Snowboarders hit powder
Fort Liard students show their skills at clinic
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, April 7, 2016
ACHO DENE KOE/FORT LIARD
Twenty-one snowboarders from Fort Liard have been hitting the slopes hard for the past week, both in the hamlet and on the hills at Powder King, a ski resort in northern B.C.
Jolan Kotchea, left, waits as Echo Dene principal Brad Carrier helps fellow snowboarders Stan Bertrand and Ross Duntra secure Kotchea's boot bindings. - photo courtesy of Reel Youth
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The recreation centre's snowboarding program was blessed with what recreation co-ordinator Roslyn Firth said was "perfect snow" this year, leading to a season of learning.
Snowboarders hit Powder King from April 1 to 3, following a clinic in Fort Liard.
Firth said the clinic focused on jumps and rails, two aspects of the sport the athletes don't get as much time on.
The clinic was taught by Echo Dene School principal Brad Carrier and community member Collin Woehl.
"The kids learned a lot. For the first time this year, we had a couple of Ski-Doos so the kids were getting towed up the hill constantly. They had way more runs and were able to learn a lot on their own," Firth said.
"The more runs they get in, the more they've learned and the faster they progress."
Firth said taking the athletes to Powder King allowed her to evaluate their skill on the slopes. That was important so she could choose which athletes to bring with her to the Northwest Territories Boardsports Association's territorial championships over the coming weekend.
Aside from evaluating boarders' skills on the hill, Firth said bringing them to Powder King allowed new boarders to develop their skills faster than expected.
Three in particular - Tyler Bertrand, Tyrone Berreault-McLeod and Leona Berreault - were all new to the sport.
"Every single one of them, I would say they're pretty proficient riders now," she said.
"They had just one lesson on the morning the first day we were there, and after that they actually got up on the chairlift and started going down the bigger hills. That was quite surprising for me because the first time people get on snowboards, it's very challenging, really tiring ... and difficult."
As for the upcoming championships, Firth plans to bring some of her boarders to Yellowknife to compete.
"The Northwest Territories Boardsport Association is going to gather as many riders as possible in Yellowknife ... and have (the championship) as a clinic (and) a way to evaluate kids who may be coming up for the next Arctic Winter Games," she said.
"I have four athletes in mind. I'm waiting for the details."
The four she plans to take are Tyrus Bertrand, Keanna McLeod, Cameron Bertrand and Chase Berreault.
