Trail to Gold Fellowship (T2G)

Trail to Gold Fellowship (T2G)

Organization: National Nordic Foundation (VT, US) in partnership with US Olympic Women's Cross-Country Book Project, Women Ski Coaches Association (WSCA), and US Ski and Snowboard

Purpose: To provide promising women coaches and technicians in the United States the opportunity to gain international-level coaching and ski technician experience at the World Cup.

Geographic Scope

• United States (fellows)
• Europe (World Cup placements)

Focus Areas

• Women coaching development
• Ski technician development
• International coaching experience
• Gender equity in coaching

Eligibility

• Women coaches working at any competition level of US skiing
• Ski technicians
• Previous T2G Fellows (may apply again)
• Coaches from across competition levels encouraged to apply (junior, collegiate, elite)

What They Fund

• Funding to travel to Europe
• Participation with US Ski Team coaching and wax technician staff
• 2-week competition period of World Cup
• All aspects of coaching and wax tech training at elite level

Program Description

• T2G Fellows serve as coaching and ski tech interns with the American World Cup Team
• Fellows gain exposure to duties and responsibilities of coaching at sport's highest level
• Fellows work as integral part of US Ski Team staff throughout Fellowship
• Goal: Further coaching skills and allow fellows to take learnings back to their own programs

Background

• Inaugural class: 2022-23 World Cup season
• Designated as NNF Pillar Project starting 2023-24 season
• Named after "Trail to Gold: The Journey of 53 Women Skiers" book (published November 2021) written by U.S. Olympic Women Cross-Country Skiers, 1972-2018
• Book committee donated net proceeds to develop U.S. women coaches and technicians
• Addresses key gender inequity in US ski community
• Collaboration aims to raise knowledge and experience level of American women cross-country ski coaches
• Goal to increase number of qualified international-level coaches and service technicians

Contact

• Website: nationalnordicfoundation.org
• Social media: Facebook, Instagram
• Apply through: Online application portal