John’s Experience

John blends knowledge and experience in coaching alpine skiing, cognitive psychology and mindfulness to provide new and refreshing ways to learn and improve your skiing.

His experience in snowsports is unique. Early days as an adolescent ski racer on UK artificial ski slopes, Scottish ski resorts and the Austrian Alps. He began his coaching journey in the early 80’s when he studied Performance Sports Coaching at Edinburgh’s sports College. Here he gained a deep insight into how athletes from all sports training were achieving their goals.

John went on to coach the Scottish Ski Team in Scotland and Austria and for six years, travelling to New Zealand in their winters, where he was Director of the Mt Hutt Racing Department and coach to regional New Zealand ski racers. Back in the UK he gained promotion to Director of Coaching for the Scottish Governing Body of Skiing where he led athlete pathways and coach education. A full time post funded by the Scottish Sports Council. At this time, as National Coach, he sat on several working groups contributing to the development of sport, including skiing, in Scotland and the UK.

When he left ski racing coaching after 15 years, he had gathered a respected reputation as a coach to ski racers, managing athletes and in coach education. The following ten years he was recruited by the lead body of ski teachers in the UK, the British Association of Ski Instructors (BASI). Here he trained and qualified ski teachers to the highest international level at ski resorts throughout Europe and America.

At this time John significantly contributed to writing training manuals and introducing up to date learning / coaching methods to the training of ski teachers. He ran numerous training courses for ski teacher trainers to improve their coaching and training competence. He was considered an expert by his peers, liked for his considered approaches, depth of understanding and personable manner.

Over the past ten years he has travelled extensively, teaching recreational skiers in ski schools and running his own coaching weeks in France and Italy. He has helped all levels of skiers to improve their skiing including on piste learners, off piste skiing and back country adventures. He continues to share his approaches through In The Curve skiing courses.

John’s Qualifications

Academic –

MSc Degree in Mindfulness Studies – Aberdeen University
Post Graduate Diploma in Performance Coaching – Moray House College of Education, Edinburgh
Post Graduate Diploma in Mindfulness – Aberdeen University

Professional –

Certified Life and Business Coach – Results Coaching Systems
Certified NLP Practitioner – Brain Train
Mindfulness Teacher – Mindfulness Association
Waveform Practitioner – Waveform Energetics
Positive Psychology Practitioner – Vanguard Project

Linked In profile read here.

Snowsports –

International Ski Teachers Diploma Level 4 – British Association of Snowsport Instructors
Alpine Performance Coach – Snowsport Scotland and New Zealand Ski Instructors Alliance
Alpine Development Coach – Snowsport England
Alpine Ski Leader Tutor – Snowsport Scotland
Artificial Slope Ski Instructor – Snowsport England

Professional Membership –

Member of the British Association of Snowsport Instructors, qualified to the highest International level and certified to coach and teach Alpine skiing Europe and World wide and follow BASI’s code of ethics and best practice guidelines.