Coach search unsuccessful

“How far have we come as a ski nation?”

Many children want to ski in Salzburg. But there is a lack of coaches.(Bild: Andreas Tröster)

Many ski clubs in the province of Salzburg are desperately looking for new coaches for the school and junior sector, but are not finding them. Even a permanent position in Zell am See doesn't seem to be enough.  

Salzburg is eagerly awaiting the World Ski Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm in February 2025. Despite the anticipation, the mood in the local ski association is not all positive. The Zell am See ski club, for example, is desperate. "We can't get any coaches. There's nothing on the market," reports board member Fritz Unterganschnigg.

This affects the school and junior sector. The search has now been going on for two years without success. Even an advertisement on the Internet has not helped. The position on offer is a permanent position at the mountain railroads. "We don't know where this will lead," says Unterganschnigg. "How far have we come as the number one ski nation?"

New approaches needed
But the people of Zell are not alone. "It's a general problem," emphasizes Bartl Gensbichler, President of the regional ski association. The 68-year-old draws parallels with industries that are also desperately looking for staff. At his club in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, he says, they were lucky to find a female coach, increasing the number of children from eight to 46. Fix: New approaches are needed in Salzburg. But what could they look like?