Programs

General program information:

The Red Deer Ski Club (RDSC) provides excellent ski racing training programs for children ages 4 to 20. The programs are offered at Canyon Ski Area, Alberta’s largest non mountain ski area. Our programs are delivered by professional coaches, certified by the Canadian Ski Coaches Federation (CSCF). The emphasis of our programs is on the development of ski racing skills in a safe, structured learning environment. 

To participate, children must be able to get up the blue t-bar and ski down the beginner area at Canyon Ski Resort on their own. The descent can be in the form of a snow plow, but they must be in control. If you are unsure, an assessment will be made at the beginning of the season to determine if your child needs additional lessons. Lessons can be arranged through the ski school at the Canyon Ski Resort.

Progression:


Our programs are designed following the guidelines of the Long Term Skier Development Plan (AIM 2 WIN) developed by Alpine Canada. Our objective is to introduce the alpine skiing and racing skills in a manner that promotes the long term development of athletes and encourages participation for life in skiing activities and sport in general. Athletes may enter the progression at various stages and we welcome new participants of all ages.  Age is determined as of December 31, 2024.

RDSC Programs & Fees 2024/25


PROGRAM TIMES ARE AN ESTIMATE BASED ON PREVIOUS YEARS. THEY MAY NEED TO BE ADJUSTED BASED ON GROUP SIZE, COACHING, & LANE SPACE.

The first day on snow will be the first Saturday that Canyon opens for the Extended, Plus, and Regional groups with potential opportunity to train at Nakiska in early November (subject to hill conditions.) Start date for all other groups will be November 23 (subject to hill conditions at Canyon.)

Dryland start TBD

U6 (Introduction)

 If your family is interested in our U6 Program, please email secretary@rdskiclub.ca

 

U8 (Gliding Start)

 

U10 (Skier Essentials)

 

U10 Plus (Skier Essentials)

 

U10  Extended (Skier Essentials)

 

U12 (Learn to Train – learn the sport)

 

U12 Plus (Learn to Train – learn the sport) 

 

U12 Extended (Learn to Train – learn the sport)

 

U14 Plus (Learn to Train – learn the sport) 


U14 Extended (Learn to Train – build the racer)

 

U16 Plus (Learn to Train – learn the sport) 



U16 Extended (Train to Race)

 


 

Masters Program:  Details TBD


Additional fees

Due to Alberta Alpine requirements each parent must hold a general membership with Alberta Alpine. You are able to do this in your RAMP account as a separate entry from your athlete.  

*RDSC fees cover coaching at all program specific events, and participation at club events . Program fees do not include races. The Parent Handbook will be updated as we get closer to the snow season.

*Lift passes, equipment, away training camps and races at other venues are not included. Lift passes must be purchased from Canyon Ski Resort and are subject to the rates and conditions set by the hill.*

Dryland

Dryland is included in the following programs:
U10 Extended
U12 Extended
U14 Extended
U16 Extended
U21 Extended

Athletes (10 and up) in other programs may participate in dryland for an additional fee of $135 . Coach consideration for athletes aged 8 & 9 

Equipment:

Participants in Red Deer Ski Club programs must have properly fitted skis and boots, warm winter clothes and helmets designed for ski racing.  These helmets have hard covering over the ears and your favourite local shop will be able to assist you with selecting the right helmet. ALL ski racers aged 12 and up (U14, U16, and U21R) will be required to have a helmet model with the FIS approved sticker (the SNELL98 model) for GS/SG/DH.

Fundraising

The Red Deer Ski Club is a non-profit organization and relies on fundraising to support its programs while keeping the fees affordable. Throughout the year, the club offers a variety of fundraising events, some of which contribute specifically to the Club and rely on member participation. However, the majority of our fundraising activities are designed to support the athletes directly. By participating in designated events, the family has the opportunity to earn dollars into their Ski Club account. This can be used to offset race expenses, mountain camps or registration fees.

Examples of past fundraising activities include :

We are always open to new and exciting fundraising opportunities that families would like to introduce to the club. Please contact fundraising@rdskiclub.ca for further discussion.

Ski club family account


Each family will have a Ski Club Account set up to track their activities, both the expenses related to their participation and the credits they have earned through all the fundraising and volunteer activities.  

We can accept:
1. E-transfer to the treasurer (details in Team App) and include the athletes name(s) in the e-transfer message
2. Credit Card with an additional processing fee
 

 Statements will be sent out every 30 days.

 

 A member cannot renew their membership with RDSC if there is an amount owing in account. 


 

Races and Camps


Athletes will have the opportunity to participate in Mountain Camps and competitive racing over the course of the season. These activities are highly encouraged, but optional and therefore the costs associated are not included in athlete registration, unless stated. To support families in their decision making we adhere to the following process:

1.   Provide an estimated cost to families 2 weeks before the event. This amount is required to be deposited in your Ski Club Account prior to attending.

2.   Ask families to commit to the activity via TeamApp with the deadline being set by the program coordinator. This can vary based on the event.

3.   We provide an ACTUAL cost at the conclusion of the event and post this to your Ski Club Account.

 

Expenses may include, but are not limited to: coach travel & per diem expenses, race entry fees, lift tickets and any other miscellaneous items. The following applies to all members:

 

• Except under special circumstances approved by the Board of Directors, a member must prepay for all events

• Members are charged based on an estimate of the cost. A one day race event will require a prepayment of $85 and a multi-day race event will require a prepayment of $100 per day.

• Any revisions required will be credited or invoiced for the difference between the estimate and the actual cost of the event. This amount will be due within ten (10) days from the invoicing day.

• Any cash credit or fundraising balance (excluding bingo credits) will be paid back to the parent responsible for the account.

• Any bingo credit balance will remain in the account and carry over to the next year

• Any credit amount on accounts inactive for more than one season will be considered a donation to the RDSC and the account information will be archived.

 

**If an athlete registers for an event and then cancels after the race entry deadline, they will be charged athlete fees as if they attended unless prior arrangements can be made to reduce the expenses charged to RDSC.**

 

 

Training cancellation policy:

The Alpine Chair or Program Director may cancel or shorten training when required for safety reasons, including cold, extreme weather or unsafe snow conditions.  Training will be cancelled when the temperature is below -25.  However please watch for updates and check the app since the temperature can be different at the hill.  Cancelled training sessions will not be rescheduled nor refunded.  Please ensure that all athletes have adequate skin coverage on cold days.