Cross Country Training System

Development Phases Domain Phases Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6

Biological Age Early Childhood Early Childhood Pre-puberty before growth spurt Puberty and growth spurt Puberty after Growth Spurt Full Maturation

Chronological Age 2-6 years old 6-10 years old Girls: 10-13 Boys: 11-14 Girls: 11-14+ Boys: 12-15 Girls: 12-17 Boys: 14-17 Girls: 16+ Boys: 17+

1-4 years in sport 1-4 years in sport 4-8 years in sport 5-9 years in sport 6-11 years in sport 10+ years in sport Sport or Training Age

Weekly Training Ski 1-3 day per week Ski 2-6 days per week or as 2-4 Training sessions per week, year 3-5 training session per week in 5-7 training sessions per week in 6-10 training sessions per week enjoyable. round in addition to other sports season. 2-4 training sessions per season, includes some two-a-day includes some two-a-day sessions. and outdoor activities. week out of season. sessions. 4-6 training sessions per 7-12 sessions per week out of week out of season. season.

Elements Annual Training U12: Emphasize daily skiing, U14: U14: 300-400, U16: 450-500, U18: U18: 550-600, U21: 650-725, 22+: Volume 300-400, U16: 450-500 550-600 750-800

Training Emphasis Emphasis on outdoor recreation. Ski Emphasis on outdoor recreation. Emphasize outdoor recreation. Emphasize fun training. Year round training Year round training for play, fun and balance. Parents Parents enphasize activity versus Introduce fun competition period. encourage play versus training. training.

Complimentary Sports Participate in many physical Play many sports. Active Continue to participate in many Continue to participate in Use complementary sports and Use complementary sports and activities. Explore individual participation in coordination or activities and sports. Begin to complementary sports while activities for variety and to enhance activities for injury prevention, coordination or balance-based balance-based sports. Participation identify with primary vs. identifying clear goals in primary aerobic conditioning by increasing avoiding burnout, and to maintain sports. Team sports to build in team sports build teamwork, complementary sports. sport. training volume in all activities. all aspects of physical fitness. teamwork, ethics and fair play. ethics and fair play. Physical Fitness Domain General Focus Begin to develop fundamental Increase play to develop and Start to incorporate focused dryland Physical fitness is becoming an Implement periodized training with Multi-year periodized training plans movement skills through play, fun, enhance specific elements of training 1-2 days per week. Enhance integral part of the season. 1-3 varying volumes and intensity. with varying volumes and intensity novel activities. physical fitness in open body awareness, balance, timing of sessions per week. Increase hours Training is now essential to seasonal are essential to prepare for full environments. moevements and spatial of training with varied volumes and programming with 2-3 sessions per competition, training loads and long anticipation through games and intensity. week and off-season fitness plans. term performance. drills. Growth and Body begins to develop into adult- Body continues to develop into Rate of growth increases again in Rate of growth reaches peak (Peak Growth rate slows and stops. Body finishes adolescent growth Development (Body like proportions in terms of how adult-like proportions. Rate of preparation for adolescence. Height Velocity). Bodies reach adult Bodies are adult in proportion and and development. Composition) various body parts relate to each growth slows, strength increases Growth rate may have adverse heights, muscles grow rapidly while muscle to fat ratios. Very little other. Muscle mass increases and and ability to perform fine motor effect on agility, balance and muscle to fat ratios differ between change in height from this point fine motor skills begin to emerge. skills increases. coordination. Weight and height males and females. Heart rate, forward. Muscular, skeletal, cardio increases. cardiac output and respiratory and respiratory functions are fully capacity increases leading to formed with capacity for heavier greater tolerance for exercise. exercise or training loads. Endurance Foundations of endurance is Continue to establish foundations of Develop aerobic conditioning with High duration, low intensity Develop understanding of the Develop and/or maintain established through sustained endurance through sustained scheduled activities along with activities such as running, inverse relationship between appropriate energy systems for activity and play. activity and play. Add duration to increased time spent in games and swimming, biking or hiking are volume and intensity. Maintain a success in discipline. activities and games. Manage training incorporated into the training plan. sport specific and training duration of activity by introducing Include team sports and multi plane endurance level. time-structured games and activities such as soccer, basketball, activities. utlimate frisbee, etc.

