Nordic Proficiency Awards

What are the Nordic Proficiency Awards?

The newly developed Nordic Proficiency Awards are a new national framework for progressing cross-country skiing skills. Designed for all ages starting from participant’s first time on skis ranging up to a competent cross-country skier who would not be out of place skiing on a World Cup homologated course!

The proficiency awards aim to:

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Standardise

Create a common understanding of cross-country ski technique

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Communicate

Clearly share expectations for coaching qualifications and pathway programmes

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Support

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Provide our coaches with a technical progression framework

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Motivate

Inspire by highlighting personal learning opportunities

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Proficiency Levels

The scheme is based on 9 levels, which can all be completed on snow or roller skis. The numbers below set out the levels, you can see a description of what you might be working on at each level:

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First Experience

If you’ve never tried cross-country or roller skis before, then you would be introduced to level 1 material in your first session. No prior experience required!

Safe to Roller Ski

Given cross-country / roller skiing a try? Maybe been to a taster session, but still looking for some instruction and support? Then you are probably working towards your level two award. On roller skis it is also the “safe to roller ski” award that lets you hire equipment and ski at facilities unsupervised.

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Foundation Proficiency

At level 3, you’re comfortable standing and moving around on skis and ready to learn some more complex and technique specific skills. Achieving this proficiency level is required for the Foundation (level 1) Coaching Qualification.

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Development Proficiency

At level 4, you’re no longer a beginner, you’ll be working on really finessing your ability to perform and switch between all the sub-techniques. This is the proficiency level for entering the development stage of the performance pathway.

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If you are working towards your level 5, you are competent in all sub-techniques and looking at sustaining momentum and utilising the terrain.

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If you are comfortable skiing on a wide variety of terrains and working on smooth transitions between tempos and techniques with topography, you’re working towards level 6.

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At level 7, you’re starting to really focus on fine tuning your timing and control of your technique. You’re a proficient skier, comfortable on a variety of terrain and skiing for extended periods of time.

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Level 8 is all about power. If you’re looking at how you get more oomph and are confident in your forward lean, your jump skates and that pole slam, you’re working towards your level 8.

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Can you ski a 5 km world cup homologated course continuously and in control? Then congratulations! You’ve hit the top of our proficiency awards. Welcome to level 9!

Watch our webinar…

More info on the mission, vision and how the awards work in this video. You can use the chapter guides to jump to sections of interest.

…or read the assessment criteria.

This PDF has the assessment criteria for all levels of the Nordic Proficiency Awards. It is designed as a reference manual for Proficiency Award assessors, but participants are welcome to have a look at what they will be assessed on and what skills and outcomes are coming up next!

Click on the thumbnail to open the Assessment Criteria as a PDF.

Assessors Zone

This is an area for appointed assessors to access Proficiency Award resources, including progress tracking and reporting sheets, criteria by level, and assessment set-up suggestions.

You will need your Assessor Password at hand to access the page.

Assessor Zone Access

  • The Nordic Proficiency Award Assessment Criteria is reviewed annually in April. As we want to make sure that the criteria is clear, fair and fit for purpose, we welcome input to the review from assessors, coaches, and participants who are interacting with the assessment criteria.

    You can raise a review here.

  • Each level of the proficiency award is broken down into Core, Classic, Skate and Snow criteria. Participants can achieve a full level award or a technique award.

    Award | Required Criteria

    Level Award | Core + Classic + Skate

    Skate Award | Core + Skate

    Classic Award | Core + Classic

    Snow Award | Core + Classic + Snow

  • The Nordic Proficiency Awards are a free resource to our clubs, centres and coaches, which can be used to run proficiency specific courses or within pre-existing club programmes.

    Looking for a course? Check out our Course and Coaching Calendar for any upcoming proficiency sessions or courses.

    Looking to run a course? Contact sarah@snowsportscotland.org for more info.

    After attending a course, you will receive a progress report from your approved assessor, which can be uploaded to your Snowsport Scotland Sportlomo account to receive your award certificate. This is optional, but you may be required to upload a proficiency progress report to cover off your “personal skiing” credential for a coaching qualification or if you’d like to hire roller skis without instruction at a centre or hub.

  • Your Nordic proficiency achievements will be signed-off by our appointed assessors who have gone through assessor training and are registered with us as an individual member or through a member club.

    Our assessors can be volunteers, coaches or parent helpers who are actively engaged in delivering cross-country ski activity. The levels they can assess are dependent on their coaching qualifications and experience.

    Qualification | Assessment remit

    No coaching qualification | Levels 1 and 2 in a session set up by a qualified coach

    Foundation Coach | Levels 1 – 4

    Performance Coach or higher | All levels

    Item Coach | Levels

    Alex Standen (1-2)

    Andy Millar (1-9)

    Angus Maclean (1-2)

    Brian McInroy (1-2)

    Elizabeth Massie (1-9)

    Fern Cates (1-2)

    Frank Musgrave (1-2)

    Kirstie MacLeod (1-2)

    Maureen Douglas (1-2)

    Peter Thomson (1-2)

    Sarah Young (1-9)

  • Clubs and facilities will be able to nominate individuals for assessor training. SSS will get in touch to arrange. Individuals are also able to nominate themselves.

    You can nominate using the form here.

FAQ’s