Zachary Hall: SR Program MANAGER & Head COACH Comp Biathlon
CONTACT: ZHALL@UOLF.ORG | 907-227-2699
COACHING PHILOSOPHY: I love helping young people develop their potential as athletes and members of society. Nordic skiing and Biathlon are two paradigms that I use to stretch individuals physically and mentally while reinforcing broader life lessons. I strive to cultivate an environment where athletes embrace challenge as a key driver of personal excellence. Learning how to goal set is a key to success. Once we have identified our goals, our best learning comes when we are operating on the edge of our abilities. Through this process we reinforce the habit of focused practice and iterative learning. There is a finite life to being an athlete and ultimately I want athletes to appreciate that athletics can take them many places, from back-country lakes and mountain tops to possible appearances in a Jr. National Championships, racing on a Collegiate ski team or even the Olympics someday. BIO: Zach grew up ski racing in Alaska and attended Dartmouth College where he raced with the varsity XC team and earned a degree in Psychology & Brain Sciences. He was a member of the US Biathlon Development and National Teams from 2007-2011, winning the overall NorAm Cup once and qualifying as an alternate for both the 2010 Olympic Team & 2011 World Championship Team. Zach spent his first 'retired' years working with an Alaskan travel marketing firm and growing programs to support Alaskan athletes. He was a founding member and Head Coach of the Anchorage Biathlon Club and helped launch Alaska Biathlon Association. He was also involved for several years with NANANordic and Skiku, programs that teach skiing and biathlon across Alaska. His efforts helped multiple athletes achieve berths on both the US Youth/Jr World Championship Teams and Arctic Winter Games Teams. Since moving to Utah in 2016, Zach has been involved with XC & Biathlon at Soldier Hollow, launching biathlon sport development programs in 2017 and overseeing redevelopment of the 2002 Olympic Biathlon Range to bring it up to current international standards. He is excited to coach alongside great colleagues who are working together to support Team SoHo athletes as they pursue their goals! |
Gerrit Garberich: Head COACH Comp XC
CONTACT: GGARBERICH@UOLF.ORG | 218-839-6340
COACHING PHILOSOPHY: K- keep I - it S- simple S- ski coach I strive to get athletes to focus and think about what they can do and control to become a better ski racer. Focus on training, technique, and fueling their training to get the most out of themselves. Practice should be a judgement free zone where athletes feel safe so they don't have to overcome the fear of failure. Athletes should take advantage of this safe space to learn and improve. My hope is all of the athletes I coach will know if they had a good race before they see the results. BIO: Coach Gerrit has taken over the Comp Head Coach role from Coach Sara. He hails from the skiing mecca of Central Minnesota where he got his start as a Nordic skier in high school and was training year-round for skiing and biathlon by the time he was a senior. He spent the next four years ski racing and studying exercise physiology at the College of Saint Scholastica in Duluth, MN. While in College he met his wife, another skier (and now new teacher at the Soldier Hollow Charter School!) and proposed to her in the fall of their senior year. Following his collegiate ski career, he has spent the past few years coaching summers for clubs in MN, including CXC, and during the fall and winter seasons was busy as an assistant coach for one season at his Alma Mater in the midwest and two seasons at Williams College, a member of the Eastern Intercollegiate Association. Coach Garberich just finished his M.S. degree in Exercise Science and Nutrition. When he's not coaching skiing, you may catch a flash of him rollersking by on the trails at Soldier Hollow or putting in miles on foot or in the saddle on the Heber Valley trails. |
Mark Burnham: Kickers & Gliders & Summer Camp Head Coach
CONTACT: MBURNHAM@UOLF.ORG
COACHING PHILOSOPHY: I want people to come away from a lesson or a practice having had a good time and knowing a bit more about themselves, others, the sport, and anything else that comes up. I love outdoor sports as learning to move through the beautiful landscape is joyous enough and competing against others if desired is a bonus. BIO: Mark was born and raised in Idaho and has a degree in geography. He loves and collects maps and especially likes to use them on outdoor adventures. He likes every kind of skiing he has tried so far and aspires to sand skiing at least once. He has worked primarily in the Nordic ski industry and with the US Forest Service. In his spare time and preferably with family and friends, he enjoys finding roads to explore, trails to ride, peaks to summit, rivers to paddle, snow to slide on, rocks to climb, canyons to descend, huckleberries to eat, and pines to sleep under. |