Elements Mobility Explore activities and games that Introduce and practice mobility Introduce range of motion, mobility Incorporate daily flexibility training. Practice a variety of core stability Incorporate varied and sport- use a variety of body management, exercises through unorganized play drills, general exercise preparation Limit the loss of mobility, functional exercises. Incorporate mobility specific core stability exercises. locomotro and object control skills. and some structured activities. and coordination through semi strength, balance and coordination training specific to the sport or structured play. during growth spurt through multi discipline. joint and whole body exercises. Elements Strength Explore whole body movements Continue with whole body activities Implement structured body weight Majority of time spent in Practice safety and competence Olympic lifts and lifting exercises which encourage range-of-motion and exercises. Introduce more exercises with proper technique to movement, mobility, warm up and with free weight techniques. As are used to supplment perdiodized and exploration of movement targeted focus on specific body develop overall strength. mechanics. Short duration (20 min) technique is mastered, increase endurance training. options. movements. in structured strength and power external loads with focus on whole movements. Light resistance work body movements while addressing including bands, med balls, etc. any imbalances. Power Fast movements developed by Use fun playful activities to enhance Appropriate volume and intensity of Practice Olympic lifting technique Continue to incorporate full body Strength and Power programs running, jumping and throwing. body awareness, spatial awareness body-weight training. Use dynamic with no weight. Target all major movements while increasing become more planned and and object manipulation. exercises and movements in muscle groups with body weight volume in jumping, etc. Add periodized. Workouts become more Incorporate activities that develop multiple planes to enhance power exercises. Add light weights for duration to strength portion of the individualized. Still fun but quickness (0-10 sec bursts). movements. biologically advanced athletes. workout with continued emphasis purposeful in developing the needs Continue jumping exercises and on mobility, movement, mechanics of the individual athlete. introduce limited plyometric and warm up. training. Motor Skills Create a foundation for agility, Increase ABC through fluidity of Incorporate multi-plane movements Limit the loss of mobility, functional Use sport specific exercises and Increase difficulty of balance drills balance and coordination (ABC) movement and range-of-motion in that increase ABC and range of strength, balance and coordination more complicated ABC drills to for precision of motor control. through participation in multiple simple activities. motion across all planes of during growth spurt. Use flexibility enhance range of motion that Increase flexibility exercises sports or physical activities. movement. Begin to use focused training along with agility, balance target sport specific movements consistent with specific demands of exercises to target specific and coordination exercises through patterns. the sport. movements. growth spurt. Nutrition, Hydration, Well rounded nutrition is practiced Basic athletic and healthy nutrition Athlete awareness increases about Athlete can identify nutritious from Implement plans for a balanced diet Athlete uses diet planning to Recovery by parents, child, coaches and club. concepts are addressed by parents, importance of nutrition. Healthy non-nutritious food in their diet. to enhance performance. Keep a maximize training and recovery. Proper rest and sleep habits help child, coaches and club. Proper rest sleep habits becomes a component Begin to link nutrition with logbook of all training related Utilize physiologic measures and with recovery and energy and sleep habits are formed. of training and physical fitness. performance. Hydration is activities such as hydration, diet, logbook diary to monitor training. management. monitored. Introduce cool-down, rest, recovery, sleep, and other Maintains and respects all facets of sleep, rest and recovery as part of factors that contribute to or healthy habits and lifestyle. the training plan. diminish physical fitness. Technical Domain General Focus Have fun on snow. Games and play Have fun on snow. Games and play Further development of previous Athlete is introduced to structured Athlete implements a periodized All components of training are now on skis enhance the skier's on skis enhance the skier's components. Emphasis on aerobic training including aerobic, anaerobic training program that places stress periodized and individualized. enjoyment and skill on snow. enjoyment and skill on snow. training and speed play. and strength training. In addition to on the body and subsequent Masters all techniques and develops ski training, athlete is engaged recovery time. Athlete uses low- personal style. regularly in cross-training activities intensity aerobic, high intensity including balance, coordination, aerobic and anaerobic training to endurance, speed and strength improve race fitness. Athlete building. maintains a training log.

