Coaches Corner

Niaill Whatmore

Head Coach / Athlete Development Officer

Qualifications

UK Snowsports Alpine Level 4 Coach

UKCP Alpine Level 2

IVSI

Niaill has been involved in Snowsports for more years than most and started skiing at the age of three.

Having come through a local club structure in the NE of England and representing the NE Ski Teams on many occasions, Niaill was selected to train and develop with the England 913 squad as it was many years ago. He even won the schools Open Championships his school Southmoor and was subsequently selected for English Schools squads in the 1980’s.

His coaching experience is vast, working with clubs such as Ravens and Tigers Ski Development and Racing clubs for many years as a coach and head coach. Niaill was also head coach to the very successful NE team in the late 80’s and early 90’s and has be involved with Esskia at times for over 25 years. 

As the current Head Coach / Athlete Development officer for Esskia, Niaill is involved heavily in the selection processes for Esskia snow camps as well as the ISF World Schools Championships and you will see Niaill on the hill at most of our alpine events. He guided Esskia to their best all round results at a World Schools Championships in 2018 in Chamrousse as well as leading successful teams to Sierra Nevada in 2014 and L’Aquila in 2016.

Niaill also has other unique skills that provide many positives for our athletes. With a background in behaviour management Niaill delivers many adult education courses for a variety of colleges as part of his work outside of Esskia. 

Jo learnt to ski at the age of 7 and started ski racing through her school's participation in ESSKIA races. Jo represented her school team at the English and British finals multiple times, cumulating in winning the individual title at ESSKIA Open Championships in 2010.

After leaving school, she raced for the University of Bristol, winning several regional and national team titles.  Jo is currently licensed as a BASI Level 2 Instructor and UKCP Level 1. 

Jo has coached for ESSKIA  on Norway, Pila and ISF Landgraff camps.   

When Jo isn't on an ESSKIA camp, you can find her working as a doctor and will soon be starting her basic training in plastic and reconstructive surgery.    -

• ESSkiA Coach
• Head Coach Midland Ski Club & Central England Region
• Principle Coach Kingsley & Solihull Schools

Qualifications and attainments

• UK Snowsports Alpine Level 4 Development Coach IVSI
• UKCP Alpine Level 3 Race Performance Coach
• BASI British Association of Snowsports Instructors L3 ISIA
• REPS/EREPS L3/4 European Register of Fitness Professionals - Master Fitness Trainer, UKSCA member.
• Children’s Coach of The Year 2017

Roger has been involved in sport from a very early age and got his passion for the great outdoors from being a scout. It was winter mountaineering in the Cairngorms that started his skiing adventure in Scotland, then on to the alps and to snow racing including racing for BT plc. He raced for Telford Ski Club and the region. Although he found skiing later in life than usual for a traditional ski coach he followed his pathway in skiing and ski racing being guided by some very inspirational high level coaches from other sports, some who have coached at Olympic level, as well as through normal ski teaching and ski racing channels. He has race trained through many systems: Austrian, French, English, British, done many courses and attended multi sport conferences and seminars dealing with many and varied aspects of the sport. The people he has come in contact with and their shared experiences have enabled him to find a greater passion than the pure personal enjoyment of skiing or ski racing, wanting to continually learn about it and teach it to others, thereby helping them achieve their successes to great effect.

With over 30 years coaching experience at club and regional level on dry slope, indoor and alpine environments he is pleased to be now coaching for ESSkiA and part of their team. He wishes to bring all the skills, knowledge and experience he has gained from his business and sporting careers to bear and help drive ESSkiA and its athletes forward, and to have a bigger impact on English skiing in general. Some of these skills will be directly transferable from his Midland Ski Club and CESA regional roles as head coach and coaching programme lead as well as a technical and fitness coach at individual, team and club levels.