Sasha Nations
On snow background:
As a Colorado native, I have been on the snow since the age of 2 years old. At the age of 8 my parents asked if I wanted to join the ski club that winter; I responded “YES!” However, this was the first time that I told them I wanted to try snowboarding, and off I went.
When I was in my early teens, I began competing in different snowboard contests such as, boarder-cross and slope style events. As I finished with high school, I decided to stay in Colorado and attend the University of Denver, so I could continue to snowboard competitively while receiving my higher education. As I continued to snowboard I began to evolve my knowledge of the snowboard industry. I began to taking every avenue available along the way, until I found one that fit with me.
Your history of working with youth and coaching:
While in high school I began to work at Copper Mountain as a snowboard instructor, since I was still an adolescent myself, I found working with the youth department was a good fit. During college I continued to instruct and also competed competitively in snowboarding. I was approached by several different parents asking me to work with their children as a snowboard coach. I was in college at the time and could always use the extra cash; moreover it led me to begin to take several different classes on sports psychology and adolescents; to further enrich my ability to help develop future athletes, while also seeking different coaching clinics to attend.
After college I continued to coach different athletes, while working in the snowboard sales business. This has allowed me to build different relationships throughout the winter-sports industry, whiles still staying in a position that allowed me to continue to coach upcoming athletes.
A brief description about yourself that makes you stand out from the rest, and some of your coaching goals:
-An idea is only an idea until you write it down; then it becomes a goal-
As a Leader, I find that by demonstrating logical thinking skills and the ability to solve problems on a daily basis, it has led to my success; in coaching many youth athletes in more than one avenue of snowboarding and other individual sports.
Now knowing all the knowledge that I have been earned, and I am learning things that I should have already learned; I have chosen to go back to school for a PHD in phycology; I feel this will further enrich my ability to work with the youth athlete, while developing their skills as a competitor and in life. I will still continue to work with the Team here; however, I just have to do more driving around.
What do you like to do outside of skiing/riding that makes you a better coach:
**I set goals- whether they are accomplished on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. Each day I wake up and try to be the best person I can be…Therefore confining my interest to what makes me a better person – well that just comes from what makes me tick. Whether I am overcoming a fear of my own, or scaring myself doing something that makes me think how it feels to walk a mile in some else’s shoes; each day I live my life to the fullest with no regrets.
Email: Sasha@TeamSummit.org