Athletic Stance and Application of general movement Application of dynamic, multi-plane Demonstrates effective athletic Effective body position, balance and Integrates increased strength, Elements Balance competency and mobility for movements integrated into skiing stance on skis, exhibits natural body weight shift. Demonstrates ability to power and body size to achieve development of skiing skills. skills. mechanics on skis. maintain appropriate balance and stronger skiing technique. stance while skiing in all terrain and under a variety of conditions.

Technique Learning how to run on skis. Gaining confidence and Able to balance on one ski while Understands concept of changing Effective use of different techniques Mastery of all techniques to match coordination while running on skis skiing gradual downhills. Can tempo to suit conditions and terrain to correspond to changing terrain courses, conditions and terrain with in multiple directions. Ability to herringbone and snowplow. in both classic and skate techniques. and conditions. high speed and power application. balance on both skis while moving Introduce skate techniques. downhill. Tactical Domain General Focus Have fun with skiing and gaining Tactics are learned through self- Gaining comfort in applying various High intensity and more complex Refine event specific technical and Mastery of tactical strategies based confidence on skis. Mileage is discovery by skiing and adapting to tactics in order to ski terrain using movement patterns are mastered. tactical skills to achieve desired on the athlete's strengths, discipline gained through an emphasis on fun different terrain. Respects and skis different strategies to achieve Dynamic and complex movement outcome. Integrate the increased and goals. and skiing with friends. challenging terrain or difficult snow differing results. patterns are emphasized to achieve strength, power and body size to conditions. a desired outcome on specific achieve more complex movements terrain and features. and precision of skill application. Terrain Skis on flatter, shorter trails to gain Skis rolling terrain with moderate Is eager to explore all different Able to ski more challenging terrain Seeks out more challenging terrain Confidence and mastery in all types Elements confidence in skills. changes in pitch and distance. types of terrain and snow with increased distance and more with steeper pitches, longer of terrain at high speed. conditions. difficult pitches. distances and difficult turns. Strategies General athletic skills, fitness and Application of complementary sport Understands difference between Discusses race strategy and pacing Changes techniques smoothly and Athlete is comfortable with race coordination applied to skiing. strategies to develop reaction time running, classic and skate skiing. with a coach. Applies different quickly. Discusses race strategy and strategy and pacing. Continues to and anticipation of movements. techniques depending on course, pace with a coach. refine technique and tactics with a conditions and terrain. coach.

Equipment Selection & Preparation Domain Skis Skis on one pair of waxless skis, soft Skis on one pair of waxable skis, soft May use classic and freestyle skis May be using classic and freestyle Adheres to USSA and FIS rules for all Is responsible for having all flex, and between nose and flex, and between nose and for racing and training. Skis should skis for racing. Skis should be equipment selection skis. Several equipment in perfect working forehead in height forehead in height.The skis are to be selected to fit the skiers’ weight selected to fit the skiers’ weight and pairs of both classic and skate skis condition and up to World Cup be properly waxed by the athlete, and height. The skis are to be height according to manufacturer’s prepared for cold, medium or warm standards at all times. parent or club leader for every day properly waxed by the athlete or recommendations. Athlete only conditions. Fit is essential and of skiing. coach for every day of skiing. needs one pair of skate and one pair quality over quantity is emphasized. of classic skis. Proper fit is the primary concern.

