PARK CITY, UT (Oct. 5) – The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) made another bold stroke in bolstering the national alpine development system by hiring World Cup veteran Frank Kelble as the Rocky Central Regional Coach. Kelble, who has over 25 years of international experience, has coached at every level within the USSA including a long stint with the women's World Cup speed team that led to the first of what is now 16 World Cup titles by Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO). He joins Karin Harjo, who is in her second year as the Western Regional coach and an Eastern Regional Coach yet to be named. The positions, announced by USSA Alpine Director Patrick Riml, will collaborate with Regional Alpine Development Director Lester Keller to generate further support for USSA clubs and promote cooperation amongst regions with the goal of increasing the number of regional level skiers who qualify for the national team.
HIGHLIGHTS
- World Cup coaching veteran Frank Kelble has been named USSA Rocky Central Regional Coach, a key move to bolster national alpine development.
- Kelble coached with the U.S. Ski Team for 19 years before moving to Canada for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. He has over 25 years of international coaching experience at all levels.
- USSA Alpine Director Patrick Riml sees Kelble as a key element in the USSA’s move to provide higher quality support and collaboration to clubs and the nation’s best young athletes.
- Kelble joins Western Regional Coach Karin Harjo and an Eastern Regional Coach to be named later. Harjo enters her second year at the helm of the Western Region, who has been the top scoring region at the U.S. Alpine Championships for the past 11 seasons.
- The Regional Coaches will work with directly with Regional Alpine Development Director Lester Keller to further support USSA clubs and promote cooperation amongst regions to strengthen national alpine development.
- The move further compliments the recent appointments of Keller, U16 (under 16) and U18 (under 18) coach Thomas Erhard and Fundamental Skills Development Coach Michael Rogan.
QUOTES
Patrick Riml, USSA Alpine Director
Frank Kelble brings an outstanding professional record in creating environments for athletic success. He knows firsthand what it takes at the highest level of the sport and will be bringing that vast knowledge into our National Development System. The charge for our regional coaches is to look for ways to work with club athletes and coaches within their regions to encourage collaboration in a way that boosts our national development pipeline.
Lester Keller, USSA Regional Development Director
The USSA's fundamental development unit is club programs. The addition of Frank Kelble and our continued work with Karin Harjo is an integral part in building a long-term plan to strengthen the national alpine development system for both athletes and coaches at the regional level.
Frank Kelble, Rocky Central Regional Coach
We have strong clubs, great coaches and promising young athletes – it's an exciting environment to rejoin with my World Cup experience.
The USSA has a strong athletic focus that's pointed at building and supporting the next generation of U.S. Ski Team athlete. My goal is to help produce quality projects that directly drive our club athletes to the next level.
Karin Harjo, Western Regional Coach
My passion for skiing is for helping athletes grow and develop to their fullest potential as racers and as people. Within each region we will provide pace to further develop the best athletes in cooperation with their clubs and provide interaction amongst the best coaches of the region.
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