A.K.A. “Guf”
Head Snowboard Coach

Guf you’ve been in the snowboarding industry for quite a while.  How did you start coaching?

I moved from central Minnesota to Minneapolis to study Graphic Design and Advertising in 2000 at the Art Institute International of Minnesota.  At the time I was a regional and national level competitor and the program director of the National Sports Center’s Community Olympic Development Program, Allison Craft,  had heard I recently relocation to the area.  Allison ask me to joined the CODP’s staff, and within a month of my transition I as a Halfpipe specific freestyle coach for the CODP.  Both Steve Fisher and Nic Batko started their professional snowboarding careers through that program, it was great to be a part of.  It is sad to say, but after 2 years the NSC had cut funding to the CODP and the program dropped.

That is tragic!  What was you next step to success as a coach?

I had come to know influential people in the Midwest snowboard scene over the years and Jessica Zalusky then asked, after the deconstruction of the COPD, to be apart of the coaching staff of the G Team in Bloomington, MN.  It was great to help grow the G Team from 35 athletes and 5 coaches to 367 athletes and 60 coaches within 8 years. As the Athletic Director it took a tremendous amount of dedication and creativity to develop coaches educational and training tactics/approaches for all aspects of athletic development for a team of that size. Jessica and I designed year round training opportunities to keep the riders engaged in snowboarding during the off season including skateboarding, wakeboarding, trampoline, and cross training.  The entire Minneapolis and St. Paul community gave us so much support and backed the G Team 100%.

Wow!  With that many athletes on a team you must have had produced some great talent!

So true!  Brian Robin, Tyler Anderson, Paul Brichta, Mimi Wiencke, Mikaela Casey, and Brennan Swanson spent a countless number of hours making laps on the hard-packed parks of Minnesota!

You’ve always kept yourself busy, I’m assuming you had side projects at the same time.

I really do enjoy staying busy, I find success in significance.  The USASA Frozen Chosen Point Series was in need of a Regional Events director and I stepped up to the plate and hosted events from ‘01 to ‘07 in Western Minnesota and Eastern North and South Dakota.  While working for the USASA I dug deeper into the organization and was asked to coach the USASA All American Team as the Head Halfpipe Coach.  While coaching the AAT I brought home back to back titles at the Trofeo Topolino Junior World Championship Games in ‘04 and ‘05 and had individual podiums at the Swiss National Championships in ‘06.  Wanting even more involvement with the USASA, I collaborated with Jon Casson and a few other national level coaches and became a USASA Coaches Trainer in 2007.  In conjuntion with the USASA Coach Training porgram the USSA got involved for the advancement of coaches education and the US Snowboard Coaches Eduaction Committee was what became of the USASA Coaches Trainer program after the USSA joined in.  Just before then, Jessica started hosting USSA Revolution Tour events at Spirit Mountain in Duluth, MN and had asked me to help facilitate the events.  With my experience as a USASA events director my sole purpose was to design the Slopestyle and Boardercross courses for the USSA  Revolution Tour stop at Spirit Mountain in 06′ and ‘07.  Surrounding myself with USSA I was able to come to know the US Snowboarding Program Manager Abbi Nyberg and USSA Sport Committee Chairman Mike Mallon.  I believe because of my relationships and previous results I was asked to work with Bud Keene at the USSA Junior Project Gold Camp in the Spring of ‘09.  Like I said, I enjoy staying busy.

Are you kidding me? You did and do all of that?

Yep, that’s right.