nomination

• Coaches – Mathias Ahrens - Canmore– Jean Paquet - Valcartier





• Junior Development Training Squad– Scott Gow (C)– Kurtis Wentzel (C) * Still Youth– Yolaine Oddou (V) * Still Youth– Audrey Vaillencourt (V) * Still Youth– Tana Cheshem (C)

• Coaches– Mathias Ahrens - Canmore– Jean Paquet - Valcartier





• Biathlon Canada Development Program– Sarah Murphy (C)

• Biathlon Canada Training Centre Extension Program (Eligibility)– Stuart Lodge (C)

• Coaches– Mathias Ahrens - Canmore– Jean Paquet - Valcartier




Coaching Structure Changes

• In April Roger announced his decision to leave the association• Initial options were discussed amongst the HPWG• President and Executive Director met with OTP at the Canadian

Olympic Committee meetings• Way ahead for planning confirmed at the May Executive meeting

(3-4 May 08)• HPWG meeting held in Calgary (7-8 May 08) with OTP and IST

support• Option recommendation presented to the President and ED on 9

May• Contract discussions completed 23 May 08• Announcement to team on 27 May 08




Coaching Structures Considered

• Option 1 – Replace Head Coach “New Grande Fromage”• Option 2 – No change to existing Staff structure (re-align duties)

“Internal Action”• Option 3 – Re-align Staff and augment to meet critical gaps

(additional contracts or part-time staff) “Need a Little Help”– Several side options also discussed within this option

• Option 4 – Re-align Staff (no head coach designated) and hire additional full-time coach/support person “Lead and Follow”

• Option 5 – Decentralized (no Training Centres and provide tour support only)

• Option 6 – Decentralized (Training Centres function to provide camp based programming only)




Coaching Structure 2008/2009

• National Team Head Coach – Geret Coyne• Canmore Training Center Coach – Mathias Ahrens• Valcartier Training Center Coach – Jean Paquet• Research and Development Oversight – Geret Coyne• Wax Technician – Tom Zidek• Research and Development Staff – To be contracted• Assistant Wax Technician – To be contracted• Tour assistant coaches and support staff – To be

contracted




Coach to Athlete Structure 2008/2009

• Balanced based on coach / athlete ratio and athlete training capacity

• Squads to conduct training centre training in groups based on ability and training needs

• Camp based activities for youth aged athletes and development program athletes while retaining club coach structure




Tentative National Team Program 2008-2009




Senior Team Program 2008-2009 (1)• Senior Tour 1/WC Tour 1 (Nov – Dec 08)

– Preselected Athletes plus athletes from Sep trials will attend WC 1-3 (3 per gender)

– IBU Cup 2 and 3 up to a maximum of 7 and 7 from Sep trials

– Movement between WC’s and IBU Cups based on performance

• WC Tour 2 and WCH (Jan/Feb 09)– Selected athletes max 3 and 3 will attend WC 5 and 6 in

preparation for the WCH.– Athletes to complete the WCH team (1 per gender) will

join the rest of the team in Europe before travel to Korea




Senior Team Program 2008-2009 (2)

• Senior Tour 2 (Feb – Mar 09)– Up to 4 men and 4 women will attend European

Championships followed by one IBU cup event

• WC Tour 3– Selected athletes (4 per gender) will attend WC 7 in North

America based on ranking of Olympic qualification criteria.

• WC Tour 4– A full team of 3 and 3 will be selected for WC 8 and for

WC 9 up to 2 men and 2 women will be selected to attend if ranked in the top 50 or demonstrated potential to reach top 50.




Junior Team Program 2008-2009

• Biathlon Canada will fully support the top junior man from the selection process to attend the WJCH and Megan Tandy as a pre-selected athlete

• Biathlon Canada will sanction three additional junior men and women to complete a team of 4 junior men and 4 junior women

• Sanctioned athletes meeting individual performance standards will receive a performance bonus as follows (max one award per athlete)– Any individual medal winner – half reimbursement– Any top 4-8th place finish – quarter reimbursement




Youth Team Program 2008-2009

• Biathlon Canada will fully support the top youth man and woman from the selection process to attend the WYCH

• Biathlon Canada will sanction three additional youth men and women to complete a team of 4 youth men and 4 youth women

• Sanctioned athletes meeting individual performance standards will receive reimbursment as follows (once per athlete)– Any individual medal winner – half reimbursement– Any top 4-8th place finish – quarter reimbursement




Selection Events for 2008-2009 (1)• Pre-Selected Athletes

– Jean-Philippe LeGeullec, Sandra Keith and Zina Kocher are pre-selected (until WCH) to senior WC tour events for 2008/2009

• Senior Tour 1 Selections (2-8 Sep 08)– A ranking list will be established to select senior athletes to attend

the tour. 2 of 3 competitions will be counted with the average of the top three Canadians being the benchmark

– Top ranked athletes will be selected to fill remaining quota positions at WC1, 2 and 3

– Selection of up to 7 and 7 from these selections to attend IBU Cups 2 and 3 using the principle of natural gaps




Selection Events for 2008-2009 (2)• World Cup Tour 2 and WCH

– Following Tour 1 the top 2 ranked males and 1 female based on cumulative IBU points (four competitions to count) will be added to World Cup Tour 2 with the pre-selected Athletes. Subject to approval at the IBU congress (if not the January Trials process will be used)

• WCH and Senior Tour 2 selections (17, 18 and 20 Jan 09)– A ranking list will be established to select athletes to attend these

tours. 2 of 3 competitions will be counted with the average of the top three Canadians being the benchmark

– The top ranked athletes will be selected for remaining WCH team positions to a maximum of 4 and 4.

