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After finishing at St Leonards in ‘99, I started uni at Deakin and finished in 2003 with a Bachelor of Health Sciences after deferring for a year to follow the snow to Canada and Perisher, NSW to teach skiing.
In 2004/2005 I did an 18 month sports science traineeship with the VIS, where I met some of the people that have shaped my career. After approaching the Olympic Winter Institute of Aust. for employment with any of the snow sport disciplines, I was able to obtain casual camp-based work in 2006 with the aerial skiing program at Mt Buller. As the months and years progressed, I gained a more full time role with the program. In the mean time I have also been employed by the AIS, and now I am full time with the VIS in a very similar role to what I started in, with increasing responsibility as the years go by.
Belinda’s role at the Victorian Institute of Sport entails the following –
As coordinator of the Aerial Skiing program, I manage the athletes’ transition and development to World Cup level aerial skiing. Throughout the Australian winter I take athletes up to Mt Buller where they often see snow for the first time. Apart from teaching them how to balance on 2 planks and slide down snowy hills, I help develop other domestic and life skills to prepare them for overseas travel, as this is often an unfamiliar forthcoming experience.
I then organise and run the major overseas winter training camp in Utah, coaching the athletes on snow and teaching skiing and basic jumping skills specific to successful aerial skiing. I manage the athletes overall development and aim to get as much training done on snow as possible so they are strong and skilled and able to practise aerial tricks on the water ramps, and then prepared for aerial training on snow.
Essentially, my role is to prepare athletes for successful transition into the AIS/World Cup program by developing skiing, water ramping and overall ‘elite-athlete’ training and life skills.
2011 St Leonard’s College Snowsports Information Nights
Monday 28 February, 7.30 pm, Sustainability Centre, Cornish Campus
Thursday 3 March, 7.30 pm, McMillan House and Brighton Campus, TCW Theatre
2011 FOSS Pre-Season Equipment Sale (including a Sausage Sizzle), Wednesday 25 May, 7.30 pm, Merten Gallery
Students and parents are welcome to attend an opportunity to purchase ski or snowboard equipment. A dollar coin entry applies to all those who attend. If students or parents would like to sell items of equipment, a $10 fee applies per table. For further information, please contact Simon Gould.
St Leonard’s Snowsports AGM / Presentation of Awards Night, Saturday 16 October, 5.30 pm
The Commitee invites all members of St Leonard’s Snowsports to attend their Annual General Meeting and Presentation of Awards Night, Saturday 16 October, 5.30 pm at the Whitesides’ House. The night is a special occasion to recognise student (and parent) participation and achievement throughout the year!
St Leonard’s Snowsports Interschool Form – Available Now!
Students can now begin downloading the relevant forms from the website – view in Forms. Registrations are due no later than Monday 19 July, 3.30 pm and must be submitted to Mr Gould in the HSC.
2009 St Leonard’s College Snowsports Report
Throughout 2009, a number of items/articles have been published in the St Leonard’s News and on the St Leonard’s Snowsports Blog, including the Information Nights, Involvement in the Community Fair Day, College Training Program, Development Camp, Championships and Race Training Day and the Subaru Victoria Interschools Championships.
This year the Development Camp was held at Falls Creek in the second week of the College holidays. In superb weather and snow conditions, 45 students and staff attended the week long Camp. It was an amazing experience and enjoyed by all those who attended! I am sure next year’s Development Camp will again be very successful.
The St Leonard’s Snowsports Championships and Race Training Day was held at Mount Buller and proved to be an exciting time for competitors. Unfortunately, the planned Grand Prix Interschools Event that was to substitute for the Championships didn’t eventuate; however, the Grand Prix will again appear on the agenda of competitions in 2010.
Our secondary students achieved an overall 12th place at the Subaru Victoria Interschools Snowsports Championships (from 18 Co-educational Schools). The primary students achieved outstanding results and should be congratulated!
Upper School Annual Sports Luncheon
The Upper School Annual Sports Luncheon provides an opportunity to formally recognise students for their exemplary leadership, dedication and outstanding skill level. The following prestigious awards were presented to students during the Luncheon:
Leanne McLean (Leadership and Contribution) Award
Grace Kingsford and Genevieve Kingsford
Malcolm McComb Award
Grace Kingsford and Genevieve Kingsford
Full Colours
Grace Kingsford, Genevieve Kingsford and Natasha Hicks
Half Colours
William MacDonald
Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Presentation of Awards Night
The AGM and Presentation of Awards Night recognises student achievement at the Subaru Victoria Interschools Snowsports Championships.
