Foothills Nordic Ski Club

Aspiring greatness. Celebrating Canada’s winter spirit.

   Image by Roy Custodio

Nordic Ski Programs


Foothills programs are lead by an outstanding team of qualified and experienced volunteer and paid coaches. We deliver high quality Cross-Country skiing and Biathlon programs and events in a friendly and supportive environment where members can improve fitness, learn first-rate technique, form skiing friendships, and strive for competitive excellence. We are proud of the Foothills standard of excellence and are confident you’ll enjoy our programs.


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Founded

Full-Time Coaches

Members

Volunteer Coaches

STRONG FOR LIFE



LET FOOTHILLS NORDIC TAKE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO NEW HEIGHTS!

   Image by Tyson Smith

COACHING STAFF


FNSC is home to a highly qualified coaching staff consisting of full-time, professional coaches as well as volunteer parent leaders and part-time coaches.

  • Tyson Smith
  • Georg Jalkotzy

ABOUT TYSON SMITH


HEAD BIATHLON COACH

Tyson has been skiing and racing with Foothills Nordic for as long as he can remember. He competed in his first cross country ski race, The Cookie Race, at the age of five years old. Tyson may have finished dead last in this race but he still ate the most cookies of anyone. Over the following years Tyson joined FNSC’s ski and biathlon programs. Here, he discovered that he could actually get better at cross country skiing and still eat lots of cookies. At the age of ten Tyson won his first Cookie race (while still probably eating the most cookies of anyone). Since then Tyson worked his way up through the Foothills programs, representing the club for numerous years on cross country and biathlon provincial/national teams. Now coaching for FNSC, Tyson works hard to provide biathlon programs where both recreational and highly competitive biathletes of all ages can thrive.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Head Biathlon Coach, Foothills Nordic Ski Club (Current)
  • Team Alberta Head Male Coach 2019 Canada Winter Games
  • Team Alberta Head Male Coach at 2015 Canada Winter Games
  • Team Alberta National Championships coach from 2013-2016
  • Head Coach at 2015 Biathlon Alberta South Korean Biathlon Exchange

SKIING  EXPERIENCE

  • First year nordic ski racing: 1992
  • First year biathlon racing: 1995
  • Canadian National Team biathlete 2005-2012
  • Team Alberta biathlete 2000-2012
  • First year coaching: 2012

RECOGNITION

  • 2016 Biathlon Canada Coach of the Year

CERTIFICATIONS

  • NCCP Competition Development Certified

ABOUT Georg Jalkotzy


HEAD PERFORMANCE CROSS COUNTRY COACH

Georg has been skiing with Foothills since he was invited out by a school friend in first grade. His earliest memories on skis were struggling to stay on his feet on a windy, icy grid at Canada Olympic Park. As he grew up through the cross country program, he was drawn to the self improvement aspects of competition. His favorite race each year was the Alberta Cup finale held at Mount Shark where the podium was awarded blocks of parmesan cheese. This prize went unbested until racing a European tour in Italy and France where hunks of prosciutto were on offer. Georg went on to represent the club on provincial and junior national teams before transitioning from racing to coaching while living in Quebec City.

Coaching Experience

  • Head Cross Country Coach, Foothills Nordic (Current)
  • Assistant Cross Country Coach, Foothills Nordic (2023)
  • Youth Cross Country Coach, Foothills Nordic (2019-2022)
  • Head Cross Country Coach, Foothills Nordic (2011)
  • Assistant Cross Country Coach, Skibec (2009-2010)

Club SPonsors