Roddy is an excellent coach who brings knowledge and enthusiasm to the sport. My technique and fitness have improved! Roddy is a National Level Coach with a Masters Degree in Coaching. His knowledge resonates to all levels of skiers as he knows how to communicate and breaks down the skills to progress.  I just finished a Dryland Camp and look forward to another year of Coaching with Roddy because I benefitted mentally and physically and have met like minded people. I am grateful to have the opportunity to ski in the Bow Valley with Roddy and continue learning new skills. Thanks!

— Linda Prenioslo, Canmore, AB.

“Roddy is a very motivating coach. He supports his athletes as a whole, taking care to balance their physical, mental, and emotional well being. Roddy empowered me to take ownership over my own performance— a skill that helped me succeed both on the world stage and for life after sport.”

— Julia Ransom, 2018 Olympian. Kelowna, BC.

Many thanks to Roddy Ward for the exemplary coaching he provided to me and my Masters ski group over the 2022/23 season. Under his tutelage, as the season progressed, my technical abilities and physical capacity both improved. He helped me achieve my season's goal of being in contention for the top spot on the podium for my age group at all the loppets I raced in through this winter. In addition to the personal achievements the training sessions with Roddy were varied, challenging, and above all fun. Roddy brings professional coaching talent to skiers of all abilities with an eye on delivering what skiers want. A winning approach.

— Michael Buss, Canmore, AB.

“I loved having Roddy as a coach, he was very helpful and easy to approach with any issue or questions I had. I learned so much, he was really informational and made it fun too. Really enjoyed him as a coach.”

— Nicole Hamp, Burns Lake, BC.

“Roddy was my coach from 2012 - 2019, seeing me through 5 World Championships and two Olympic Games. Roddy joined the team at the perfect time, when I was trying to decide if I wanted to stick with sport or if it was time to move on with my life. His belief in me was contagious and we came up with a plan together to not only be the best in Canada but to be able to fight with the best in the world. Roddy’s skills to create a training plan that was specific to me and what I needed as an athlete helped me to grow and hone my skills. Being able to see an athlete and their untapped potential is one of his greatest attributes. I don’t hesitate to recommend Roddy as a coach or trainer for any athlete wanting to take their skills to the next level.”

— Rosanna Crawford, World Cup Medalist and 3x Olympian

“Getting back into competition for “fun” isn’t always straight forward. Roddy did an amazing job of planning a program that worked around my busy work/home schedule, and followed up regularly to ensure tweaks to the training could be made. His positive attitude and eagerness to work on a systematic process, make a big difference for anyone making the investment into becoming a better athlete.“

- Robin Clegg, Masters Athlete & 2x Olympian. Calgary, AB

Roddy Ward is a masterful coach. He has a quiet way of describing technique, breaking it down to understandable fundamentals. He is very knowledgeable coach in all techniques. His drills will get you skiing in all disciplines (skate and classic).   It has been a pleasure to be coached by Roddy.

— Bill Hoyne, Calgary, AB.

I have been coached by Roddy for the 2022-23 & 2023-24 ski seasons.   He's a talented coach that understands the needs of the group and caters his approach to best suit the situation.   His explanations of the technical details are always correct and well communicated.   He's very personable and makes the sessions fun!

- Scott Diehl, Canmore, AB.

Very pleased with Roddy's xc ski coaching. His superior technical knowledge and experience in the sport are evident. His ability to identify areas for improvement along with his practical drills and explanations are directly linked to higher performance and more energy efficient skiing.

- Pierre Doyon, Canmore, AB.

I think this camp was the best I've had, and was exceptional value. Roddy's knowledge and experience coaching National Team and Olympic athletes is invaluable. The videos and Roddy's one on one feedback on my skiing of each technique set this camp above the others. Not only do I see what I am doing, but Roddy's experienced eyes see and show me what I can do better or more, and/or where I'm wasting motion or effort - things I haven't noticed. He explains the adjustments needed, and watches to see that I'm making the needed adjustments and feeling the difference. Roddy celebrates all the things a skier is doing well and any adjustments are also made encouragingly and celebrated. Also, each skier was given as much attention as any other skier.

Anyone who wants to optimize their skiing would benefit greatly from this camp.

- Tim Friesen, Canmore, AB.

Roddy provided an excellent Master’s ski camp. I particularly appreciated the low coach to student ratio which allowed for individual feedback during each session. I found the technique sessions informative, and the individual video and review very useful! All in all, an excellent three days of classic and skate ski improvement. I would definitely participate again- many thanks!

— Kathleen Davies, Canmore, AB.

Prior to working with Roddy since the fall of 2023 I had been classic skiing for over 30 years and skate for about 12 years.  While it was not clear to me initially, Roddy’s program provided the framework to develop proper skiing techniques in a thoughtful and planned manner.  At the same time I observed that Roddy’s program was providing continuous improvement for skiers who had been coached for years.  As masters, we have different physical capabilities from younger and elite athletes – Roddy tailored his program to provide us with challenging workouts that aligned with our abilities.  My Nordic skiing has improved immensely providing for increased enjoyment of the sport.

— Dale Hildebrand, Canmore, AB.

I was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to be coached by Roddy this past winter. I have taken lessons from a number of coaches over the years and safe to say Roddy is the best. He brings his high level coaching experience utilizing the latest techniques to the group and presents them in an understandable manner.  He breaks ski strides (diagonal stride, double pole, kick double pole, one skate, two skate, offset, etc.) into a series of progressive learning steps that enable a skier to learn the technique properly.

— Blaine Chicoine, Canmore, AB.

“I found working with Roddy very helpful for developing my technique skills. Roddy has a way of explaining technique that is simple and makes sense. He is open to different opinions and models and encourages a growth mindset.”

— Moira Green, Prince George, BC.

“Roddy Ward is an excellent coach who evidently has a lot of experience. He has helped me improve how I plan and execute my race plan. He showed me how to set specific goals for my race. Now I know where to engage my focus during a race. I would highly recommend Roddy Ward.”

— Alex Rozek, Kelowna, BC.

As an ageing and mostly self-taught cross- country skier I have really enjoyed and benefited from Roddy’s coaching style this season. I  particularly like his explanations of technique which focus on the essentials and are not overly prescriptive. I have found his coaching style promotes self-awareness and encourages experimentation. After a season with Roddy I believe I am now a more efficient and relaxed skier and certainly enjoy skiing more. Turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks!

— Carl Pryce, Calgary, AB.

“Roddy's previous professional coaching experience and the skills he has acquired during that time was the reason I reached out to him for coaching support. His attention to detail and ability to not only build confidence, but to lead athletes down their own discovery pathways means that the lessons learned while working with him will stick with me long after I finish racing. Working with Roddy allowed me to maximize my abilities and optimize my racing plan so that on race day I was ready.”

— Reagan Mills, PEI.

“I was looking for additional coach support for a specific group of athletes in B.C. in order to enhance our provincial program. Roddy’s online work was informative, motivating and really valuable for the athletes. He has a positive and motivating coaching style that really resonates with athletes. Since working with Roddy, I have seen an improvement in all my athletes and they are more motivated and driven to improve further.”

- Jessica Blenkarn, Team BC.

Roddy is an exceptional technical coach, providing instruction and feedback in progressive meaningful increments, and doing so in an encouraging, inclusive, and self-effacing manner.  He is thoughtful about the experiences he provides, but can adapt readily to changing needs or conditions. Consistently positive, he is quick to smile!  Roddy is skilled in managing a group of skiers with varying competencies, keeping everyone interested and engaged.”

- Maureen, Calgary, AB.