Women of Winter | Layne Flannery

A passion for winter sports born in her youth didn't necessarily lead Layne Flannery to a job based at the National Sportsport Training Centre (NSTC), but it certainly didn't hurt.

In a collaborative effort between Snow Australia and the New South Wales Institute of Sport, Layne now holds the position of resident strength and conditioning coach at the NSTC. Within this role, she assumes a central role in the delivery of strength and conditioning services, actively working with athletes in the performance pathway from the Emerging to Podium level.

The NSTC Strength & Conditioning Coach (Assistant) will be involved in a range of facility maintenance/management, project work, camp support and athlete coaching/programming both remotely and face-to-face.

The appointment of Layne into the Winter Sport network will add huge value to the provision of strength & conditioning practices to our athletes out of the National Snow Sport Training Centre.

How were you introduced to snow sports?   
I was first introduced to snow sports when I was young, watching the Winter Olympics on TV. I remember being fascinated with all the disciplines. Growing up in Newcastle, snowsports wasn’t something that was ever really seen or spoken about, so watching this on TV was different to anything I was used to seeing and very exciting to watch.

My first experience in the snow was when I was nine years old and my family did a snow trip to Thredbo. This was where I fell in love with snowboarding and have done many snow trips over the years and always stinging to go on another snow trip.

How did this background influence your desire to want to pursue a career in sport services in the industry/in snow sports? 
My career in strength and conditioning started out in team sports like soccer and rugby league. However, coming to the end of my studies at university I was looking for my first full time opportunity in my career strength and conditioning.

Working In Winter Sports was never something I considered working in as I never seen any opportunities arise to work in these sports. However, when this role came up, my love for snowboarding, watching these sports on TV and previous fun, positive experiences with the snow season in Australia, played a huge part in my enthusiasm to apply for this role. Having the opportunity to work with snow sport athletes in a career that I’m passionate about is a dream.

Your current role is NSWIS Assistant Strength & Conditioning coach. Tell us a bit about this role, what it involves and how long you have been in it? 
I have been in this role for about four months now; the role is multifaceted working a variety of different people and organisations. My role is located at the NSTC gym in Jindabyne and involves coaching winter sport athletes from emerging to podium athletes.

In the winter the role is very much a lot of face-to-face coaching as many of the winter athletes are in Jindabyne for the snow season.

Outside of the winter season, I coach mainly local Jindabyne winter athletes and work closely with ETP athletes, which are young talented winter sport athletes. I encourage them to get into the gym, start to develop their physical literacy and educate them on basics of being an elite athlete to maximize their potential career success in winter sports down the track.

What do you love most about working with snow sport athletes?  
Snow sport athletes are people first and that’s what I love about my job, is the people you have the pleasure of meeting and working alongside of.

What is some advice or knowledge that you would give to women interested in exploring a career in program services in the industry?  

Like most things, it’s not easy, you need to make sure you are passionate about what you want to do. If you have passion, drive and are open to all opportunities that come your way, then it is a very rewarding journey.