North American Ski Training Center – Tahoe, CA

Author: Ski NASTC

  • New U.S Ski Team Women’s Tech Coach

    New U.S Ski Team Women’s Tech Coach

    New U.S. Women’s Tech Coach Pfeifer Sees Promise

    By Eric Williams
    Published on Ski Racing

    Recently named U.S. Alpine Ski Team women’s tech coach, Roland Pfeifer has his work cut out for him.

    The Austria native is charged with bringing the program “up to speed” after last season saw the team pull in a meager 10 top-10 results and just one podium. Though he hasn’t met most of his new stable of athletes, he’s already formulating plans for the season and anxious to hit the southern hemisphere snow later this summer.

    Pfeifer comes to the U.S. Team with a wealth of experience as both an athlete on the World Cup and U.S. Pro Tour as well as a coach at Ski Austria feeder program, Vorarlberg Ski Team. After his daughter turned 18 in January, he made the decision to hit the road and step up to the sport’s top level.

    Pfeifer will focus most of his efforts on working with gate racers Sarah Schleper, Resi Stiegler, Hailey Duke, Megan McJames and Mikaela Shiffrin, while occasionally providing support to all-around skiers Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso.

    His recipe for success calls for fun, communication and lots of work. “We need to make them ski relaxed. We need to bring some fresh motivation and fun into the team,” said Pfeifer. “We need to convince them of what we are doing and we need to talk a lot, and train a lot.”

    “I haven’t met them yet but I know Schleper and Stiegler are top competitors and can get to the top-10 many times this season and some podiums as well,” continued Pfeifer. “Duke and McJames’ goals will be to consistently make the top 30 and progress up from there.”

    Pfeifer’s first exposure to his new squad came last week at an on-snow camp in Mammoth with reigning slalom national champion, 16-year-old phenom Mikaela Shiffrin.

    “I’ve got this unbelievably talented and gifted Shiffrin. She is skiing like a grownup already,” said Pfeifer after spending several days on snow Shiffrin. “I’m not putting too much pressure on Mikaela because she is 16 years old, I’m not going to set any goals for results, just to qualify top-30.”

    While Pfeifer isn’t setting result expectations for Shiffrin, he is confident she is ready to compete with the world’s best. “She shows really good skiing, I like the way she skis and I like her,” said Pfeifer. “I’ve never met a 16-year-old that knows so much about skiing and she loves it. There is no reason to hold her back, I see her absolutely competing on the World Cup circuit, no doubt about it.”

  • NASTC LAN Inflight Magazine Article

    Nice article on the NASTC Portillo camp in LAN’s inflight magazine!  http://in-lan.com/2011/06/summertime-skiing/?lang=en

  • Climbing Season Has Begun!

    The warm temps have finally arrived.  The climbing season has now officially begun.  The Sierras offer some of the best climbing in the world.  The granite found right here in the Tahoe Basin is some of the best quality granite in the world.  Rockcliming is a great cross-training sport to add to your summer activities.  Rockclimbing is both a physically and mentally challenging sport that offers “in the moment” goals and decision-making, while building strength in your upper and lower body.  Like skiing, climbing is a fun sport to do with the whole family or a group of friends.  Climbing in the Sierras is another way to enjoy spectacular views of the area, an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful outdoors in serenity.  You don’t have to be a ripping climber to make the most out of your time spent on the rocks, there are many easy introductory climbs that offer great feelings of accomplishment as well as amazing views and a fun outdoor experience.  The NASTC KidsClimb! camp is coming up soon, July 6 & 7.  Is your kiddo signed up?  This is a great camp for kids, regardless if they are into climbing or not.  The camp is open to beginner and experienced climbers and offers a fun day at the Ropes Course at Squaw Valley, where they will warm into the techniques and challenges associated with rockclimbing.  The second day offers a real experience, climbing a variety of pitches on Donner Summit.  Safety is our primary concern at these camps, children wear helmets at all times and are outfitted with their own harness.  Climbs are set with top ropes so the risk is kept minimal. 
    Our AMGA certified guides are fun and personable and know the local area well’ they can lead you to just the perfect spot for your climbing adventure. 

