Ascend Coaching App

Category: Canada

  • Freestyle Canada Embraces the Digital Future with New Custom App

    Freestyle Canada Embraces the Digital Future with New Custom App

    From Grassroots to Olympic Excellence

    Freestyle Canada is currently developing a custom-built mobile application in partnership with Ascend, marking a significant step forward in how national sport organizations can harness technology to support athletes, coaches, and clubs. This collaboration represents a shared vision to modernize sports coaching and athlete development and strengthen communication across the freestyle skiing community, setting a new benchmark for how sports organizations can evolve and thrive in the digital age.

    As the national governing body for freestyle skiing in Canada, Freestyle Canada oversees the country’s participation and development in the mogul, aerial, slopestyle, halfpipe, and big air disciplines. The organization plays a vital role in supporting athletes at every stage of their journey from grassroots programs that introduce young athletes to the sport, to high-performance pathways that prepare competitors for the world stage. Through its programs and services, Freestyle Canada is committed to building people, training athletes, and delivering champions.

    That commitment to excellence continues to produce remarkable results. The strength of Canada’s freestyle skiing system was once again evident at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, where Team Canada achieved its best-ever Olympic performance across freestyle skiing events, with Megan Oldham winning gold in the women’s freestyle skiing big air and Mikaël Kingsbury taking gold in the men’s dual moguls. These achievements reflect the dedication of Freestyle athletes, coaches, and clubs nationwide, as well as the continued investment in innovative tools and resources that support long-term athlete development.

    Building the Future of Freestyle Training

    The next phase of Freestyle Ski Canada’s evolution will not happen only on the slopes. It will also happen on screens.

    A key priority of the platform is ensuring that coaches and athletes have access to the most current, relevant, and high-quality coaching content. In a sport that continues to evolve rapidly, having up-to-date training resources and development materials is essential for maintaining performance standards and athlete safety. The app will allow Freestyle Ski Canada to deliver the latest coaching content directly to its community, ensuring that best practices and technical updates are readily accessible when they are needed most.

    The result is something subtle but powerful: a more connected ecosystem focused on community engagement. Athletes can access guidance and training plans wherever they are actively training. And coaches — from local slopes to high-performance programs — can operate with greater cohesion, helping ensure that athlete development in Canada remains both consistent and forward-looking.

    On Track, On Slope, On Demand

    At the heart of the platform is accessibility and flexibility. The app is designed to function seamlessly across devices, allowing users to access training materials, updates, and resources anytime and anywhere, even without an internet connection. Whether athletes are training in the gym, on the slopes, or traveling between competitions, the platform ensures that important information and programming remain available when it is needed most.

    Setting the Line for Athlete Development

    Another core feature of the app is its ability to empower coaches with customizable training tools. Coaches will be able to design and share personalized training plans directly within the platform, inviting members to access schedules, drills, and performance resources in one convenient location. Coaches and members will receive notifications about important training updates, helping them stay informed and engaged. The platform also supports two-way interaction, allowing team members to share feedback, progress updates, and training content with their coaches.

    Advancing Freestyle Skiing Through Technology

    The technology behind the Freestyle Ski Canada App is powered by Ascend, a company that specializes in building custom-branded sports coaching platforms for sports organizations.

    Ascend’s mobile app solutions are designed to help clubs and governing bodies scale athlete development, improve team communication, and reinforce organizational identity through digital tools tailored to their needs.

    By partnering with Ascend, Freestyle Canada is investing in a platform that not only supports its current athletes and coaches but also strengthens the foundation for the next generation of freestyle skiers. As sport continues to evolve in an increasingly digital world, initiatives like the Freestyle Ski Canada App demonstrate how technology can enhance coaching, deepen community engagement, and help organizations remain at the forefront of athlete development.

    Together, Freestyle Canada and Ascend are building a digital ecosystem that reflects the energy, innovation, and competitive spirit of Canadian freestyle skiing, ensuring coaches have the tools they need to continue pushing boundaries and athlete success on the world stage.

  • Speed, Agility, and Coordination: Essential Skills for Youth Sports Training

    Speed, Agility, and Coordination: Essential Skills for Youth Sports Training

    When it comes to developing young athletes, three fundamental pillars often define success across all sports — speed, agility, and coordination. Whether it’s a football player sprinting down the field, a basketball guard changing direction on defense, or a tennis player reacting to a serve, these abilities form the foundation of athletic performance. For youth athletes, training these skills early and correctly not only enhances performance but also promotes injury prevention, confidence, and lifelong physical literacy.

    Understanding the Three Pillars

    Speed, at its core, is the ability to move quickly from one point to another. For youth athletes, this doesn’t just mean sprinting faster — it’s about improving acceleration, reaction time, and stride efficiency. Speed training helps children learn how to apply force effectively, control their body mechanics, and develop explosive power safely.

    Agility is the ability to change direction rapidly and efficiently while maintaining control. It requires a blend of balance, coordination, and cognitive reaction — all vital for real-game performance. In sports, agility determines how quickly a player can transition from offense to defense or dodge an opponent’s challenge.

    Coordination refers to the seamless synchronization of movement patterns. It’s the glue that connects speed and agility. For younger athletes, coordination is critical in developing motor skills — catching, throwing, kicking, or maintaining balance. A coordinated athlete can execute complex skills with precision and fluidity.

    Together, these three elements form a performance triangle that every youth coach should prioritize in training programs.

    Why Early Development Matters

    Children are most receptive to learning movement skills between the ages of 8 and 14. During this period, the brain is highly adaptable, allowing athletes to absorb and refine motor patterns more efficiently. This “golden window” is the perfect time to teach fundamental athletic skills like sprint mechanics, lateral movement, and body control.

