1. What is SAFSC?
Southern Alberta Freestyle Ski Club ("Southern”) is a not-for-profit organization established in 1985 to improve skiing ability through the teaching of Freestyle Skiing, and to help our athletes develop life skills through sport discipline, interaction, personal goal setting and achievement through a structured training program. We are Calgary based and a member of CFSA (Canadian Freestyle Ski Association) within the AFSA (Alberta Freestyle Ski Association) division. Our membership averages around 90 athletes each season.
2. What is Freestyle Skiing?
Freestyle Skiing includes the following events: Moguls, Aerials, Half pipe, Free ride and Skier Cross. Moguls (an Olympic event since 1992) is where skiers race individually or head-to-head (dual moguls) down a steep run, covered with large bumps called moguls, and perform jumps off two larger bumps. Aerials (also an Olympic event) are where the skier performs two jumps on a specially prepared jump site. Free Ride (not yet an Olympic event) is the newest discipline consisting of tricks done on table tops, half-pipes, and rails where the skier performs spins, twists, and grabs.
3. Sounds good, but who can join?
Membership is open to any skier with good basic skills wishing to develop his or her skiing in a challenging, fun-filled, and safe environment. Typically our members range from 6 to 18 years of age. Each level has minimum entrance requirements. Please refer to program descriptions for these details.
4. Where do you train?
Our weekend home base is Sunshine Village Ski Resort, near Banff. SAFSC also offers half-pipe, table top aerials, and mogul training at COP (Canada Olympic Park) on select weeknight evenings. Additional dryland training, fitness testing, trampoline classes, and water ramp training are also offered.
5. How do I join?
Registration for each season opens June 1. Visit our on-line registration site to complete your registration, but first seek advice from our Program Director (Scott McKnight) or our registrar (Vicki Whyte) for appropriate program selection.
6. Are there any volunteer commitments?
Yes, like most not-for-profit organizations, the strength of the club comes from the efforts of its members. Volunteer commitments include both fundraising (including casino) and participation. This could range from working on the hill during a competition to organization of our year-end party. Volunteering is the best way to meet the other families in Southern and is a condition of registration.
7. Over the year, what other expenses might come up?
You will need high-quality ski equipment which we will help you select during special Equipment Nights arranged at Calgary ski shops. If you enter freestyle ski competitions, there will be travel costs and competition fees.
8. Are Ski Passes included in Fees?
No, ski passes are in addition to club fees and are the responsibility of the family to purchase.
9. Is there car-pooling available?
Car pooling is encouraged. At Registration, you give us permission to distribute contact information to club members only. As the season progresses, members begin to call each other and coordinate rides. Southern has a team van that is used to transport our coaches to the hill on weekends. There is generally additional room for a limited number of athletes to ride in the team van. The cost for the team van is $30 daily.
10. Who coaches the kids?
All our coaches are certified by NCCP (National Coaching Certification Program) with Freestyle Certified Levels I, II, III and IV. Many are former National and International competitors and current Pro-Riders. We also have coaches with Alpine backgrounds.
11. What is your safety policy?
SAFSC views safety as a top priority and has a strict policy on zero tolerance for illegal substances and improper behaviour. All athletes must sign a Code of Conduct form with their parents. A Ski Safety handout deals with equipment (mandatory helmet, goggles, mouth guard, poles, boots & bindings, skis, water bottle, and sun protection), clothing, procedures, emergencies, terrain parks, and water ramping.
12. How do skiers learn to do inversions (flip) safely?
Before any athlete is allowed to flip (do inverted manoeuvres or go upside down) on snow, they must first learn how to safely flip on a trampoline, as well as train and qualify those manoevres at the water ramp during the summer. Following qualification on water, athletes must then qualify on snow before being permitted to use that trick in competition. The qualification process is carried out by certified coaches.
13. What is a Water Ramp?
These facilities allow an athlete to learn safely how to flip into a special pool of water. They wear kayaking style helmets, wet suit, lifejacket, and full down-hill ski equipment to ski down a plastic ramp and land in the water. Typically, athletes take 10-15 days of water ramp training to qualify their jumps. From there, they must qualify jumps on snow under controlled environments with certified coaches. Typically, athletes take 10-15 days of water ramp training to qualify their jumps. From there, they must qualify jumps on snow under controlled environments with certified coaches. All jumps must be re-qualified each year. Southern owns and operates a beginner water ramp at COP. Other water ramp facilities are available in Red Deer, Grand Prairie, Whistler, and Quebec.
14. Do Southern athletes compete?
Absolutely - if they want to! They start with fun events within the club that allow them to show what they have learned. Next, they move up to club competitions with other clubs from around Alberta (Pincher Creek, Red Deer, Jasper, Edmonton, and Grande Prairie). These are fun events. with others within their same age group. Once athletes develop more skills and achieve qualifying results, they move on to Provincial competitions, Western competitions with B.C. and Sask athletes, and Junior Nationals with young athletes from across Canada. Not all athletes choose to compete, and it is a decision made between athlete and coach.
15. How are athletes judged?
Mogul athletes are judged on the quality of their turns, the difficulty and execution of their two aerial manoeuvres, and their speed. Aerial and Big Air (Table Top) athletes are judged on the difficulty of trick, execution (innovation, height, form, overall effect), and landing.
16. Where can I get more information?
Contact our Program Director:
Scott McKnight
email: info@southernalbertafreestyle.com
phone: (403) 612-9074