SSC Racing Coaching Team
Head Coach
Calum Shepherd
Qualifications:
UKSS Alpine L2 Performance Coach
BASI Alpine L3 ISIA Instructor
I’ve been skiing since I was 4, racing since I was 11, coaching since 16, and now SSC Head Coach since 2021. I grew up spending most weekends of the winter training at Glenshee, based out of the SSC hut, and have grown to love all things skiing. I competed internationally for four years at FIS level whilst studying at Heriot-Watt University. I wasn’t the most decorated ski racer by any means, but I loved the whole process, and gained so much more from it than just learning how to ski fast! I want to pass that on to the younger generations and keep them engaged in snow skiing.
Outside of SSC, I am involved in running student ski races, including for British Universities and Colleges Sport, and you might see me coaching for other teams occasionally. I also dabble in software development!
Club Coach & Head Coach, Bearsden Racing
Kirsty Crawford
Qualifications:
UKSS Alpine L1 Performance Coach
BASI Alpine L3 ISIA Instructor
Alpine Technical Delegate
Starting on skis from the age of 2, I have been coaching for over ten years, both in Scotland and across the Alps with experience gained from working with race clubs such as Sandown Park, Team Evolution and CDC. I have over 5 seasons experience working in France, improving and training towards gaining higher qualifications. I am now Head Coach at Bearsden Racing, one of SSC’s partner clubs, and most recently I qualified as the youngest female Technical Delegate (TD) to support the BASS races held in Scotland, now working towards becoming a FIS (international) TD.
Club Coach & Parent
Duncan Freshwater
Qualifications:
BASI Alpine L4 ISTD Instructor
Initially skiing with Cairngorm Ski Club and then the Scottish Ski Team, I turned to instruction and coaching, becoming a BASI trainer from 1997 till 2022. Skiing has been a huge part of my life and taken me all over the world, from AUS & NZ to CAN & USA, from ARG & CHI to CHN & KOR plus all over Europe. I initially coached with CSC before becoming Head Coach of both the RAF Alpine Ski Team and Kandahar Ski Club for many years.
I’ve been Performance Director with Snowsport Scotland, Snowsport GB, British Disability Snowsport and British Universities and Colleges Sport. I was PD & Head Coach to 5 Winter Universiades, taking 27 athletes across the 5 games winning 2 podiums, was PD to Vancouver Olympics 2010, and as PD to PyeongChang Paralympics 2018, where the team won 7 medals, still Britain’s highest medal count at any winter games.
Club Coach
Duncan Shepherd
Qualifications:
UKSS Alpine L2 Performance Coach
BASI Alpine L2 Instructor
Duncan has been coaching in Scotland for many years and has a great deal of experience. He has coached regularly on the slopes of Aberdeen for both ASC and GSnow, spent many a weekend at Glenshee and occasionally Cairngorm, and on camps in the Alps with several British clubs. He also spent many years as a parent of a ski racer (see above!), both in British children’s racing at at FIS level. Duncan is also an accomplished golfer and masters ski racer.
Club Coach
Thomas Rofe
Qualifications:
UKSS Alpine L2 Performance Coach
BASI Alpine L2 Instructor
I have been skiing since I was 3 years old and actively involved with coaching since 16. I have coached both in Scotland and internationally, with the bulk of my work at home with LSR. While I was growing up I spent most of my weekends training with SSC at Cairngorm.
Getting a love of ski racing from a young age, I travelled around Europe competing at multiple international events. Since finishing my racing career, I have finished two degrees at university as well as moving into coaching. Through my coaching work I have found a passion in passing on the knowledge I have gained to the next generation of ski racers.
Club Coach
Jemma Clarke
Qualifications:
UKSS Alpine L1 Performance Coach
UKSS Mountain Induction Training
BASI Alpine L1 Instructor
From first skiing aged 3, I fell in love with the sport and have had over 15 years of racing experience. I started out at Hillend, before progressing to training and racing in the Scottish mountains and across Europe. After three years of FIS racing, I made the move to coaching. I gained so many great friendships, skills and life experiences from growing up ski racing, and it has been great to contribute to younger athletes having a similar experience!
I’m also involved student ski racing, helping to run races in Scotland. Outside of skiing, I work in financial advisory, and still have time to play the bassoon occasionally!
Club Coach & President
Mark Blyth
Club President, Olympian, consultant surgeon and most importantly a stable and consistent coaching force as part of the SSC coaching program for many years. Mark was also once an SSC trainee, and has been giving back to Scottish ski racing for many years. There is no weather that can stop his group from skiing all day, and smiling all day too. He and Rachael have three kids who have been through the British ski racing pathway all the way up to full-time FIS level.