Curtis Lupo: Assistant Coach Comp Biathlon
Hanz Johansson: Assistant Coach Devo Biathlon
CONTACT: hanzjohansson64@gmail.com
COACHING PHILOSOPHY/BIO: I am coaching for both PCSS Nordic and SoHo biathlon. I grew up with Nordic skiing in Sweden and I started coaching in 2015 to help kids to become better nordic skiers. My coaching philosophy is to prioritize a fun and safe learning environment. You learn best if you are safe and having fun. |
Steve Schusler: Assistant Coach Devo Biathlon
CONTACT: sjschusler@gmail.com
BIO: Steve is a retired nuclear engineer and long time recreational cross country skier. He became interested in biathlon after moving to Utah and has trained and competed in public biathlon races for the past two seasons. Steve enjoys coaching and interacting with the devo team athletes and watching them gain confidence and proficiency in their biathlon skills. In the summer you can find him mountain biking on the local trails and road biking on his favorite, Pine Canyon Road. |
Mix Broadhead: Assistant Coach Devo Biathlon & XC
Bio: Mix was born and raised in Heber and has been Nordic skiing since 6th grade. Mix ski raced competitively through high school. He is currently taking classes at Utah Valley University. Enjoys outdoor recreational activities suck as mountain biking and trail running. His favorite summer activity is Spartan races. Filled with trail running and obstacles throughout the race.
Coaching philosophy: Fantastically Amazing! Work hard, think creatively, and play well. Improve skills with fun. I like Creating environments where kids can discover and learn new things, while having a great time. |
Ethan Hall: Assistant Devo Coach Biathlon and XC
Don Miller: Assistant Devo Coach Biathlon and XC
Andrew james: Masters Biathlon
CONTACT: ANDREWJ94@GMAIL.COM
COACHING PHILOSOPHY: My teaching style derives from many years of studying and playing classical music: I approach each lesson by breaking down complex systems into manageable pieces, like a symphony. Similar to a classically-trained musician, gaining muscle-memory is essential to streamline movements while shooting. BIO: I competed on the cycling and cross country teams for my alma mater, Colorado Mesa University. After graduating from CMU I decided to switch gears and focus on biathlon training. I relocated to Midway, UT so that I can train full-time at Soldier Hollow. When I am not skiing, you can find me playing cello, cooking, or reading. |
Bill Pierce: Masters XC
CONTACT: BPIERCE@UOLF>ORG
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Ellie Garberich: Collegiate/PG XC
CONTACT: EEVANS2@CSS.EDU
COACHING PHILOSOPHY: No one knows their own body better than themselves. Along with this, college athletes have many things going on in their lives that can affect training. My focus on coaching college athletes is to help them not only understand the different aspects of the sport (skis, technique, etc.) but also their bodies (fueling, training zones, fatigue, etc.). By helping athletes understand these different components in depth, I want them to feel empowered to make choices about their own bodies and careers, especially if they don't have a coach available. This allows athletes to make educated decisions and adaptations that they can feel proud of and confident in. I also value goal setting and personal reflection geared towards improvement of the athlete as a whole. I want my athletes to walk away from practice with the knowledge and confidence in the actions they take each day to be the best that they can be. BIO: Coach Ellie skied for the College of Saint Scholastica from 2013-2017 during that time she was twice an alternate for NCAA’s. She studied biology and was on the pre-med track before having a change in heart and switched to being a teacher. Ellie has a great eye for technique as well as being an excellent technical skier herself. In recent years, Ellie has skied in the elite skate wave at the Birkie and has helped with a number of high school ski programs. Ellie has taken a couple of exercise physiology classes and is very comfortable with lactates which will play a large role in how her athletes train this summer. |