Bow Valley Q18 Coaching Staff:
Q18 Coach - John Ford
John Ford
Aka: Johnny
Hometown: West Vancouver, B.C.
Hobbies: Resort Skiing, Back-Country Skiing, Rock Climbing
Home Hill: Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver
Favorite Hill: Blackcomb
Best Crash: Going for a 300 metre ACL-popping tumble underneath the Angel Chair at Sunshine 5 years ago. Crashed through 2 fences, snapped a pole, lost both skis, googles, mitts, and toque and it looked so serious that I didn't even get heckled from the chair. Was out for two months. Luckily it was in May, at the end of the season, so I didn't miss too much skiing.
Favorite Event: Downhill
Pet Peeve on the Hill: Lifts that close when there's still daylight left!
Best Coaching Memory: When I see the kids are getting the same joy out of skiing that I do.
Q18 Coach - Shaun Arntsen
Shaun Arntsen
Hometown: Morinville, Alberta
Hobbies: Climbing, Electronics, History
Home Hill: Rabbit Hill, Marmot Basin
Favorite Hill: Sunshine Village, Kicking Horse
Best Crash: I dropped off a 30 foot cliff and actually didn't crash. However, the landing was hard and awkward and I tore my ACL, MCL complete with a partial LCL tear. I had my first introduction to an orthopedic surgeon shortly after.
Favorite Event: Downhill
Pet Peeve on the Hill: Inattentive and inconsiderate skiers.
Best Coaching Memory: Watching a young athlete find Courage and Confidence during the vertical challenge last year.
Q18 Coach - Katharine Irwin
Katharine Irwin
Aka: Kath
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Hobbies: Skiing, Sketching, Guitar
Home Hill: Norquay
Favorite Sunshine: Sunshine
Best Crash: Kimberly SG
Favorite Event: Slalom
Pet Peeve on the Hill: People who jump the chair line.
Favorite Coaching Moment: Relationships built with kids, and the obvious improvement from beginning to end.
Q18 Coach - Claire Horton
Claire Horton
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
Hobbies: Skiing, Swimming, Tennis and Bike Riding
Home Ski Area: Mt Buller, Victoria
Favorite Hill: Kicking Horse
Best Crash: Face first slide down Fallen Angel at Lake Louise
Favorite Event: Giant Slalom
Pet Peeve on the Hill: Ignorant skiers and riders
Favorite Coaching Moment: Watching my team last year ski down the Big Chair at Norquay 5 times in a row.
Q18 Coach - Brigitte Hopkins
Brigitte Hopkins
Aka: Brig
Hometown: Banff, Alberta
Hobbies: Entertaining my children.
Home Hill: Norquay
Favorite Hill: White H20, Nelson or Wiegeles, if you could call that a "hill"
Best Crash: Any one that doesn't send me to the hospital.
Favorite Event: SG
Pet Peeve on the Hill: Snowboarders randomly cutting into my line.
Favorite Coaching Moment: Saying to the kids, "Do you want to go in for a hot chocolate or go for another run?" and they say, "Go for another run!"
Q18 Coach - Reese Lewis
Reese Lewis
Aka: Reese
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Hobbies: Skiing, Soccer, Skateboarding, Painting
Home Hill: Norquay
Favorite Hill: Lake Louise
Best Crash: In K1, at the Panorama speed camp, when I broke my Super G skis on the course because I turned too early and hit the gate with my skis.
Favorite Event: GS, I love to go fast!
Pet Peeve on the Hill: When people cut the line for the chair
Q18 Coach - Jane Grant
Jane Grant
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Hobbies: Longboarding
Home Hill: Nakiska
Favorite Hill: Big Mountain, Montana
Favorite Event: Slalom
Pet Peeve on the Hill: Busy lift lines!
Q18 Coach - Will Honeyman
Will Honeyman
Aka: Willis
Hometown: Canmore, Alberta
Hobbies: Downhill Biking
Home Hill: Norquay
Favorite Hill: Whitewater
Best Crash: Hitting a snow making hydrant.
Favorite Event: GS
Pet Peeve on the Hill: People sitting in the middle of the run.
Q18 Coach - Ailsa Robertson
Ailsa Robertson
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Hobbies: Skiing, Swimming, Dancing, Running, Eating, Reading, Sleeping
Home Hill: Panorama
Favorite Hill: Panorama
Best Crash: Head first dive into a tree well in Taynton Bowl at Pano.
Favorite Event: Slalom and Super G
Pet Peeve on the Hill: Slow snowboarders.
Q18 Coach - Doug Doyle-Baker
Doug Doyle-Baker
Aka: DDB
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Hobbies: Rugby, Hiking, Canoeing, Drama
Home Hill: Sunshine
Favorite Hill: Kicking Horse
Best Crash: When I was in K1, while skiing the Virgin chutes at Sunshine I fell off a cliff, tomahawked into a fence. Then took the fence with me as I continued to tomahawk down the chutes over the cat track and began sliding down the Garbage chutes until I finally came to a stop at the bottom of the ravine. During the fall I also managed to lose my skis, poles, and jacket. I have never lived this down.
Favorite Event: I love them all, but had the most success in Slalom.
Pet Peeve on the Hill: Poor Sportsmanship and laziness
Q18 Coach - Christopher Falls
Christoper Falls
Aka: Chris
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
Hobbies: Baseball, Travelling
Home Hill: Nakiska
Favorite Hill: Kicking Horse
Best Crash: Into the trees on legacy at Nakiska while slalom training. Puting me on a month long recovery session forcing the absence of several important races. Diagnosis: bruise to my right patella and inflamation with my meniscus.
Favorite Event: GS
Pet Peeve on the Hill: Skiing Switch
Favorite Coaching Memory: Lauching myself off a table top jump to impress my kids only to land painfully on the flats.
Q18 Coach - Ernie Romanow
Ernie Romanow
Hometown: Dunster, B.C.
Hobbies: Hiking, Telemark and Backcountry Skiing, Playing my Guitar
Home Hill: Purden - B.C./Marmot
Favorite Hill: Whoever has the most snow!
Best Crash: In my Formula Ford! or several in myu Toyota's.....or did you mean while skiing?
Favorite Event: GS
Pet Peeve on the Hill: Garbage and Litter
Best Coaching Memory: Anytime a skier improves, has a moment of discovery or a huge smile develops.
Q18 Coach - Victoria Wonnacott
Victoria Wonnacott
Aka: Vic
Hometown: Oakville, Ontario
Hobbies: Skiing, Golfing, Biking, Basketball and Travelling
Home Hill: Mount Norquay
Favorite Hill: Kicking Horse
Best Crash: Tucked during an entire GS race in K1, lost my ski and finished with only one!
Favorite Event: Super G
Pet Peeve on the Hill: Snowboarders who scrape the snow off the run!
Best Coaching Memory: hearing the kids laugh and having fun!
