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From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.

Tag: Paralympic Skiing

  • Farra leaves USSA

    John Farra, right, watches Nordic combined in Vancouver.

    If you’d asked John Farra a few months ago what he’d be doing in 2014, he would have told you, “Going to Sochi and kicking some butt.”

    He still plans on doing just that, but not with the team he would have expected.  The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) announced Thursday that Farra is leaving his post of the past three years as the Nordic Program Director for a position as Director of the U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing High Performance for the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC).

    “It’s not what I originally had in mind for myself,” said Farra.  “But every once in a while life throws you a curve ball, and it was too good an opportunity to pass up.”

    He became the Nordic Director for USSA in the spring of 2008, having played roles in the ski community as an athlete, coach and administrator.  A former Olympian and National Champion, Farra has held leadership positions for Lake Placid’s National Sports Academy and the Maine Winter Sports Center, where he was the Vice President and Programs Director.

    During his term at USSA, Farra oversaw the ski jumping and Nordic combined teams win six World Championship and four Olympic medals.

    His colleagues and athletes are all sorry to see him go.  “It’s a bummer for us,” said Luke Bodensteiner, Vice President of USSA.  “John has been great in that position.”

    Chris Grover, head coach of the men’s USST, was equally complimentary.  “Farra did a fantastic job, in my opinion.  He had an incredible work ethic, he had the right knowledge base, and he brought a lot of passion to what he did—to seeing the Nordic athletes be successful.  Those are big shoes to fill.  We’re all going to sincerely miss him.”

    “He did an amazing job,” said Kris Freeman, a veteran of the USST who has seen several program directors.  “I’m sad to see him go.”

    The hardest part about the departure for Farra will be leaving the people he’s worked with since taking up the post in the spring of 2008.  “It’s one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever had,” he said.  “I’ve gotten an amazing number of emails from people that were super positive and appreciative.  I know I’ll be staying in touch with a lot of these folks, and we’ll keep crossing paths.”

    The opportunity at the USOC came around almost two months ago, when the newly created job was posted and circulated around USSA.  “I love what I do, so I passed along to people I knew who might be interested, and didn’t think about it again,” said Farra.  “But the responses I got were, ‘Why aren’t you considering it?’  It’s my [current] job exactly, just for the Paralympics.  So I talked with one of the USOC guys and got pretty interested in the project.”

    The project, he explained, is to develop a stronger base for adaptive Nordic skiing in the U.S.  “Here you have a sport that doesn’t have anywhere near as deep a pipeline as cross country.  In order to reach the same level there will need to be thoughtful design of coach’s education and club program development.  It’s a pretty big challenge, and that’s what got me so excited,” said Farra.

    Though he will be missed, Farra is confident that USSA will be just fine without him.  “Our athletes are on track and our coaches are sticking around.  We’ve got such a great thing going right now; this is not a big hiccup, in my opinion.  I truly believe that our athletes in all three disciplines are primed to do something special in Sochi.  This is an opportunity for someone out there to take on something new and exciting.”

    “The director is expendable; the coaches aren’t.  The athletes will continue to do what they do.  My work was more behind the scenes, and I feel really good about what I’ve done,” he said.

    “The real story is, who’s next?”

    Farra says he will help find a replacement, but has no idea who will throw their name in the hat.  In the interim, USSA will lean on head coaches Chris Grover and Dave Jarrett for direction, just as they have in the past.  Bodensteiner said he is taking the opportunity to take a critical look at the position, determine what the needs are in the ski community, and redefine the role if needed.

    “I think this is an excellent time to come in,” said Farra.  “The spirit of collaboration, you can just feel it.  Since I’ve been around, I’ve seen people start to really believe we can win and do well.  I see less and less in-fighting and frustrations, and instead people talk about how we’re doing this right.”

    Farra’s last day at USSA is July 13, and he starts up at the USOC on the first of August.  For now he will remain in Park City with his family and commute to Colorado Springs as needed.

    Asked if he is at all nervous about the task ahead of him, Farra says he feels well-prepared. “Sure, there’s always anxiety once you start something new.  But I know a lot of the athletes already and I understand the challenge.”

    Farra overseeing the action at Junior Nationals in Presque Isle, ME. Photo: Steve Fuller, Flying Point Road.

     

  • Jeff Whiting Retires From CCC; Will Continue Work With Paralympic Athletes

    Jeff Whiting Retires From CCC; Will Continue Work With Paralympic Athletes

    Presentation by Para-Nordic Development Squad athletes to Jeff Whiting (center, white shirt) on his retirement from CCC.

    At this year’s Cross Country Canada (CCC) annual meeting held in Corner Brook, NF, Jeff Whiting received an award for the years of hard work and dedication he’s put into Para-Nordic skiing as both a volunteer and and staff member. Earlier this month, CCC announced his retirement from the position of Western Para-Nordic Development Coordinator.

    “Jeff’s athlete-centered approach, dedication, knowledge and experience of the Para-Nordic sport will always be remembered and will still continue to serve the community,” said CCC in a press release from early June.

    Whiting started working with paranordic athletes when he was recruited by Saski Skiing for Disabled in Saskatchewan to teach first aid to guides in 1986. Since then, he’s aided many an athlete in realizing their dreams.

    He coached his first skier, Joe Harrison, in 1989. Harrison, an above-the-knee amputee, competed in two Paralympics: the 1992 Albertville Games and the 1994 Lillehammer Games. He had top finishes of 5th place in both.

    The 2010 Vancouver Paralympics were the third Games that Whiting has attended. He was a ski patroller for the 1988 Olympics and the Nordic Team Manager at the 2002 Salt Lake Games. The 2010 Games had the highest-ever number of Canadian athletes competing, as well as the highest medal count, thanks to the time and dedication that all staff have put in, including Whiting.

    “I’m proud to have been part of a group of coaches to have helped so many athletes get to the highest level of competition,” he said in an interview.

    One of the highlights of his career was when Colette Bourgonje, a sit skier and one of his athletes, obtained her first–and Canada’s first–medal at the 1996 International Paralympic Committee World Championships in Sunne, Sweden.

    Those that worked with Whiting had nothing but positive things to say.

    “Jeff has always been willing to share the immense knowledge and experience he has amassed as a pioneer in the sport of Para-Nordic skiing,” wrote Gary Fohr of the Cross Country Ontario Para Nordic Committee in a retirement letter.

    “The greatest lesson I’ve learned from Jeff is that even though cross-country skiing is an individual, not team sport, if we work together, we all will be better athletes individually,” said Courtney Knight, one of Whiting’s athletes who competed in the 2010 Paralympics.

    In addition to coaching, Whiting was instrumental in the development of results monitoring equipment in Para-Nordic athletes, as well as Para-Nordic equipment development in Saskatchewan at the sport’s early stages of development. He was, and still is, involved in research, design and development of nordic sleds in the province.

    Despite retirement from CCC, Whiting will be keeping himself busy. He’ll continue to coach a club in Saskatoon, SK, as well as officiating and facilitating coaching courses in the province. He’ll be Para-Nordic Assistant Coach for Saskatchewan at the 2011 Canada Winter Games, as well as putting his name in to be an official for the 2011 Nationals in Canmore.