The Great Britain Children's Ski Team
Goals
- To provide international race experience for children and coaches
- To improve the overall standard of British Children skiers
- To support the Club programmes
- To prepare skiers for international competition at the Junior 1
- To provide a clear progression through the sport at a British level
International Children's Races
Each year the British governing body is invited to send teams to a number of Children's international races, which are held in various European resorts and Canada. This is the first opportunity for athletes in the 11-16 age group to take part in International Ski Federation (FIS) competitions. Children of a suitable standard are selected to take part in specified events where they compete in the Alpine disciplines of Slalom, GS and sometimes Super-G.
Travel Arrangements and Costs
The Children's Team Management will organise
return travel from the UK, and supervise the athletes throughout the
trip. All coaches and managers will have provided independent
references, and are employed as volunteers under the conditions of
BSS's Child Protection Policy. Independent travel is only an option
if the athlete is normally resident outside the UK. On most trips
there is likely to be a Scottish trainer who will be able to escort
Scottish athletes on their journey to London.
BSS makes a contribution to the funding of the Team, and we are
constantly on the lookout for sponsorship to provide additional
funds to lessen the financial burden on parents. It is likely that
you will be charged something of the order of £480 (hopefully less)
+ flights for each trip. This covers all costs to and from the
designated destination airport, a contribution towards the travel
costs of the support staff and a small fee for the trainers. You
must also ensure that your Home Nation Performer Registration is
valid.
Parents
Please note that parents are of course very
welcome at these events. They must normally expect to make their own
travel arrangements. In particular, where transport within the host
country (e.g. between airport and resort) is provided by the race
organisers, we are unable to guarantee any extra places.
Also, as a normal rule we do not know where exactly the Team will be
staying until we arrive in the resort. The accommodation is
allocated by the organisers, often at the very last moment, and
again we cannot guarantee extra availability. We would normally
expect parents to make their own accommodation arrangements.
We will usually be able to offer help and advice - please do not
hesitate to ask!!
How do I get into the British Children's Team?
The teams are selected from all registered
racers in two age groups - Children I and Children II - based on
year of birth. For the 2011 - 2012 season:
Children 1: Year of Birth
- 1997 & 1998
Children 2: Year of Birth
- 1999 & 2000
All athletes who come within the appropriate age range and have completed a seeded snow race on the British Alpine Calendar are considered for selection. It is important that you take part in the British Children's Championships, because that is where the Selectors have the best opportunity to compare your performance against all the others available for selection. Coaches reports will always be taken into consideration.
What does it mean to be a member of the British Children's Team?
You will be representing Great Britain in an international event, so as well as dedication and commitment to achieving the best results in the competition, you must also be aware of your responsibility as a representative member of the British Children's Team. At the same time, it is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie and unique experiences of a leading international competition, both with other British skiers and perhaps more importantly with other national teams. At some of the events, we may be able to show you just a little bit of the country you are visiting when the races are over.