Equipment Preparation Learning the importance of taking Ski preparation should be quick, Athletes should begin to take more Ski preparation becomes more Race skis should be waxed at all Ski preparation is critical to care of their equipment and simple and inexpensive. Learn the responsibility in preparing their own critical as the number of race starts times. Race preparation becomes performance. Several skis are keeping it in safe working order. importance of keeping wax on the skis, with guidance from a increases. Race skis should be more focused with the addition of prepared prior to competition. The glide zones and keeping the kick knowledgeable source. Competition waxed at all times with higher race day overlays. Athletes wax proper race ski is selected the zones clean. with pure fluorocarbon overlays is performance waxes used for their own skis with advice from morning of the competition. Skis are discouraged at this age. competitions. coaches. finished with appropriate waxes and structures just before the start. Boots Uses boots that are comfortable Uses boots that allow for natural Uses boots that allow for natural Classic and Freestyle Classic and Freestyle Classic and Freestyle Elements and warm. ankle movement, and sufficient ankle movement warmth. Poles Poles should fit snugly under the Uses one pair of poles for all Uses one pair of poles for all Uses classic and skate specific poles. Uses classic and skate specific poles. Uses classic and skate specific poles. armpit. techniques. techniques at beginning of this phase. Uses skate or classic specific poles later in this phase of development. Poles should not be above mid shoulder.

Ancillary Equipment Learning the importance proper Use proper clothing and learn to be Learning to use roller skis. Primary Roller skis and hill bounding poles Both classic and skate roller skis are clothing for exercise in cold prepared for changing conditions focus is on safety and technique. for training. Appropriate footwear used extensively in training. conditions. and tempartures. Active, athletic Helmet and bright, reflective and clothing during all physical winter clothing becomes more clothing for roller skiing is activities. Athlete has a backpack important as well as hydration mandatory. Proper footwear and for extra clothing, water bottle and systems or bottles. appropriate outdoor clothing for all carrier, waxing equipment, etc. activities.

Mental Training Domain Goal Setting Define what a goal is. Remember, Clarify how to set goals. Describe Identify the ‘why’ for sport Examine the 'why' for participation Clearly understand and define the Demonstrate a clear purpose and sport related activities and which sport related activities and participation and deconstruct into and deconstruct into long term 'why' for sport participation. Set systematic approach to setting and experiences are designed for experiences cause enjoyment. goals. Outline each factor linked to goals. Align and apply challenging process and performance goals achieving challenging goals for all enjoyment. End sessions by Collaborate with supportive training and competition to identify process goals for factors linked to prior to seasonal activities. Use a factors linked to training and summarizing tasks and activities individuals and groups who can help controllables. Utilize reflection of training and competition. Create a reflective practive to assess and competition. Engage a support accomplished. interpret and organize the goal past experiences to build awareness reflective practice to evaluate past refine goals. Form support network to help schedule and setting process. of effects on performance. experiences, refine process goals structures that effectively prioritize periodization plans. Collaborate with individuals and and compose routines. Collaborate encourage and assist goal groups that support and align with with individuals and groups that attainment stategies. stated goals. support and align with stated goals.

Team, Training & Engage with all team members to Engage with all team members to Engage with and support team Engage with and support team Collaborate with team members Challenge team members to share a Competition learn and model fair and generous demonstrate fair and generous members who share similar members who share similar who share similar motivations and common motivation for high behavior. Perform game play that behavior. Perform training exercises motivations. Perform training motivations. Perform training behaviors. Perform training performance and support one facilitates enjoyment of the sport. that facilitate fun and skill exercises that facilitate overall skill exercises that facilitate focused skill exercises that facilitate mastery of another with training and acquisition. Perform in competitions development and goal acquisition and goal achievement. skills. Perform in competitions to competing to one's potential. to have fun, acquire skills, and to achievement. Perform in Perform in competitions to demonstrate the mastery of factors learn teamwork and sportsmanship. competitions to further develop demonstrate and distinguish skills in linked to goal achievement and skills, engage with others and support of performance goals. performance outcomes. achieve process goals.