– Up to 4 men and 4 women will be sanctioned to attend the ECH and one IBU Cup. Juniors can be ranked if they complete the selection process.




Selection Events for 2008-2009 (3)

• Junior and Youth Championship selection (17, 18 and 20 Jan 09)– A ranking list will be established to select junior and

youth athletes as well as to establish the sanction list for this event. 2 of 3 competitions will be counted with the average of the top three Canadians being the benchmark

– The top ranked athletes (Junior Woman is pre-selected) will be selected to join in each category with remaining team positions to a maximum of 4 per category being sanction positions.




Selection Events for 2008-2009 (4)

• World Cup Tour 3 (WC 7)– Athletes who have partially met the Olympic criteria benchmarks

will be selected to a maximum of 4 and 4. Additional athletes to the above maximum may be considered from the WCH team if insufficient athletes have met the Olympic criteria

• World Cup Tour 4 (WC 8 and 9)– The top ranked male and female athletes who have partial or full

Olympic criteria will be selected for WC 8 to a maximum of 3 and 3. For WC 9 up to 2 athletes per gender who are ranked or is capable or making an overall IBU top 50 ranking will be selected. No sanctioning will occur as this WC is concurrent with the Canadian Nationals and the North American Championships.




TEAM FLOW MODEL 2008-2009(SELECTION AND COMPETITION)

Senior roller ski Trials

(September 2008)

WC 5, 6(Jan 2009)

Preselected Athletes and

Top athletes from the

IBU Points list to make a team of 3 and 3

World Cup Tour #1 (Nov/ Dec 2008)

Pre-selected athletes and athletes selected at September trials for a total of 3 and 3

World Cup Tour #3(March 2009)

Top 4/4 athletes meeting full or partial Olympic

Criteria

YJWCH(21 Jan –03 Feb.

2009)

Junior Team TrialsCanmore Jan 17-20

Youth Team TrialsCanmore Jan 17-20

WCH Senior Team trials

(17-20 Jan, 2008)

Sanction Tour IBU Cups 2-3 (Dec 2008)Up to 7 and 7

IBU Tour 2 European ChampionshipsIBU Cup 8 (February-March

2009)Up to next 4/4 from trials

WCH Camp and WCH(Feb 2009)

Athletes from WC 5 / 6 and

Top Male and Top Female from Jan Trials

World Cup Tour #4(March 2009)

Top olympic eligible athletes for WC 8 and

max 2 male and female athletes who are in (or

who could be in) the top 50 IBU Ranking for WC 9




Junior and Youth Development Program

• Two Camps (one East and one West) will be facilitated by National team staff in July and August/September

• Youth aged training centre eligible and Development program eligible athletes will have partial reimbursement to each camp

• Camps will foster interaction amongst athletes in a regimented training environment

• Based on planning considerations these camps may offer additional spaces to foster regional development on a user pay basis.




IBU Quota and Qualification Update

• Last season the WC was divided into trimesters and based on performance start quota allocations shifted throughout the season

• Recommendations to the Congress from the technical committee is to return to starts based on Nations cup ranking of the year previous (3 and 3 for Canada) and introduce an athlete relegation system.




Athlete Team Fee and Sanction Costs

• Proposed Team Training Centre Fees– $1500.00 per athlete selected to training squads (full-time program)

• In addition to the above fees for training support, Tour fees as follows will be used to defray some program costs– World Cup Tours $1000.00 per pre-selected athletes and $1500.00 for

selected athletes

• IBU Cup Tour Costs– These tours will be 100% user pay

• Tour 1 $3400.00 per athlete• Tour 2 $3300.00 per athlete

• Sanction fees for Junior/Youth World Championships– $1360.00 per athlete




HP Budget Request for 2008-2009

• The overall training and competition budget submission for 2008-2009 is requested as $541,350.00.

• Additional support to high performance in terms of staffing and administrative costs within the association budget is approximately $240,000.00.

• This represents a Biathlon Canada support to high performance programs of approximately $37,500.00 per senior athlete accessing programs.

• Of the overall submission the direct athlete contribution to their programs would be approximately 140,000 if all tour and sanctioned positions were filled. For WC touring athletes this an individual expenditure of $6000.00 per athlete. For an IBU Cup tour athletes this could be an individual expenditure of $8200.00.




Proposed Motion

• To approve the High Performance Program and the associated budget in principle pending confirmation of the consolidated association budget




Proposed Motion• To provide equivalent to carding support to our top

senior male athlete (Robin Clegg) for the 2008/2009 season so as to increase our chances for a full male team at the 2010 Olympics. In the event that this athlete achieves success in qualifying a full team for the 2010 Olympics, to further authorize the executive to extend such support for the 2009/2010 season should he not regain carding status. This motion is contingent on the member returning to full-time status with the National Team and all obligations it entails. The amount of this support will be negotiated but will not exceed 25K per year.

Documents

BIATHLON CANADA COMBINING CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING AND RIFLE MARKSMANSHIP ALLIE LE SKI DE FOND ET L’ADRESSE AU TIR Biathlon Canada Board Meeting 6-7 June,