David Speirs awarded Service to Snowsports for 2024

David Speirs has been recognised with the Service to Snowsports award as a part of the 2024 Snow Australia Community Sport Awards. 

Having been involved with the Freestyle community for 30 years, David has accomplished many successes, but his passion was first ignited when he was introduced to a very influential mogul skier. 

“My love for the sport started in my late teens when I met American mogul skier Greg Harrington in Australia who at that time coached our legendary coach Steve Desovich,” Speirs said. 

“Greg introduced me to the culture of Freestyle in Vail, Colorado in the late 80s and early 90s.

“Being based in La Plagne, France from 1991 to 2001, and being friends with some of the greatest French mogul skiers in the world at that time, made me hungrier and more passionate to develop and train Australian athletes that could compete at the highest level. 

“The privilege of working with Steve Desovich during this period also generated a great passion for high performance outcomes.”

Being recognised with this award is an honour for David, and as he reflects on his countless fond memories from over the years, it’s hard for him to pick just one.

“I am truly honoured to receive this award and acknowledgement from the sport and community,” he said. 

“I struggle to list just one highlight over such a long time!

“Coaching my first club skiers that qualified for the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002 in Deer Valley, as well as coaching a Junior World Championship bronze medallist were great moments.

“During more recent times it was witnessing Britt Cox become World Champion, Matt Graham’s Olympic Silver Medal and then finally the unbelievable performance from our Olympic Champion Jakara Anthony at the Beijing Winter Olympic Games in 2022.”

With 30 years in the snowsport community, David has had a front row seat to the growth, development and success of the sport in Australia. 

“The biggest lesson I would say to someone else is recognise where things need to change, work hard to bring about that change so that you can achieve the greatest results,” Speirs said.

“But I think the area that means the most to me is seeing the athletes that I have worked with over the many years evolve into great people.

“In some cases they also move through our pathway from club kids to the highest level of the sport, and in other cases move into important judging and coaching careers in our freestyle community.”

Amongst all these highlights, David is also proud of the work he and many others put towards the development of the Chamois mogul ski slope at Mt Buller. 

“The other thing that involved several individuals and organisations was a vision to undertake earth works, install lighting and additional snow making to the Chamois mogul ski slope at Mt Buller,” he said. 

“During summer 2018, 3000 cubic metres of earth and rock was used to straighten the central mogul run fall line along with effective drainage that helps maintain the snowpack and mogul courses each year. 

“This Olympic Training Centre facility since its completion has hosted some epic twilight ABOM Mogul Challenge events, Jnats and state and national Interschools events under some amazing sunsets and bright lights. 

“Importantly it also makes critical skill acquisition training for our young club athletes possible shortly after the first snow falls each winter.”

To ensure that athletes can progress to the highest level, David has worked hard to develop the Emerging Talent Program, something he is proud to have been a part of. 

“One of the things I am most proud of is the Emerging Talent Program area of our sport,” he said. 

“Our pathway clubs have an incredibly important role to play in fostering a love for winter sport participation in all of our athletes and families. 

“Our clubs also have a responsibility in cooperation with the sport to provide opportunities and appropriate programs to best prepare our identified talent for the possible journey up through our high performance pathway.

“To see ETP programming operating the way it is right now across all disciplines and not just Freestyle is very pleasing.”

With a career in snowsports as remarkable as David’s, he is grateful for all the opportunities and support he experienced to enable him to pursue his passions. 

“I would like to thank all the individuals and organisations that I work with currently and historically that have supported me and helped deliver significant change and progress at all levels of our sport over this time,” he said. 

“I also want to thank my family for their love and support throughout my journey allowing me to do what I am so passionate about.”

Snow Australia would like to congratulate David on receiving the Service to Snowsports Award in the 2024 Snow Australia Community Sport Awards, wishing him all the best in his future.