Lessons from Marie Ève
- “You don’t need to be a former elite athlete to be a high-performance coach.”
Passion, curiosity, and commitment matter more than medals.
- “If it were easy, everyone would do it.”
Leadership is about navigating constant complexity, not eliminating it.
- “We’re not just developing athletes — we’re developing good humans.”
Maturity, ownership, and perspective are core performance outcomes.
- “Success feels different when you’ve worked through adversity to get there.”
Growth-based success is deeper than a single good result.
- “This program exists to fill a gap — and that gap has been costing us athletes.”
The CAST D team keeps athletes in the pathway during a fragile transition stage.
- “Exposure to high-level racing matters, even before the results come.”
Athletes need to spar at the level they’re trying to reach.
- “As coaches, we’re managers of people — but we’re rarely trained for that.”
Leadership and management skills are as critical as technical knowledge.
- “The better you understand yourself, the more you can trust your instincts.”
Self-awareness strengthens confidence and decision-making.
- “We all make mistakes — what matters is how we reflect and grow from them.”
Development applies to coaches just as much as athletes.
- “Different athletes need different cues — even when the goal is the same.”
Coaching effectiveness comes from adaptability, not rigid systems.
LEARN MORE – WATCH THE FULL WIC WEBINAR
Women in Coaching Webinar – Summary
Date: February 5
Duration: 58 minutes
Guest Speaker: Marie Ève Boulliand, Head Coach – Alpine Canada Women’s Development (CAST D) Team
Host: Ally Dandy, Head Coach – TSC U16 OCup Program
Purpose & Context
This national Women in Coaching webinar brought together coaches from across Canada in collaboration with the CSIA Women in Skiing Summit. The session focused on high-performance athlete pathways, leadership development, and the unique challenges and opportunities for women in alpine ski coaching.
Key Program Insight – CAST D Women’s Development Team
Marie Ève outlined the role of the CAST D Women’s Program, which was reintroduced to bridge the long-standing gap between provincial teams and the national C Team.
- Targets athletes typically in U21 / late junior years
- Provides structured exposure to NorAm, Europa Cup, and European racing environments
- Creates more homogeneous performance groups than provincial systems can often support
- Helps reduce athlete drop-off during a critical transition phase in the pathway
The program focuses on readiness, experience, and long-term development rather than immediate results.
Leadership & Coaching Lessons
- Elite coaching does not require an elite athlete background; passion, curiosity, and reflection are key
- Leadership involves managing people, logistics, uncertainty, and constant change
- Coaching success extends beyond podiums to athlete maturity, ownership, and resilience
- High-level exposure is valuable even before results appear
- Sustainable success comes from long-term investment and trust in the process
Coach Development – On & Off Snow
On Snow
- Collaborative technical discussions with senior coaches
- Video review and debate to refine athlete-specific cueing
- Adapting tasks and language to match individual learning styles
Off Snow
- Informal mentorship networks (including coaches from other sports)
- Reflection and peer debriefing
- Leadership and management education to complement technical expertise
Leadership Education – Key Learning
Marie Ève highlighted the impact of completing a microprogram in management and leadership for sport coaches. A major takeaway was the importance of self-awareness:
- Understanding personal values, motivations, and non-negotiables
- Recognizing strengths and blind spots
- Learning to trust instincts through deeper self-knowledge
Research discussed in the program emphasized that investing in the person is more impactful than focusing solely on technical or governance skills.
Key Takeaway
Great coaching develops strong athletes and strong humans. Long-term success in high-performance sport is built through leadership, self-awareness, mentorship, and a commitment to continuous growth — for both athletes and coaches