Coaches

Todd Wilson

Program Director & Nordic Facilities Manager

USSA 2007 winner of Al Merrill Memorial Award for outstanding service to his sport.

SSWSC Nordic Program Director and Nordic Facilities Manager is also the primary coach for the Age Class Nordic Combined Team. Todd oversees a professional staff of thirty five coaches involved in the training of over 275 athletes in the Nordic sports of Ski Jumping, Cross-Country, Nordic Combined and Biathlon. He started jumping with the Winter Park, Colorado Jumping Program at the age of five, and took his first jumps at Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs at age eight. In 1984 he was named to the U.S. Nordic Combined Team and competed internationally for nine seasons, which included the Winter Olympic Team in 1988 and 1992, and the World Championship Team in 1985 and 1987. Todd began coaching with the SSWSC in 1993 while he attended college at Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat. His first tour of duty with the SSWSC was as head coach for the Development Team and then he was named Nordic Combined Head Coach the following year to oversee all the club’s Nordic Combined programs. In 2000 he was promoted to Nordic Program Director. This is Todd’s 18th season with the SSWSC organization. Todd is also currently the chairman for USSA Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Coaches Subcommittee. He and his wife, Stephanie, live in downtown Steamboat Springs with their two daughters, Maggie , and Ella.

Martin Bayer

Ability-Plus NC Head Coach

USSA 2007 & 2009 Nordic Combined/Jumping Domestic Coach of the Year.

Martin Bayer, a Slovak native, joined the SSWSC Nordic staff as the new Ability Head Coach for the ski jumping and Nordic combined programs in 2006. Bayer is a two time Olympian (’92, ’94), Slovak National Champion in Nordic Combined and son of a lifetime national coach. He brings to the table an impressive educational background including secondary specialized education in athletic training and coaching. In 1997, he moved to the US and started coaching in Ishpeming, MI.

Gary Crawford

Ability NC Head Coach
The head coach for the Development Plus / Development team in his thirteenth season is Gary Crawford. Gary is a former SSWSC athlete, and U.S. Ski Team member. He started jumping with the SSWSC at age 5 and took his first jumps at Howelsen Hill in competition at age 6. He skied for Western State College for two and a half years, then in 1976, was named to the U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team and competed internationally for twelve seasons including two Olympic Winter Games in 1980, and 1988, and a World Championships in 1982. He began coaching in 1994, with the Ability Team. He held that position for three years, when in 1997 he was named the Head Golf Professional at the Sheraton Steamboat Golf Club. At that time he moved to coaching the Development Team.

Brian Tate

XC Ability Head Coach
Brian has coached for the SSWSC Nordic Program since 1998. The first three years were spent coaching with the Ability Nordic Combined Team. From 2001 till present, Brian has been coaching the Ability X-C Team. He has been a lead glide wax technician for Rocky Mountain Nordic at National competitions the last five years. Brian, his wife Allison and son Sven now live in Steamboat Springs after moving in from Clark 2 years ago. Brian's enthusiasm for Nordic skiing and coaching remains strong as ever.

Josh Smullin

XC Ability Coach
Josh started his life in Fairbanks,Alaska. His family moved to Minnesota when he was five, and from there to Bend, Oregon when he was ten. He spent the next eight years competing for the MBSEF- placing in the top five at J.O.'s numerous times. Josh spent his junior year of high school in Sweden at the Mora Ski Gymnasium. Josh walked on the Colorado University Ski Team as a freshman and earned a athletic scholarship shortly there after. He was a four year NCAA qualifier and the captain of the CU Ski Team his senior year. Josh graduated from CU with degrees in Kinesiology and Psychology. He continued his education at the University of Utah, where he earned a Masters Degree in Sport Psychology. He also was an Assistant Nordic Coach for the Utes. From 2005 through the present, Josh raced for Team Rossignol, capturing several podium finishes in major marathon races across the U.S., and one Super Tour victory. In 2007 he moved back to Bend to train with X-C Oregon. Last winter he raced the Worldloppet Marathon Circuit in Europe. Josh is also an accomplished adventure racer and was a MVP of his high school soccer team- which were Oregon state Champs. The SSWSC is excited to have a coach of Josh's caliber part of the Nordic Program.