FIONA GALLAGHER, trainer of Ireland's first Schools Ski Alpine Racing Team
Whose idea was it to form an Irish schools skiing squad?
This was something that Aidan Gallagher of the Sports Federation of Ireland had been talking about for some time. He felt that Ireland should have its own skiing team.
Why? At the risk of stating the obvious, we don’t have snow
We don’t. But we do have lots of excellent skiers. One of our trainers at the National Snow Sports Centre in Kilternan even represented Ireland at the Winter Olympics in Canada. Obviously we have to train on plastic rather than snow, but a lot of these kids ski abroad frequently during the winter. Some also train in snow domes in the UK during the summer.
How was the squad selected?
In May 2011 we put the word out to schools all over Ireland that we were going to have a trials race. We had 73 competitors, male and female, competing for 10 places. So the ones who’ve made the squad have already accomplished something they can be very proud of. Some of them would have been pretty weak skiers to begin with but they’ve made tremendous progress now.
You put the word out in schools all over Ireland, but of course the only artificial slope is in south Co Dublin
People travel. One of our squad is from Northern Ireland. Another is from Cork. But yes, I’m sure there are lots of kids who have the talent but just don’t live in the right place.
Have the words “Jamaican bobsleigh team” been bandied about?
They have. I don’t think we belong quite in that category, to be honest. The thing is though, because we’re from what’s classified as a lowland country, that is to say a country that doesn’t have snow, we can select children from different schools all over the country. Countries such as France and Austria can only select their squads from one school. And it can’t be a specialist ski school. So that’s one advantage we have.
As advantages go, it hardly beats having snow on the ground
It doesn’t. But the English team are in the same boat. They have snow domes, but they don’t have snow. Scotland doesn’t have snow on a permanent basis either. Neither do Iran or Israel.
The World School’s Championship takes place in Italy in March. What is the squad’s training commitment like?
We train on the plastic in Kilternan twice a week. The team can do the basics there and get a feel for racing. But they can’t practice the terrain, and that’s a big disadvantage. Luckily, most of the squad would have been abroad over the Christmas holiday. They also also trained on the glacier in Tignes in October.
Given that this is Ireland’s first time competing, what are the team’s goals in the competition?
Our goal is to participate, to achieve whatever success we can achieve, and then to develop on that in subsequent years. On an individual level, I want each member of the team to do their personal best. I’ve got five members on each team, boys and girls, and if one of them is not producing their personal best, that will disappoint me. It will disappoint them too.
The costs associated with competitive skiing in this country would be prohibitive to all but a tiny minority of students nationwide
Yes, the cost of equipment, in particular, at this level is extremely high and parents have been very supportive. Top Flight have been able to help with some of the travel costs, but we really need a sponsor at this stage. My own role is totally voluntary. Basically, I think it’s good for the kids as it keeps them off the streets.
Presumably, these are all privately educated students. Do you think many of them are likely candidates for juvenile delinquency?
Well maybe not juvenile delinquency, but when young people aren’t active they can become very lethargic and apathetic. This isn’t something that will land in their lap, they have to strive for it. It gives them a focus. Will we win? Unlikely. Will we be good ambassadors for Ireland? Absolutely.
