Dear Division Chairs and Executive Directors,

I hope this finds you all well and that you’ve had a great summer.

I have had the privilege of leading Nordiq Canada as CEO for the last 16 months and I’m writing to share some of the changes that have been made to the High-Performance program, our plans for the program’s future - and what this all means for you.

FUNDING

The nations dominating cross-country skiing on the world’s stage right now are operating at a scale Canada has not been able to keep pace with. At the same time, our funding partners, Own the Podium and Sport Canada have been clear that their investment model is evolving. They need to see Nordiq Canada demonstrate the ability to convert talented junior and U23 athletes into consistent World Cup and World Championship podium performers, to keep investing in our sport.

Canada’s last World Cup podium was in 2019, which means that for the past 6 years, we have not been doing that. As you know well, Nordiq Canada has been in flux for years with constricted funding, frequent staffing changes, and an underserved athlete cohort shouldering a disproportionate amount of the organization’s financial burden.

As a former athlete who relied on a stable and supportive NSO to be competitive with the best in the world, I feel very strongly about the important role an NSO plays in an athlete’s career – and that we can, and must - do better. With two Olympic cycles ahead of us, including one in our backyard (Utah), the window to make a meaningful difference in Canada’s competitiveness is now.

TRAINING CENTRES

One of the most difficult decisions made this year was to discontinue direct funding for the National Training Centres. I know this decision came as a surprise and was for many in the community, deeply disappointing. I also recognize that the Training Centres have played an enormously important role in Canadian cross-country skiing for decades. They built excellent programs, developed world-class athletes, and, on many occasions, stepped in to fill gaps left by the NSO.

The decision to redirect resources was not a judgment on the value of the National Training Centres or quality of the coaches leading them. It was, instead, a strategic decision about where Nordiq Canada believes it must invest if we want to be competitive with the best in the world, and, meet the expectations of our funding partners.

OUR DIRECTION

Developing the sport and helping athletes reach the podium is Nordiq Canada’s purpose. It is also our mandate.

On analysis of the National High-Performance Program (NHHP) over the course of this last year, it was determined that one of our first priorities needed to be the establishment of a dedicated National Ski Team coaching staff that included a Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Development Coach, and Sport Science lead. Together, this team will lead National Ski Team training camps, oversee international competition trips, and provide athletes with the integrated coaching and performance support essential to be competitive as a nation. The hiring process has been comprehensive and lengthy, and as we’ve built out this new team, it’s been exciting to see the quality of candidates interested in the positions.

The HP program will also be supported by a Senior Advisor, High Performance; responsible for HP coach development, strengthening the development pathway to move athletes successfully from junior and U23 levels to World Cup and Olympic performers, and supporting logistics for the National Ski Team. As the program evolves, there will be opportunities for DTE coaches to contribute through a dedicated process, and we welcome interest when those opportunities arise.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR NST ATHLETES

An NST camp-based model, long in practise by the world’s best teams, will give our Senior NST athletes access to a fulsome high-performance program with critically important opportunities such as;

• peer-to-peer benchmarking;
• improved integrated sport science support;
• team-building opportunities; and
• additional expert coaching perspective on training, technique, and performance.

THE ROLE OF DTE COACHES

The role of DTE coaches developing athletes every day remains fundamental to Canada's success. Athletes will continue training and working in the DTE’s. Our intention is not to replace or compete with the excellent work happening there - but to complement it. Our objective is to build a strong partnership and connection between DTE coaches and the National Ski Team coaches, so that athletes can benefit from a variety of expert perspectives, and a strong, supported pathway throughout their development.

COACH DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYS

As I shared with you earlier this summer, HP coach development has been identified as a significant gap in our system. As such, we plan to address this gap over the next four to eight years through the development and implementation of a strategy – a pathway - for Canadian coaches, from the club and development levels through to the National Ski Team. We have begun the process of reaching out to interview a cross-section of stakeholders across the system, and in October will bring together a small group of experts to review and collate the information gathered to develop and refine the strategy. This will be shared with you in full once it is complete.

In addition, we have hired Anders Bystrom to help develop and lead the implementation of this strategy. Anders comes to us following a prestigious career leading the Swedish High-Performance program and brings a wealth of expertise and experience to this role. The plan is for Anders to activate this strategy through mentorship, workshops, on-snow support and the sharing of international best practices, to help build the skills, confidence and capabilities of our current and next generation of Canadian high-performance coaches.

DEVELOPMENT TEAM

One of the most exciting opportunities in front of us is the re-establishment of a Development Team, led by a dedicated Development Coach and supported by the Senior Advisor, High Performance. Canada’s clubs and provincial programs are doing outstanding work identifying, developing, and supporting talented young athletes. That strength is something we should be proud of - and something we now need to connect more deliberately to a national pathway.

The Development Team is intended to provide promising young athletes access to targeted training camps, appropriate domestic and international racing opportunities, integrated sport science support, education, and exposure to the culture and expectations of high-performance sport before they reach the senior level. The goal is not to pull athletes away from the environments where they are thriving. The goal is to surround them with an additional layer of support, while maintaining the critical role of their home and DTE coaches.

Ultimately, we want athletes to experience one connected system - not separate programs vying for their attention, but partners working together toward the same outcome.

MOVING FORWARD

I recognize that these changes represent a significant shift, and I also know that change can sometimes be hard. At the same time, I believe we all share the same objective: growing our sport and creating the best possible environment for Canada’s athletes to reach their potential. In the coming months, we will share updates as the National Ski Team structure is finalized, the Development Team is established, and coach engagement opportunities take shape. And, as we build this next chapter of Canada’s high-performance system, I will invite your ideas, questions, and suggestions where there is intersection with the PTSO’s.

Strengthening our partnership with you is important, and it will remain a priority for me and the organization.

Thank you for everything you have done – and continue to do - for Canada’s athletes and our sport.

With kind regards,

Beckie

Beckie Scott, O.C, M.S.M, OLY
she/her
Chief Executive Officer | Chef de la direction
T: (403) 707-8412
E: bscott@nordiqcanada.ca
100-1995 Olympic Way | Canmore, Alberta | Canada | T1W 2T6

Our sport is connected to the land. In the spirit of reconciliation, we respectfully acknowledge Nordiq Canada’s head office is located in Treaty 7; the traditional territories of the Îethka -Nakoda nations of Chiniki, Bearspaw and Goodstoney; the Blackfoot Nations of Siksika, Kainai, Piikani;  the Tsuut’ina Nation; and Rocky View Metis District 4. We are grateful for our relationship with these, and all other First Nation, Inuit and Metis lands.

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