    Unfortunately, many young athletes today specialize too early in one sport, focusing on repetitive skills rather than building a broad athletic foundation. This can lead to imbalances, overuse injuries, and reduced overall athleticism. Coaches who emphasize speed, agility, and coordination training across different movements and sports create athletes who are more adaptable, durable, and confident.

    Effective Training Strategies

    Developing speed, agility, and coordination in youth athletes doesn’t require overly complex drills — it requires smart, progressive training. Here are some practical approaches:

    1. Start with Movement Fundamentals

    Teach proper running mechanics, posture, and foot placement. Use short sprints, skipping drills, and acceleration starts to help athletes understand movement efficiency.

    2. Train Agility Through Play

    Games like tag, mirror drills, or reactive cone drills challenge young athletes to change direction based on visual or auditory cues. This makes agility training fun and game-like while improving reaction speed.

    3. Build Coordination Through Variety
    Incorporate balance exercises, jumping and landing drills, and crossover movements. Sports like gymnastics, martial arts, or dance can also improve coordination and proprioception — the body’s awareness in space.

    4. Include Reaction and Decision-Making

    Agility isn’t just physical — it’s cognitive. Drills that require reacting to a coach’s signal, a teammate’s movement, or a changing environment simulate real-game demands.

    5. Prioritize Proper Progression

    Keep drills age-appropriate. Younger athletes should focus on body control and movement quality, while older youth can safely integrate resistance, plyometrics, and more advanced drills.

    The Role of Coaching and Communication

    A coach’s ability to communicate clearly and consistently is vital for developing these skills. Youth athletes thrive on feedback and structure, but too much complexity can overwhelm them. Effective coaches simplify instruction, demonstrate movements clearly, and give athletes room to explore and self-correct.

    In today’s fast-paced sports environment, many coaches also manage multiple teams or remote training sessions. Keeping every athlete aligned with the same drills, goals, and philosophy can be challenging. That’s where technology becomes a game-changer.

    Streamline Your Coaching with Ascend Sports Coaching

    Imagine being able to deliver your coaching message with clarity and speed — no confusion, no delays, and no missed opportunities for feedback. 

    The Ascend Sports Coaching app is designed to do just that.

    With Ascend, you can:

    In youth sports, consistency and communication are just as important as the drills themselves. Ascend helps coaches stay connected, organized, and effective. Ensuring that every athlete understands what to do, why it matters, and how to improve.

    • Share custom training content instantly with your athletes or coaching staff.
    • Keep your entire team aligned with your strategy, even when they’re training remotely.
    • Send videos, drills, and performance notes directly through the app for seamless communication.
    • Track athlete progress and adjust training plans in real-time.

    Developing speed, agility, and coordination isn’t just about performance, it’s about building complete, confident, and capable athletes. By focusing on these fundamentals, coaches can help young players build a foundation that supports every sport and every goal they pursue.

  • Empowering Women in Sport: The Canada Games Apprenticeship Program Opening Doors for Future Coaches

    Empowering Women in Sport: The Canada Games Apprenticeship Program Opening Doors for Future Coaches

    For decades, the Canada Games have showcased the country’s best young athletes, a celebration of competition, community, and national pride. But behind every athlete is a coach who helps them dream bigger, work harder, and find their purpose in sport. For women, breaking into those coaching roles hasn’t always been easy.

    Through the Canada Games Apprenticeship Program, doors are opening for the next generation of women coaches

    That’s why the Women in Coaching Canada Games Apprenticeship Program is changing the game — one coach at a time.

    This national initiative, a partnership between the Provincial/Territorial Coaching Representatives (PTCRs), the Canada Games Council (CGC), and the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), gives women coaches from every province and territory the chance to step onto the Canada Games stage in apprenticeship roles. Two women coaches from each region are selected to join their teams, gaining hands-on experience, mentorship, and exposure at one of Canada’s premier multi-sport events.

    It’s more than an opportunity. It’s a movement toward equity, representation, and lasting change in Canadian sport.

    Creating Pathways for Women in Coaching

    The Canada Games environment is unlike any other — fast-paced, demanding, and deeply inspiring. For an apprentice coach, being immersed in that atmosphere provides lessons that no classroom or online course can replicate.

    Through the apprenticeship program, women coaches gain the practical experience and mentorship that often mark the difference between potential and opportunity. Working directly with athletes and teams, each coach is supported by an experienced mentor coach, ensuring that learning happens not only on the field of play but also through reflection, collaboration, and shared experience.

    For many participants, this hands-on environment becomes the launching pad for long-term coaching success from community sport to national-level competition.

    The Power of Experience and Mentorship

    Apprentice coaches are fully involved in the preparation and competition process. They contribute to game planning, athlete development, and the overall team dynamic, all while learning to navigate the realities of high-performance sport. Alongside their mentor coach, they explore everything from performance analysis to mental preparation and how to manage the emotional highs and lows of elite competition.

    A Call to Future Leaders

    Applications are now open for women coaches who are eager to take the next step in their journey. Whether they’re working with young athletes at the grassroots level or beginning to move into competitive coaching, the program offers an unparalleled opportunity to grow, learn, and connect.

    Interested coaches can review the program guidelines and access the application form –
    https://www.coach.ca/programs-and-initiatives/mentorship-and-apprenticeships/women-coaching-canada-games-apprenticeship

    By sharing this opportunity within your network — and encouraging emerging women coaches to apply — you help open doors for others and build a stronger, more inclusive sport community across Canada.

    Looking Ahead

    As the next Canada Games draw near, anticipation builds not only for the athletes who will compete, but also for the coaches who will guide them. Programs like the Women in Coaching Canada Games Apprenticeship Program remind us that leadership in sport comes in many forms — and that when women are empowered to lead, everyone benefits.

    Because when a coach rises, so do her athletes. So does her community. And so does the future of sport in Canada.