Self-Talk Model verbal cues that generate fun Describe which thoughts support Interpret recurring thoughts that Develop a supportive internal Continue to monitor and evaluate Master use of self talk strategies to and fair play. Encourage games that confidence and motivation. Learn to arise during performance related dialogue that generates confidence, self talk during performance related meet the demands of the moment. highlight positive self talk and use an internal dialogue that experiences. Identify self talk motivation and grit to achieve goals. experiences. Incorporate self talk positive attitudes. generates confidence and patterns and their affect on attitude Use self talk to regulate intensity into routines and process goals. motivation. and intensity levels. Assign verbal levels and maintain or shift focus cues and scripts that support sustained focus and/or a shift in Elements focus.

Mental Imagery Recall past activities that fostered Visualize the sport environment and Identify the benefits of mental Imagine past performance related Continue to develop imagery skills. Master use of imagery to meet enjoyment and successful how to perform sport related skills. imagery. Imagine past successes experiences to evaluate Master use of imagery for training performance needs in all situations. performance of skills. Visualize how to perform training and future achievements that cause/effect. Use imagery to purposes and pre-performance exercises, and in competition, generate confidence, motivation generate confidence, motivation routines. before executing and grit to achieve goals. and grit to achieve goals. Imagine future scenarios to effectively plan and prepare for training and competition. Intensity Learn to take a deep breath before Identify when intensity levels Evaluate intensity levels during past Continue to develop mindful Establish breath control and Master all techniques for managing attempting a specific skill, activity or increase. Practice taking deep performance related experiences to breathing skills and integrate with generate consistency of intensity intensity levels to meet the exercise. breaths to regulate increased levels determine causality and supportive self talk. Adjust habits levels during performance related demands of the moment in all of intensity. effectiveness. Perform mindful and routines to generate effective experiences. situations. breathing techniques and engage in intensity levels. supportive self talk to either increase or decrease intensity levels to maximize performance output.

Focus Learn attentive body language and Practice body language and non- Learn mindful practices to Determine where focused attention Continue to evaluate where focused Demonstrate a mindful awareness non-verbal cues to focus attention verbal cues to increase sustained strengthen the ability to focus, should be at any given time for all attention should be at any given and engagement to focus on the on a specific skill, activity or focus during training sessions. refocus and shift attention on factors linked to training and time to support process goals. present moment to meet exercise. demand. Formulate cues that competition. Continue to develop Incorporate mindful practices into performance demands in all support adherence to goals and mindfulness to strengthen the daily routines in and away from situations. focusing on the right thing at the ability to focus, refocus and shift training and competition right time attention on demand. Formulate cues that support routines, process goals and focusing on the right thing at the right time Competition Domain General Focus Love the sport for Fun Compete for fun Compete for skill development Compete for skill acquisition Compete for skill mastery Compete to Win

Elements Number of 5-15 race starts 10-20 race starts 20-30 race starts. competitions

Competition Type Competitions only exist in the form Local competition: innovate with a Local racing leads to state and Local racing leads to divisional Appropriate level and number of Seeks to compete at the highest of cooperative games or relays on fun focus on interclub competition. divisional championships which may championships which may lead to race starts ranging from local to appropriate level including regional skis. Age appropriate distances. lead to regional events. Age regional or Junior Nationals. North national to international FIS, local USSA club races, appropriate distances. American experience may be competition. Age appropriate Continental Cups, European FIS Elements initiated in Canada. Age distances. races, Junior World Championships, appropriate distances. U23 Championships, World Cups, World Championships and Olympics.

Organizations Local youth programming Local clubs Local and state organizations State and USSA Divisional USSA Regional and National USSA Regional, National and FIS sanctioned events