Image caption: From top left: John Greenwood, Taryn Archbold, Jon Reidy, Andy Atkinson, Hedley Beavis
Following on from our National Squad Coaches this week, we are happy to announce the five Combined County Head Coaches who will lead the Combined Counties Squads in each area of the country.
The Combined County Squad is intended to be the first stage of Snowsport England's athlete pathway, sitting between club/regional activity and future national squads.
Please note: this is a simplified diagram of the first phase of the Alpine Pathway. The original version was shared in the initial proposal and consultation.
Combined County Squads will come together for eight days of coaching across the year, starting in late spring/early summer 2027. Each training day will be held at a combined county hub venue, initially on dry slopes.
The Combined County Head Coaches are:
Northern Counties: John Greenwood
Midlands Counties: Taryn Archbold
Eastern Counties: Jon Reidy
South Eastern Counties: Andy Atkinson
South Western Counties: Hedley Beavis
Find out more about each of the coaches below.
John Greenwood
John has more than 30 years of experience as a ski coach and instructor, supporting the development of athletes and coaches across the sport. Through his work with RT Ski Club and across the NESA region, he has helped skiers of all ages and abilities progress and achieve their potential.
As a Snowsport England tutor and chair of the Coaching Advisory Group, John has played a significant role in the development of coaching within alpine skiing. He has also been a key contributor to the creation of the Snowsport England Alpine Pathway, helping to shape opportunities for athlete progression nationwide.
John is passionate about developing a strong coaching community, encouraging collaboration, continuous learning and professional development to support the long-term growth of the sport.
Taryn Archbold
Taryn has dedicated much of her life to skiing, both professionally and personally. As Head Ski Coach at Reed’s School, she works with young skiers of all abilities, helping them develop their technical skills, confidence and enjoyment of the sport. She is UKSS Level 3 Performance Coach, a Level 4 Alpine Ski Development Coach and holds the IVSI Certificate.
She enjoys supporting athletes at every stage of their journey, from introducing beginners to skiing through to coaching competitive racers. Taryn is particularly passionate about helping young people build confidence and achieve their goals, both on and off the slopes.
Alongside her coaching role, Taryn enjoys staying active, embracing new challenges and making the most of opportunities for adventure. She believes that the friendships, experiences and sense of community that skiing creates are among the sport’s greatest strengths.
Jon Reidy
Jon has been involved in local and national snowsports programmes for many years, first as a participant and competitor, and later as a coach working with local clubs and a range of academies in the alpine environment.
He is a UKSS Level 3 Performance Coach, a Level 4 Alpine Ski Development Coach and holds the IVSI Certificate. Jon currently coaches across the eastern region, working on both dry slopes and indoor snow facilities.
In addition to his coaching role, Jon is a tutor for Snowsport England, delivering performance coaching courses for aspiring coaches and supporting the development of ski instructors through nationally recognised training programmes.
Andy Atkinson
Andy has over 15 years of experience as an alpine ski instructor and coach across both dry slope and mountain environments. Many will know him from his years competing as a Masters racer on the national circuit and he continues to race internationally through the FIS Masters World Cup series as a founding member of the British Masters Ski Club.
He currently leads regional coaching for LSERSA and is a long-standing coach with Chatham Race Club. Andy is passionate about supporting skiers of all ages and abilities with a particular focus on grassroots development, training and racing.
Andy holds the UKSS Level 4 (IVSI) Development Coach, UKSS Level 2 Performance Coach, BASI Level 3 (ISIA) Instructor and Level 3 Mountain Safety qualifications.
Hedley Beavis
Hedley has been coaching on both dry slopes and snow for many years, working with a variety of organisations, and supporting skiers across all levels of the sport. Through his extensive experience, he has helped athletes develop their technical skills, confidence, and enjoyment of skiing in both training and competitive environments.
He holds the IVSI qualification, is a Level 4 Development Coach, and has previously served as an England Team Selector. Passionate about athlete development, Hedley enjoys sharing his knowledge and supporting skiers on their journey.
Outside of coaching, you will usually find Hedley in the mountains during the winter and on the beach throughout the summer, with the occasional visit to a dry slope in between.