High Performance Review

Annual Review in the areas of:

•National team performance (individual and team)•Training Centre evaluation•Athlete Representative Report•Issues arising from 2003-2004 Program

•Documented in the Biathlon Canada 2003-2004 Technical Review

High Performance ReviewGeneral Summary

2003-2004 has been an extremely successful year with significant “breakthrough” performances witnessed throughout the year with a variety of athletes

High Performance Review Individual Achievements:

Robin Clegg- best Canadian biathlete- 18th @ WCH 04, 19th, 22nd, 23rd in WCs, 1st overall at Nationals

Sandra Keith-46th, 53rd in WCs, top 3 at Nationals

David Leoni- Top ranked senior male athlete from Selection Trials and Nationals - 20th (top1/3) at EC #4, 57th, 61st in WCs

Zina Kocher- top Canadian female biathlete- 10th, 25th, 26th, 29th 30th in WCs, first overall at Nationals

JP LeGuellec- World Champion, 2 silver medals

Youth men’s relay – Silver MedalOther top half from youth: Jessica, Joannie, Maxime, Marc-André

High Performance Review Team Perspective

2003-2004 has yielded 24 top 30 resultsat the World Cup and World Championships for Canada and 10 top 30 results at the Europa Cup

Canada now has its first ever male World Champion in Biathlon

We ARE making a statement as to the quality of our programs and confirming that the shift in direction in 2000 is producing the end results in development that we were are seeking

High Performance Review Team Feedback

Athlete satisfaction is extremely high, confidence levels and trust in the coaching staff and the programs delivered is at a all time high

Rating of overall satisfaction from ToursSenior Tour : 4.14/5 (Core Staff: 4.73, 4.33, 4.49)Jr-Y WCh Tour: 4.11/5 (Core staff 4.30, 4.38, 4.43)Lessons learned: coaching support, ground transport, consistent team staff.

Rating of overall satisfaction from Training CentresSenior TC Canmore: 4.18/5Junior TC Canmore: 3.24/5Junior TC Valcartier: 4.19/5Lessons learned: coaching support, consultant and peripheral support, equipment support.

High Performance Review Canmore TC

-Significant positive feedback from athlete evaluations.

- Senior athletes spend 60 days on camps and 80 days on competition tours yearly - train 2x per day, 6-7 days a week

- Ideal scenario: their coach will spend at least 80% of that time directly with his/her athletes to ensure the quality of training

- It is often required to have 2 coaches available to ensure quality of training with the focus on monitoring and evaluating the training process

- Concerns were raised with the junior program as to more technical training and intervention

-Most significant feedback for change: Assistant Coach Support andthe required use of various consultants to enhance the elite program

High Performance Review Valcartier TC

Smaller training group (ratio 5:1), increased level of satisfaction fromathlete evaluations.

Significant increase in training volume and emphasis on relay shooting process

Use of Assistant Coaching Support (partnership with ACBQ, CSHNQ)

Increased performance has lead to increased support from the CSC-M for peripheral program support (consultants)

Level of support has risen to levels witnessed in Canmore pre-« cutbacks » period.

National Team Representative

Report 2003/2004

Tour Evaluations

Youth and Junior Tours• Minnesota tour:

– Very positive experience– Entire team should have

received an invitation

• Europa Cup (pre-WYJCH):– Insufficient time to get over

the travel to Europe

• World Youth and Junior Championships:– Excellent staffing and

support

Youth and Junior Tours cont’

• General Concerns:– Athletes paying for

own tour costs not an issue

– Additional international sanctioned tours requested

Pre-Xmas and Pre-WCH Tours

• Insufficiently staffed to provide adequate support for optimal performance environment

• Ground transportation issues

Senior Europa Cup Tour

• Sanctioned athlete costs too high

World Championships

• Excellent support staff

• Event and logistics ran very smoothly

Final World Cup Tour

• Lake Placid and Fort Kent WCs:

– Additional coaches attending as a learning experience were helpful and well-received by athletes

– Need for casual team clothing was apparent at National Team Reception in Clair, NB

• Oslo WC:

– lack of support staff had negative effect on performances

Training Centres

Valcartier

Canmore

Eastern TC • Excellent coaching services• Expressed anxiety over the future of the Myriam

Bédard facility

Western TC• Excellent external support services• Number of athletes too large for existing coaching

staff and funding level• Direct support to selected athletes helped immensely

with living costs in Canmore• Juniors requested joint activities between junior and

senior training groups and with Eastern TC

Lessons learned from 2003-2004 National Team

Program:To ensure successful continuation and improvement of our program, we need to address the following issues (reference 2004-2005 NTP):

-Assistant coach support (training centre programs)

-Ensure coverage (financial and human resources) of all important portions of our training and competition schedule

-Ensure delivery of required support services (particularly inCanmore). Budget fluctuations from baseline funding is to be expected

-Continue to pursue Olympic start positions as per the Quad Plan