For WINTER 2023-2024

It is the time of year to start thinking again about winter.

Registration for our rec program is open – and registrations are rolling in.

Bring on the snow!  

Below are some updates for you to note as we prepare for the coming season.

 

Expressions of Interest

If you are interested in coaching with Fortune Freestyle in the 2023-2024 season, you must complete and return the attached Expression of Interest to me at colin.ingram@rogers.com by no later than 6:00 PM (EDT) on October 20, 2023.

Please complete an expression of interest even if you may only coach occasionally during the winter season. Completing the expression of interest will ensure that we get the necessary paperwork completed, and you are on our roster in the event that we need you!

We hope to have a more athletes this season (which the current pace of registrations supports), and therefore expect to require more regular and occasional coaches for the season. Please forward this e-mail to anyone who I may have missed.

 

Coaches’ Meeting – Save the Date

We have scheduled our coach kick-off meeting for the evening of Thursday,November 16.  Please save the date as this will be mandatory for coaches planning to coach with us on a regular basis (i.e. full camps and programs) during the 2023-2024 winter season, and strongly encouraged for all occasional coaches. In any event, it is always great to get everyone together before the season starts.

 

Coach Licence Renewal Requirements

By way of reminder, the licence renewal process is more stringent now. To renew your coaching licence, you must have completed the Making Ethical Decisions (MED) online evaluation, Safesport Training, and Making Headway in Freestyle Skiing. The Safesport Training must be completed every two years. Please don’t wait to complete these requirements to ensure that you are eligible to coach with us this year!

Additionally, Freestyle Ontario requires all coaches to have a valid Criminal Records Check (“CRC”) on file.  You will be prompted to consent to do the CRC when renewing your coach license on Snow Reg.  Fortune Freestyle will reimburse the cost.  The CRC must be repeated every two years.  If you had a CRC completed last year, when you renew your licence, there is a box to “check” during registration so that you don’t have to get new CRC this year.

Finally, as a club that has taken the Safe Sport Pledge, Fortune Freestyle requires all of its coaches over the age of 18 to obtain a vulnerable sector check (VSC) once every five years.  The VSC goes further than a Criminal Records Check (CRC) and is the recommended standard for adults working directly with children and youth.  Each year after your initial VSC you must also sign a declaration indicating that you have not committed any offenses since the VSC was completed.  After the 5 years since your initial VSC, Fortune Freestyle will ask that you re-do the VSC. A VSC can be obtained from the Ottawa police (see Level 3 - Vulnerable Sector Check) at a cost of $69 which will be reimbursed by the club.

 

Coaching Courses

As you know – Fortune Freestyle strongly encourage our coaches to become better trained to better serve our athletes. We cover the cost of coach training for all regular coaches (after reimbursement from other sources –such as the CAO funding for coaches - https://www.coachesontario.ca/programs-resources/funding-for-coaches/). The completion of more courses also increases your daily coach pay rate.

As always, we will be working with Freestyle Ontario to schedule a number of coaching courses in the region before Christmas and early in January, including Skiing Skills, Fundamentalz, Air 4 and Park & Pipe. Check out the Freestyle Ontario Coaches page for information on upcoming courses: https://freestyleontario.ski/upcoming-coaching-courses. You should also ensure that you are on the Freestyle Ontario mailing list for coaches to get up to date information on upcoming courses. Finally, if you need a specific course, e-mail Heather at Freestyle Ontario (heather@freestyleontario.ski) so that she can put you on her wait list.