Team launches National Recruitment Drive
Calgary (RWH) Three former skeleton athletes, Micaela Widmer, Joe Cecchini and Kevin Boyer, have been named as coaching team for the Canadian national team. As the federation Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton announced in a press release, the trio will share coaching responsibilities throughout the athlete development pathway.
Joe Cecchini will take on a dual role of Head Coach/Technical Lead for the National Skeleton Program. After beginning his skeleton career on Canada’s National Development Team (2006-2012), Cecchini went on to compete for Italy at the 2018 Olympics. He has also been working privately with many of Canada’s skeleton athletes over the last two years as a club and international coach at the Whistler Sliding Centre.
Kevin Boyer, who represented Canada at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games and was a member of the National Skeleton Program for 10 years, will dive headfirst into his coaching career while supporting Cecchini as an Assistant Technical Coach. Boyer will work with athletes at the World Cup, Europe Cup and North America’s Cup in addition to taking on lead coaching responsibilities at the 2024 Youth Olympic Games.
Micaela Widmer spent over a decade as a competitive skeleton athlete, having competed internationally for both Canada and Switzerland. She will provide coaching and logistical support to Cecchini and Boyer as the National Skeleton Program Team Manager and as a Technical Coach to North America’s Cup development level athletes.
Recruitment camps start on September 16
The new coaching team will look to build its talent pool of athletes by holding a series of free recruitment camps across the country beginning in Ottawa, September 16 in the Terry Fox Athletic Park from 12:30-2:30 p.m. EST – registration This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). This recruitment initiative targets Canadians, 14 and older, with athletic ability to the sport of skeleton. Athletes will be evaluated on a series of dry-land physical testing drills including short sprints, standing long jump and medicine ball throws.
Athletes with backgrounds in football, rugby, track, lacrosse, mountain sports, skiing, snowboarding, and mountain biking have traditionally developed into excellent sliding athletes.
Camps for those athletes will be held in Calgary and Richmond, B.C.
- Calgary – Winsport Icehouse
September 30 – 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Richmond, B.C. – Richmond Olympic Oval
October 17 – 3:30-5:30 p.m.
