Our Coaches
Jon Metcalfe
Jon is our resident Polar Bear (he may look familiar from another local Winnipeg attraction?). Jon began skiing with WAR as a teenager and progressed into coaching naturally. He loves the sport, and has been coaching with us for over 10 years. He has recently moved into the role of Head Coach and is enjoying the new challenge. He has also been known to take the role of race forerunner just to keep up his technique (and the kids all especially love it when he dresses up as Winston the polar bear to ski a few runs with them).
Brent Harvey
Brent has been coaching for over 25 years with the ski club. He began skiing with the ski club at age 10 as a racer himself.
He has immense passion and dedication for Alpine Skiing in Manitoba. He spends many hours behind the scenes planning and coordinating to make each season successful.
Brent enjoys seeing the members of the club start and grow up through the club and also seeing the athletes succeed, develop life skills, achieving goals and also helping inspire skiers for life.
He is always excited to see new families join and see how great the sport of skiing is and what the club has to offer. He most recently is excited to see his own son come through the ski club program.
Alpine Canada Coach Development Level Certified , Para Certified
Alpine Canada Official Level Two
Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance Level Two (25 year member)
Jim McConkey
Coach Jim...there's a lot to say for this coach. He has been with the club for an impressive 35 years! He has even coached some of our other coaches. He absolutely loves the sport and everyone involved with it. He works with our older kids on their technique once they have moved up to the racing team. He travels with the club to every out of town race and he is usually at the starting position of each and every race to give a few last minute pointers to the athletes.
He is a very well respected and appreciated Coach, and he's earned every bit of it.
Ron Struch
Ron started volunteering with the Springhill Racing Club in 1998. He completed his initial coaching certification with CSIA/CSCF in 1999 and has been enjoying coaching to all levels of skiers ever since. Ron has also been coaching alpine skiing with Special Olympics Manitoba for the past 17 years. He has coached at 5 Special Olympics National Competitions and 1 World Competition. He finds his coaching so rewarding, and especially enjoys seeing a new athlete ski their first solo run. Ron has always loved to ski. His goal is that all skiers can have fun along with learning the basics of safe skiing and fundamental skills, so they can reach their racing potential. He also loves to share his passion, enthusiasm and excitement for skiing with all athletes.
Brett Zagozewski
Brett has been coaching for over 25 years. He has worked with the Canadian Ski Team, Alberta Ski Team and numerous clubs in Western Canada. Brett’s coaching experience includes the 2010 Winter Olympics, 2009 World Ski Championships and multiple seasons of World Cup. Brett and his family are excited to be part of the Winnipeg Alpine Racers program.
Destiny Wing
Destiny began skiing with WAR in 1999 as a racer, and moved into the role of Coach in 2008. She is wonderful with all the kids, and is always sharing her smile with everyone.
Destiny graduated in 2015 with her Registered Nursing Degree. She is currently working as an RN in the NICU at Children's Hospital in Winnipeg. She is working very hard to keep everyone safe right now and we appreciate her so much. Due to Covid, we may not get to see her as much this year but if you do, be sure to say 'Thanks'.
Ness Dalling
Ness began skiing with WAR when he was 6 years old, and raced for 12 years! His last two years racing he was a member of our Provincial team, racing across Canada and representing Manitoba. He's 20 years old now and in his second year of coaching with our club. He is an athlete through and through. When he is not coaching, he is biking - a lot. Ness is also an elite amateur cyclist for a racing team based out of Ottawa. Ness is an inspiration to many of our younger athletes.
Natasha Woelcke
Natasha is excited to stretch her legs and get active with everyone from WAR this year. She's new to coaching but not to ski racing. Natasha raced with Winnipeg Alpine for 11 years and took home 2 Overall Female MASD Champion awards. She's logged lots of hours laughing and singing on the chairlift and can't wait to enjoy more smiles on the hill with the kids.
Alexis Varkonyi
One of our new coaches for the 2020-2021 season is Alexis! Alexis has been on skis for most of her life having started learning to ski since the age of 4. She began with WAR at age 5, and was a member of the team for the next 15 years. She is an Early Childhood Educator (ECE Level 2), and works with school aged children during the day. Her passion for children and skiing has sparked her desire to coach and she is excited to be back with the WAR family! In her spare time she enjoys still more skiing, camping, hiking, biking, and being with friends and family. We also recently found out she is quite an avid fort builder too! Alexis is currently working with our U10-U12 athletes.
Maia Dalling, Andrew Gierys, Brett Ingram
Mykola Kruk