Every participant who entered the Subaru Victoria Interschools Snowsports Championships was awarded a Participation Certificate and Gold Medal.
The following awards and recipients received recognition at the Annual Presentations Awards Night:
Encouragement Award – Olivia Wells
Best Team Player (s) Award – Sam Collins and Declan McCarthy
Best Team Performance Award – Tess Leopold and Ruby Maddison
Best Individual Performances for Male and Female Skier and Snowboarder –
Skier: Male – Will MacDonald and Female – Grace Kingsford
Snowboarder: Male – James Whiteside and Female – Tess Leopold
Congratulations to the students who competed at the Interschools Championships and thank you to Mr Andrew Kingsford and Mrs Virginnia Kingsford for hosting the AGM / Presentation of Awards Night and in particular Mrs Virginnia Kingsford, Mrs Gabrielle Wells, Mr Anthony Wells and Mrs Fiona Hicks for organising the catering.
Thank you to our Snowsports Captains Natasha Hicks and Genevieve Kingsford for their enthusiasm and commitment to Snowsports over a number of years.
I would like to extend a sincere appreciation of the enthusiasm, encouragement and counsel from the Snowsports Committee Members for supporting the vision of the program, inclusive, Mrs Fiona Hicks (Secretary), Mr Andrew Hicks (Treasurer), Mr Andrew Peter (General Committee), Mrs Virginia Kingsford (General Committee), Mr Andrew Kingsford (Vice President), Mr Ian Whiteside (President), Mrs Luisa Ingram (Camps Assistant/General Committee) and Mr Tony Baenziger (General Committee).
As I write this report, it is with regret that several Voluntary Committee Members retire from serving on the Committee (after several years of service). Thank you to Mrs Virginnia Kingsford, Mr Andrew Kingsford, Mr Andrew Hicks and Mrs Fiona Hicks for their friendship and wonderful service to the St Leonard’s Snowsports Program.
I look forward to further developing Snowsports at St Leonard’s College in future. If prospective students and parents are interested in finding out about Snowsports at St Leonard’s College, please speak to myself or Mr Ian Whiteside.
Mr Simon Gould, Head of Snowsports
SLSSA Presidents Report – 2009
“2009 has been a year of re-building for the St Leonards Snowsports Program, a year that has seen tremendous growth, with success on many levels, but tinged with a little sadness, with the ‘moving-on’ of some of our more involved Snowsports families.
In early 2008 the Committee needed an injection of assistance both from the school and the wider community after the loss of some key organizers, and new members of the group were required to ‘step-up’ with limited knowledge and experience. After much work, the Development Camp, a mainstay of the yearly program, had to be cancelled at the last minute due to a lack of snow, and difficult circumstances with refunding of monies left a sour taste with many families that was difficult to erase.
2009 has seen a re-invigoration of the program, with a well-organized & highly successful Camp at Falls Creek, a competitive Championship Day at Mt Buller, and a strong attendance at the 2009 Interschools competition. A personal highlight for me was the Team Dinner at USC Lodge, where a large contingent of St Leonards Snowsports families, teachers, and supporters enjoyed an opportunity to get together for a hearty ‘home-cooked’ meal and lively conversation in a relaxed atmosphere – many thanks again to Fiona & USC Lodge, plus the team of cooks, helpers & cleaners!!
Many thanks to the Committee of 2009 for their hard work and persistence, and a special mention of thanks to Louise Daniels, Luisa Ingram, and Simon Gould, who have given of their personal time to support the program as representatives of the school. In particular, Luisa has been present at all of our main program events with a calm head and, when required, a steely resolve, and it would be difficult to imagine our program being implemented without the untiring effort that Simon has given on so many levels, with so much care, and in so many unpaid hours.
Looking forward to 2010, St Leonards will welcome a new Principal, new supporting staff, and the Snowsports Program too will be forced to welcome new blood with the retirement of the Kingsford and Hicks families; new Committee members will be required immediately.
I implore families of Snowsports participants to get involved in any way you can, ideally with a Committee support role; for even a minimal input, the rewards will be many and, we trust, an ever-improving Snowsports experience for St Leonards students and families.”
Ian Whiteside,
President, SLSSA, 2009
17th October 2009
St Leonard's Snowsports Blog 