Ruapehu Snow Sports rebuilding for the future

By Liz Brooker: Ruapehu Snow Bulletin

A year after taking over the mountain’s high performance

development programmes for kids, Ruapehu Snow Sports (RSS) is

setting its sights on the future.

Parent and club president Robin Dixon is excited by the challenge

of being able to further develop their offerings and help discover

the region’s next Shelly Gotlieb, Ben Griffin or Rose Battersby.

“Last year we were picking up the pieces and moving forward

the best that we can, but this year we are looking big picture and

long term.

“Ruapehu is not the poor cousin anymore and we are producing

some fantastic athletes out of our mountain.

“RSS has had a tough couple of years and we are rebuilding

slowly so we can put in something in place so that the kids can

progress up though the ranks.”

Rather than hiring coaches based on a single year commitment,

Mrs Dixon is looking to develop more continuity for returning

students.

“We are wanting to get coaches who want to come back.

“A lot of resorts have overseas coaches, having someone who

has done well, is doing well and knows all those little pockets on a

great day up Ruapehu, why wouldn’t you want them?

“Lyall Crump is joining our team as a coach, if you want extreme

skiing and to go for a blat around Ruapehu, he knows every inch

of the mountain.

“What better person to put your kids with?

“Rhys [Forsyth] is back doing the freestyle team, he absolutely

loves it.

“He loves the mountain, ski patrol during the week and coaching

in the weekend, what a perfect life.”

The slowing economy has also created a renewed interest in RSS

courses from North Island parents with a number of families who

headed south returning to Ruapehu.

“I think there are a lot of people watching how we go this year.

“They are saying, ‘look, you have a good head coach and it looks

like you know what you are doing.

“I have always been a supporter of having high performance

training for the kids.

“At times in the past this hasn’t happened but RAL [Ruapehu

Alpine Lifts] are huge supporters of what we are doing.

“If you’ve got your mountain supporting you the only thing you

have to deal with is the weather.”

This year the club is offering full-time alpine racing along with

junior racing at Turoa and Whakapapa, Mr Forsyth is coaching a ski

freestyle team and Andrew Manuel is back to head the snowboard

freestyle.

Places on the various squads are still available and more

information can be found online at: ruapehusnowsports.webs.com.