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. 

Dan Curtis

Head Coach of Essex Ski Racing Club

UKCP Level 2

BASI Level 2

Level 3 Mountain Safety

BSc with QTS

Level 2 Fitness Instructor 

Dan learnt to ski at the age of 5 and started racing shortly after this in the London Youth Games. Following this, he spent many years at his local ski clubs in and around London/Essex. 

Upon starting secondary school, he competed for the first time in the ESSKIA qualifiers, where he was then selected for his first ESSKIA training camp in Norway, February 2004. In subsequent years, he was then selected for the ISF World Schools Championship team in 2005, 2007 and 2008. 

After finishing his pathway in ESSKIA, Dan continued his racing at FIS level as well as on Dry Slope, before he focused his attention to studying at Brunel University, where he qualified as a Physical Education Teacher. During this time of study, he also undertook his coaching and instructor qualifications. In 2011 he started coaching for ESSKIA in Geilo, where he has continued for the ESSKIA, as well as on the Junior, Primary and ISF Landgraaf camps. Further to this, in 2014 he was also part of the successful ISF World Schools Championship coaching team.  

In recent years, he has taken on the Head Coach role at Essex Ski Racing Club, helping develop the athletes and club in the Essex area. 

Qualifications: 

BASI Level 3 ISIA 

UKCP Level 3 Coach 

BASI Level 3 Mountain Safety 

BASI Level 2 Snowboard 

SSE Officials Level 4 

At the young age of 2, Emily started her passion of skiing. She quickly progressed from learning, into a solid skier with a desire to race. After a several years battling it out on the dry slopes she began competing and training on snow, where one of the first camps was an ESSKIA trip to Italy. Having worked her way through the ESSKIA system, she represented England at three ISF (International Ski Federation) events, supported by ESSKIA. 

Emily's talent was recognised and she went on to represent the British Children's team where she was able to prove herself numerous times on the international stage. The highlights of which include the World Children's Champs and the Children’s Olympics on three separate occasions. Having entered FIS she joined the English Alpine ski team and proved herself again. The hard work paid off, and the following year she was selected on the British Junior Team and raced at the European Youth Olympics in Liberec 2011. 

After a successful racing career Emily chose to take her hard earned knowledge and use it to coach young skiers and develop them into keen racers. Despite her age, Emily has a wealth of experience and runs a well respected Race Team ‘Precise Racing’. Whilst juggling her Race Academy, Emily has coached at all of our ESSKIA Squad camps for many years. 

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.    -

Adam Lee

Qualifications

CSIA Level 2

UK Snowsports Alpine Level 3 Coach

UKCP Alpine Level 1

UK Snowsports Alpine Level 4 Coach Trainee

Adam has been racing on Dryslopes for 18 years, he first raced in a schools race age 7 and competing for his school in 8 years of ESSKIA finals. Through the years Adam has picked up a number of National titles and is still occasionally competing on the national circuit alongside taking on officials’ roles and Coaching.

Adam is currently working towards his UK alpine Level 4 at Gloucester Ski Centre, and has coached for Midland and Pendle Ski Clubs as well as at ESSKIA Norway Camps.

When not on Skis Adam is an engineer, working in R&D for an Aerospace Firm

• 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.

 Patrick first put on skis at the age of 7, and started ski racing through the local ski club, based at Runcorn dry ski slope.  From this, Patrick caught the skiing bug and was a regular at the ESSKIA races; earning selection to the snow training camps throughout the different age groups going to La Thuile in Italy and later Geilo, Norway.  Culminating in being selected for the team to represent England at the ISF championships in Gallivare, Sweden. Patrick was part of the men’s team, which finished fourth that year.  After finishing school and between university studies, Patrick qualified as a Basi level 2 instructor and spent the next couple of years as one of the coaches for the ESSKIA Junior squad, training out of Pitztal.  Patrick is keen to pay back into the ESSKIA system, that in his words, gave him the greatest opportunities & adventures. Not forgetting, the chance to ski all over Europe.  If you can’t find Patrick on the slopes then the best place to look for him is on the rugby pitch locked in competition with the oppositions scrum. 

BSC Hon- Human biology and sport and exercise science.

Personal trainer Level 3

Fitness instructor 

CSIA – instructor

CSCF – Coach

Monica first put her skis on at age 4. She has been involved with ESSKIA since the age of 9 and  participated in a squad camp every year until the age of 16 when she left the UK to study and train full time at a Canadian Ski Academy. Monica was on the ISF World schools teams for Schladming (2003) and Gallivare (2005). In September 2005 she went on to live and ski in Canada as a FIS athlete for 3 years where she was able to take Canadian ski qualifications alongside her graduation diploma. University followed where she took a joint honours degree and continued to race on the University circuit.

Monica began coaching for ESSKIA in 2010 and has coached at all levels over the years since then.

Outside of skiing Monica is a fully qualified and insured personal trainer specializing pre and post natal fitness as well as heading up the fitness program for her local ski team “SASA” She is a mum of two girls who are also now both beginning their journey into skiing.