Skade - Improving Training for Young Ski Racers

Alpine ski racing debuted at the Olympics in 1936. Since then, there have been many changes in both equipment and training practices. Currently, skill development is achieved through verbal, visual, and kinetic communication between the coach and the racer. Verbal and visual communication are most often achieved while standing still, and kinetic communication is most often achieved through the completion of drills and repetition. Additionally, each racer requires a personalized approach to teaching. Coaches must be able to communicate effectively in order to teach specific and sometimes subtle body movements to racers. There is currently no training device that improves a racer's skills while they are skiing. The proposed product solution is based on an in‐depth study of the user, how they grow, the skills they must master, and the functionality of the human body. This information was gathered through data collection, observational studies, and interviews. The solution enhances verbal and kinetic communication between coaches and racers, and will enable coaches to better train their athletes.