John McBride and Frank Kelble have been named head coaches of Canada’s men’s and ladies alpine speed teams respectively, as the national team shifts its focus to achieving podium results in the new Olympic cycle, Alpine Canada Alpin announced today.
 
McBride, perhaps best known as “Johno” among his peers, was part of the coaching staff last season that led Canadian men to four World Cup victories, the most ever by Canada’s men’s ski team. Erik Guay (Mont-Tremblant, QC) also won the men’s super-G Crystal Globe, becoming the first Canadian male to win an overall discipline title since in 1982.
 
“I’m very excited. We have a great staff with Marc Gagnon and Serge Dugas sticking around and we have a talented team, so I think that with a little bit of luck and a little bit of hard work we will be in good shape,” said McBride.
 
McBride, a resident of Snowmass, USA, joined the Canadian team coaching staff last November.

“The timing is right and my family supports it, that was kind of the biggest thing for me,” said McBride about becoming the head coach of Canadian men’s speed team. “So with my family supporting it and understanding that it is something that I am passionate about, I though it was an amazing opportunity.” 
 
On the ladies side, Frank Kelble is taking over as the head coach of the speed team. Kelble worked with the US ladies speed team over the past five years, leading talented ski racers such as Lindsay Vonn and Julia Mancuso to an impressive four Olympic medals, five World Championship podiums, three overall titles, six discipline globes as well as 68 World Cup podiums and 34 victories over that span.
 
“I am really excited about joining the Alpine Canada Alpin team. The organization has a great group of people who are moving forward together, in a real positive direction,” said Kelble. “I like the athletes, the coaches and the administration. I worked for (CAST Athletic Director) Patrick Riml before and have a lot of respect for him. (Ladies team head coach) Hugues Ansermoz brings a lot of experience and success to the table as well.”
 
“Personally, this is great opportunity for me and I was ready for a change. Change brings new challenges and different problems, but athletics is all about overcoming challenges. Canada’s women’s speed team has some tremendous athletes and a history of success,” added Kelble, who has 19 years experience coaching with the US Ski Team and coached at the University of Colorado prior to that.
 
David White, who has past experience coaching with the Canadian Alpine Ski Team, is returning as an assistant coach on the ladies speed team.
 
“Both Johno and Frank are experienced leaders who are used to coaching champions and know exactly what it takes to put ski racers on the podium,” said ACA Chief Athletics Officer Max Gartner.
 
“The men’s speed team got a real sense of how Johno coaches and they learned how to interact and build a relationship with him. His enthusiasm and personality is definitely something that sets him apart as well. He brought a positive energy to the team last season which is a huge asset,” Gartner added.
 
Prior to joining the Canadian team, McBride coached US Ski Team athletes to Olympic and World Cup medals for more than a decade, leading Bode Miller to Olympic silver medal performances in 2002 and the overall Crystal Globe in 2005 and 2008 as well as Daron Rahlves to an impressive 12 World Cup victories.
 
ACA also announced that experienced World Cup coach Rewk Patten has joined the staff of Canada’s men’s speed team.
 
Dusan Grasic, who lives in Inveremere, BC, remains the head coach of the Canadian men’s technical team while Whistler, BC resident Jim Pollock returns as ladies technical team head coach.
 
Speed team coaches work with athletes in the speed disciplines including downhill and super-G while technical coaches focus on the giant slalom and slalom.
 
The 2010/2011 World Cup season is highlighted by the Bombardier Lake Louise Winterstart, with men’s and ladies races kicking of the speed season in November, and the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GER in February of 2011.
 
2010/11 CANADIAN ALPINE SKI TEAM COACHING STAFF
ACA MANAGEMENT
Patrick Riml – Athletic Director (CAST)
 
WORLD CUP MEN’S PROGRAM
Head Coach – Paul Kristofic
WORLD CUP SPEED GROUP
Head Coach – John McBride
Assistant Coach – Serge Dugas
Assistant Coach – Rewk Patten
Assistant Coach – Marc Gagnon
Physiotherapist – Julie Harvey
Multimark – Shawn Gaisford
Multimark – Marko Skube
Atomic Service – Eric Schnepfleiter
Rossignol Service – Gernot Grasser
WORLD CUP TECHNICAL GROUP
Head Coach – Dusan Grasic
Assistant Coach – John Crichton
Multimark – Robi Kristan
Rossignol Service – Philippe Petit Jean
 
WORLD CUP LADIES PROGRAM
Head Coach – Hugues Ansermoz
WORLD CUP SPEED GROUP
Head Coach – Frank Kelble
Assistant Coach – David White
Multimark – Pavel Zurek
Multimark – Marco Zambelli
 
WORLD CUP TECHNICAL GROUP
Head Coach – Jim Pollock
Assistant Coach – Tim Gfeller
Assistant Coach – Jay Keddy
Multimark – John Mulligan
Multimark – Martin Holzmeister
 
CONDITIONING STAFF
Matt Price – Director of Sport Science
Matt Jordan – Conditioning Coach
Tom Smith – Conditioning Coach
 
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Jean-François Rapatel – Athletic Director (National)
Kip Harrington – Coach (Men)
Jean-Sébastien Labrie – Coach (Ladies)