What happens when you blend two of Canada’s top snowboard training programs and three world-renowned athletes turned coaches? You end up with the country’s number one source for snowboard excellence!

Icarus Shreducation and Snowboard Firm are pleased to announce a new found partnership as well as the addition of legendary shredders Brad Martin, Andrew Skelhorn and Chris Waddell to their coaching staff.

For more information on the new organization, read the press release from Icarus below.

Icarus  Shreducation and Snowboard Firm merge…
Martin, Skelhorn and Waddell join the Coaching Staff.  
 
Sept 25, 2011
 
For Immediate release:
 
Icarus Shreducation (Ontario) and Snowboard Firm (Quebec) are 2 of Canada's top snowboard freestyle training programs. Combined, they have produced some of Canada's top competitive athletes such as Charles Reid, Dominique Vallée, Zach Stone, Scot Brown and Jeff Batchelor.
 
In the past 5 years, these two programs have significantly contributed to the development of freestyle snowboarding and the structure of freestyle snowboard coaching in Canada.  Between the two programs, they have developed Sport School Programs, Industry Partners, grass roots Contest Series, trained and certified coaches across Canada, coached the 2010 Olympics and designed Training Centers to promote Action Sports.
 
Now, the agenda remains the same but their resources have pooled together. Both programs have merged and are now working in a full partnership to benefit athletes and offer a higher quality of training programs.
 
Jesse Fulton, former pro and Icarus Shreducation founder had this to say:
"I’m stoked for this!  This partnership will give the kids more avenues and more opportunities in freestyle snowboarding. Catherine Parent and Brian Smith are among the highest qualified/certified freestyle snowboard coaches in the country. Brian trained and certified most of Canada's freestyle coaches. Now we have a Super Program and the Super Hype to go along with it! It's going to be lots of fun!"
 
On the Quebec side, we caught up with Brian and Catherine, the founders of SBF and this is what they had to say:
 
Catherine Parent, the first NCCP Level 4 Snowboard Coach in Canada stated:
"Thanks to this union, Shreducation and Snowboard Firm programs can accomplish greater projects to develop the future of our sport in all aspects. This union will drive us to achieve our main objective: to bring our young athletes to the 2014/2018 Winter Olympic Games, and possibly medal.”
 
Brian Smith, Head Coach for Snowboard Firm added: "This just makes sense! We want to work together.”  
 
Fulton and Smith see eye to eye on a lot of the aspects of snowboarding. "We love our sport and want to see it grow.” Grouping their strengths together will better equip athletes to achieve their goals.
 
Since these are two programs from two separate provinces, there is a new system being developed, as well as name and brand in the works.  This will not be released until the end of the season. Both programs are working effortlessly to create the first and best Freestyle Coaching Formula that can be adapted and easily used by clubs and programs across the country.  The goal:  to help better the performance of young athletes who do not have the means to be part of the renowned programs or other programs of this sort.
 
In addition to this great news, Icarus Shreducation also added 3 top tier riders to its already renowned coaching roster: 2 Time Olympian Brad Martin, Legendary Pro Andrew Skelhorn and former National Team Member Chris Waddell will be shredding the slopes with this seasons athletes.
 
For More information on each of these programs please visit:
 
www.icarusshreducation.com and  http://www.snowboardfirm.com

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