Curtis Sinton - Head Coach

Mark Whitteron - Freestyle Canada/NCCP Supercoach certified

Julian Kapronczai - Freestyle Canada/NCCP Supercoach certified

David Cooksley - Freestyle Canada/NCCP Supercoach certified

Jeremy German

Megan Gunning

Lia Sayers

Mitchell Dawson

Nikolas Worobey

Head Coach

​

We are proud to announce that Curtis will be joining us again for another great season with SAFSC. Curtis will be coaching the Competition and Competition Development team, as well as running the team as our Head Coach and Program Director. Known as the airbag fashion extraordinaire king, Curtis is always sure to bring his vast knowledge, experience and humour. 

​

GET TO KNOW CURTIS:

​

What is your background in freestyle skiing?
I started freestyle at the age of 12 converting from snowboarding to try out the sport at Fortress Mountain, from that point on Freestyle Skiing has been my passion. I was quite determined to never specialize but ended up skiing on the Alberta Mogul Team for one season as my last year as a competitor. This will be my 7th season coaching for SAFSC and my 3rd season as Head Coach. 
Years on skis: 22
Years competing: 7

What coaching courses have you taken?

CFSA: Club Coach, Park & Pipe Module, TSM 1&2, Air 1,2,3,4a,(SuperCoach)Gymnastics: Foundations, Trampoline level 1NCCP: Make Ethical Decisions, Teaching and Learning, Planning a Practice, Basic Mental Skills, Nutrition, Design a Basic Sport Program, Managing Conflict, Coaching and Leading Effectively, Developing Athletic Abilities, Prevention and Recovery, Psychology of Performance, Leading Drug-free Sport 

What is your proudest ski career moment?  
My proudest ski career moment would be very hard to narrow down, for me it does not really come down to a specific result, but more being able to travel and experience competition as both an athlete and a coach at national level events. 

What was your biggest struggle during your competitive career?

The biggest struggle for me during my competitive career was to produce runs that would be equal to those executed in training. Another challenge for me was injuries, although not the injuries themselves but more adhering to recovery time and complete rehabilitation, as my drive to compete was so high.

What are you doing outside of coaching? 
Last spring I graduated from Mount Royal University with a Bachelor of Applied Business and Entrepreneurship for Sport and Recreation. I also work part-time as an arborist. 

What are you goals as a coach? 
My coaching philosophy is to apply my knowledge and experience to create a fun and safe environment for athletes. Encourage and motivate progression and innovation and build athletes on and off snow. “Leave no stone unturned” My goal as a coach is to get athletes as stoked on skiing as they get me. 

Why did you decide to coach for Southern Alberta Freestyle? 
For me it was an opportunity to give back to Southern for the awesome years I had as an athlete. I had a sense of pride and belonging to SAFSC and feel blessed to have had inspiring coaches such as Rafael Guembes and Marc Shymko to name just a few. 

Who is your role model?
There are many influential skiers that I could list as my role models when it comes to skiing. Watching action sports films, the Xgames, & Olympic athletes in any discipline as well as any “Underdog” with a strong drive to succeed is how I find my role models. My role models are always changing. The one consistent role model for me would by my dad AL, who introduced me to skiing and to freestyle and even had a brief coaching stint with SAFSC!

If you could have any super power, what would it be?
I would like to fly, like an eagle.

​

Freestylerz Coach

​

Returning for another year with SAFSC, but this time as a coach, we'd like to introduce Mark Whitteron! Mark is a fun loving guy sure to make any day on snow awesome! Mark will be joining us this season as a Jumps and Bumps coach. Welcome!

​

GET TO KNOW MARK:

​

What is your background in freestyle skiing?
Years on skis: 15
Years competing: 4

What coaching courses have you taken?
Club Coach.

What is your proudest ski career moment?  
Flipping the Castle Mountain big-air jump for the first time. It was a really windy/cold day and that jump is just plain terrifying. I finally committed to doing the trick on my last training jump, thanks to some in-air comforting from Curtis on the knuckle. But more than anything, I am proud to have been a part of such an awesome and supportive community that is Alberta Freestyle. 

What was your biggest struggle during your competitive career? 
My biggest struggle was always putting off new tricks/runs until right before competitions. It wasn’t until late in my career that I prepared in advance for events an it helped my performance a lot.

Did you have any competition rituals?
I always fist-bumped and thanked the starter after they cleared me to drop-in. I also loved to have my friends and coach around me in the moments before my run. Nothing like having good tunes in your ear and cheers from all your buddies when you drop-in!

Do you have a skiing philosophy? 
Keep it fun! Style is everything, and of course, you have to get sketchy once in a while, it keeps you on your toes!

What are you doing outside of coaching? 
I am currently a first-year business student at the University of Calgary.

What are you goals as a coach? 
The sky is truly the limit. I would love to become super-coach certified in the next year or two. But most of all, I want to develop stylish, confident, and well rounded skiers for life. And hey, if I can teach them a thing or two about life that would be cool too!

Why did you decide to coach for Southern Alberta Freestyle? 
I decided to coach for Southern because it feels like my second family. Southern continues to develop great athletes from the foundation up. Having athletes as young as the Jumps & Bumps age training in the same environment as the competitive athletes is something you don’t see in most clubs, and it shows in the amazing skills our younger athletes have. Southern is a club that I feel allows me to grow as a coach along with my athletes, and that is very exciting for me.

Who is your role model?
In skiing, my role-models are all my friends I ski with, plus all the professional skiers in which I try to take parts of their style in creating my own. (examples: Chris Bentchetler, Banks Gilberti, Jossi Wells, TheBunch.) 
Off the slopes, my role models are my parents, my sister, and anyone who is passionate and driven towards their goals in life. 

If you could have any super power, what would it be?
I would want the super power to stop myself from procrastinating, that would be a very practical super power for me.

​

Freestylerz Coach

Fresh off his impressive mogul skiing career, David Cooksley joins us for his 2nd season as a coach. David completed his SUPERCOACH training this past summer in Whistler, AB and we are excited to welcome him back to his former club. With all of David's experience as a high level mogul skier, we are sure he will become a role model to athletes of all ages. David will be joining the team as a Jumps and Bumps coach. Welcome David Cooksley !!

​

GET TO KNOW DAVID:

​

What is your background in freestyle skiing?
Years on skis: 20
Years competing: 11

What coaching courses have you taken?

Club Coach, TSM 1, TSM 2, Park & Pipe, Air 1, Air 2, Air 3, Air 4

What is your proudest ski career moment?

First noram final

What was your biggest struggle during your competitive career?

Mental issues

Did you have a competition rituals?

Yes, a specific warm-up routine

Do you have a skiing philosophy?

No

What are you doing outside of coaching?

U of C engineering

What are you goals as a coach?

Maintain Alberta’s mogul program strength

Why did you decide to coach for Southern Alberta Freestyle?

My old team

Who is your role model?

Don’t have one

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Time travel

Fundamentals Coach

Info

Fundamentals