  • Portillo Baby

    It’s hard to think about summer or skiing in the summer when spring has barely made an appearance, but going to Portillo is different.  It is an experience that can change you, it offers you an escape into a world that is so different.  Here the sky is a brilliant blue hue, the sun shimmers powerfully down on you as condors glide gracefully through the sky.  The lake and it’s surrounding peaks are hypnotic and lure you into a state of transcendence.  Your spirit soars to new heights when in Portillo, you can’t help it.  You experience new things in a very safe and controlled environment.  Your skiing improves dramatically, not just from the coaching and the mileage but from the combination of those things and the freedom you allow yourself to try new things, and the willingness to allow yourself to be pushed.  Portillo breaks down all barriers.  You come away from there with at least half a dozen more friends that you arrived with.  You never even miss summer while you are there, as the sun always shines (unless it snowing, but that it a magnificent sight too), there is a heated swimming pool and hot tub if you are missing water and a ton of activities to do that makes the week fly by.  You will come away with memories and stories that will hold a dinner table captivated for hours.  Many people return from Portillo with a sense of inner joy and a sense of accomplishment.

  • New 2011-2012 Dates and Prices coming soon…

    We think you guys are gonna like what you see for the 2011-2012 line-up of courses/destinations.  Our new pricing structure reflects our conscious effort to give skiers the coaching they need to keep progressing their skiing forward and to attain maximum enjoyment from their time out on the slopes – which we hope will be with us.  We want to give you the best value for your time spent with us.  We appreciate that you have chosen NASTC to be part of your ski improvement program.  If you need help planning out your training or putting together a ski improvement plan just for you, please do not hesitate to call or email us.  We are happy to help.

  • Ski Tip: Pole Usage

    The function and correct use of our poles can seem as ambiguous as a politician’s speech.  Good pole usage complements and aids upper body movements in dynamic skiing.  Missing pole plants, poorly timed pole plants or directionally inappropriate pole swings can create dysfunctional elements in your skill set.  Diverse terrain requires attention to rhythm and strong core movements that are directed down the fall line.  The pole swing is timed with an extension move at the start of th turn, this aids in directing your momentum toward the apex of the turn.  As the pole is planted it helps stabilize your body as you change from the uphill set of edges to the downhill set of edges.  The pole swing should originate from the wrist and not the elbow.  As your turn shape changes, the direction and timing of your pole swing adjusts accordingly.  When skiing steep terrain and bumps your pole swing will directed more towards the fall line rather than the apex of your turn, your pole plant will happen as you pull away from the fall line and the skis turn across the hill.  Next time you are out on the hill think about the timing and directionality of your pole swing and plant and what it does to your rhythm and stabilization of the upper body.

  • Michael Rogan & U.S Ski Team

    Looks like the U.S Women’s Ski Team has garnered a little help from PSIA.  While at their annual “Back to Basics” camp at Mammoth, U.S women’s speed Head Coach, Chip White enlisted help from PSIA National Alpine Team Captain, Michael Rogan.  Michael helped design a number of drills for the athletes to help the athletes better deal with terrain changes.  US Ski Team members, Stacey Cook, Leanne Smith, and Laurenne Ross were some of the few athletes that participated in the camp  “It’s really important to have his perspective,” added White. “He’s been with PSIA for over 15 years and captain of the Demo Team for eight of those years. The drills he created are incredible and we’ve already seen progress. Leanne Smith for example was making awesome position changes over terrain later in the camp.”
     Another outcome of the camps was a number of new warm-up routines were developed for athletes to use prior to training and races.

    The U.S Men’s Team is now at Mammoth at their own spring training camp.

  • Men’s US Ski Team Hosting Tryouts

    http://www.usskiteam.com/alpine/news?storyId=3754

    Now this is pretty cool.  The US Mens Alpine Team are holding tryouts at Mammoth Mountain.  The top peformers of the camp will be named to the C team and will be included in the Europa Cup training group.  Head coach Sasha Rearick realizes that a talent pool exists beyond world rankings and FIS pts.  The women’s team also held tryouts for their Development Team at Mammoth a few weeks ago.  The tryouts involve a two part process – an on-hill segment where skiers fundamentals and coachability are evaluated, those that make the on-hill cut move onto a physical assessment at the Center for Excellence in Utah.  If you are in Mammoth, make sure you stop and check out the action, these guys will be laying it all out on the line for a spot on the US Ski Team.

  • Lance Armstrong accused of doping

    http://outside-blog.away.com/blog/2011/05/tyler-hamilton-accues-lance-armstrong-of-doping.html

    If Lance Armstrong is one of your heroes, this article and soon to follow discussion and investigation might make you think twice about this mighty cyclist.  Lance is often held as a fitness and athletic role model for sports enthusiasts and athletes all over the world.  If this news is actually proven true, it would be devastating to many people across the globe.  We just have to hope that these accusations are false and Lance remains one of the best athletes of all time.

  • Skiing Mt. Everest

    Check out this article about Chris Davenport’s descent of the Lhotse face on Mt. Everest.

    http://espn.go.com/action/freeskiing/news/story?id=6534652