Gunsch "doesn’t fit" with Junior National Team
Although South Shore riders made an impressive showing at the Vodafone Snowboard Nations Junior World Championship earlier this month, one face that didn’t show was that of Brady Gunsch, a South Lake Tahoe snowboard coach who was initially invited to attend the event, only to be disinvited shortly thereafter.
“The head coach offered me the job, but the (Junior National Team) board didn’t approve,” Gunsch said Tuesday from his South Shore home, where he has been corresponding with Joanie and Stacie Anderson, two of the youth women’s team riders he coaches at Sierra-at-Tahoe. “He kind of jumped the gun on it is what he told me.”
Junior National Team head coach John Siple said he initially selected Gunsch as an assistant coach but after discussing the issue with the Junior National Team board, a selection committee comprised of eight members, “it was apparent the move wasn’t a good fit.”
“I offered him a position and it had to be approved and it wasn’t approved,” Siple said.
Siple said his other coaches and members of the board felt they could better serve the team with their existing staff as opposed to adding a new coach.
Gunsch continued speak with his athletes by phone during the competition at Cardrona Alpine Resort in Wanaka, New Zealand.
“I talked to them a little bit while there were over there,” Gunsch said. “I told them to keep it positive and told them not to be intimidated by anybody else because they have what it takes.”
“I was definitely excited for them, to see how far they’ve come,” Gunsch added. “Now they can see where they stand. It’s definitely a confidence booster for them as well.”
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