How do I get selected to take part in the Alberta Ski Team and Alberta Devp Team 2015-16?

In the spirit of good communication, I thought I'd share a bit of information here about how athletes get selected to the Alberta Ski Teams.   The attempt here is to demystify the selection process by sharing in plain language what an athlete needs to do to be selected.  It is my belief, that when athletes have a clear image of the goal, they are much more likely to strive to accomplish the goal. The information that follows is meant to accompany the selection criteria found at xcountryab.net

Alberta Ski Team - 2015-16

The first priority to qualifying spots on this team is given to athletes who win a medal at nationals or qualify for the world junior championships team.  An athlete who accomplishes one of these two things will be selected ahead of all other athletes qualifying by different criteria.  This is meant to ensure that the fastest athletes in Alberta are represented on the AST.

The second way to qualify for the 2015-16 AST is based on the best 6 of 10 finishes in the Alberta Cup Series.  Finish positions in races are assigned AB Cup points.  Athletes will be selected based on these aggregate points.  The athlete with the highest aggregate points from 6 of 10 (or the stated ratio found in the selection criteria document in the event of race cancellations) AB Cup races will be selected for available positions ahead of the athlete with the second highest aggregate points, etc.  This is for each of the eligible categories including the birth year groupings of 1999, 1997-98, 1996, 1993-95.  A prescribed minimum number of athletes from each of these groupings is assigned in the criteria.   The intent of using AB Cup points for selection is to revitalize the AB Cup series as the premier race series for developmental athletes in Alberta.

Are there any other ways that an athelte can be selected for the AST?  yes, there are several discretionary positions.  These are meant for athletes who did not qualify either by being a national medalist/world jr team athlete or  by AB Cup aggregate points but who nonetheless perform at a high level.  e.g. an athlete whose CPL points are higher than athletes qualifying by AB Cup aggregate points. This could happen where an athlete chooses to attend a Noram race instead of an AB Cup race because that is the appropriate level of competition for them to improve. Again, the intention is to ensure that the AST includes the fastest skiers in Alberta.  If you feel you have an athlete in your club that this applies to, then I'd encourage you to write a letter to the CCA Technical Committee who will review and consider the athlete for a discretionary position.

Alberta Development Team 2015-16

This initiative recognizes athletes born in 1999, 2000, and 2001.  To be selected to this team, an athlete must earn Alberta Cup points in the race category intended for them.  e.g. for an athlete born in 2001, Alberta Cup points need to be earned in the midget category; for athletes born 1999 and 2000, Alberta Cup points must be earned in the Juvenile category.

Only Alberta Cup points will be used in the selection of athletes for the Alberta Development Team.  To be selected to the ADT, athletes born in 2001 and 2000 need to be among the top 5 AB Cup point earners using the best 6 finishes of the 10 Alberta Cup points.  Five male athletes and five female athletes born in 2001 and five males and five females born in 2000 will be selected.

Two males and two females born in 1999 will also be selected.  As two males and two females born 1999 will be selected to the AST, the 1999 athletes selected to the ADT will be the 3rd and 4th ranked 1999 athletes on the AB Cup point list using their best 6 of 10 AB races.  Two males and two females born 1999 will be selected to the ADT.