At the heart of the Falls Creek Winter Sports Program is a team of passionate, highly qualified coaches dedicated to helping you advance your skills and confidence on snow. Whether you’re chasing podiums or personal bests, our coaches bring world-class experience, technical expertise, and a love for the mountain to every session.

This season, you’ll be supported by a team that lives and breathes winter sports. From seasoned pros with international experience to rising local legends, each coach is here to mentor, motivate and challenge you!

Get to know some of the faces behind the program and meet the coaches who will help you reach your goals.

Kendra Etherton

Kendra loves coaching for the opportunity it gives her to witness athlete growth and build meaningful bonds over a season. She believes effective coaching starts with creating a safe, supportive space, where athletes feel heard both on and off the snow. Kendra is growing her technical coaching skills and looks forward to taking on more responsibility in training and race planning.

Stefan Gassner

Stefan coaches because he believes in the power of sport to shape character. For him, ski racing is about more than results, it teaches resilience, discipline, and growth. He builds strong connections with athletes, tailoring training to support their individual development. This season, Stefan looks forward to moments of breakthrough, shared victories, and helping athletes take pride in their journey, both on the hill and beyond.

Bernie Haider

Bernie is passionate about ski racing and loves helping athletes reach their goals by sharing knowledge gained through years on the snow. His coaching focuses on athlete-driven development, ensuring each skier understands what to work on and how to improve. This season, Bernie is excited to work closely with motivated athletes and support their growth both on and off the hill.

Dale Humphrys

This coach finds deep reward in helping athletes grow, gain confidence, and achieve what once felt out of reach. His coaching style is grounded in patience, encouragement, and a genuine commitment to each rider’s progress. Focused on building skills and making friendships. He aims to make every snowboarding session fun, supportive and unforgettable.

Kerry Lee

Kerry coaches because she loves watching kids grow into independent, confident skiers. Her approach is all about listening to her team, challenging them to improve and making every session fun.

Jane Levin

Jane coaches the Development Club because she believes few things are more rewarding than supporting young athletes as they grow in skill and passion for skiing. With a coaching style that caters to various learning styles and emphasises fun, creativity and safety. Jane is all about creating a positive environment. This season, she’s excited to hit the slopes, reconnect with old friends, and meet new faces.

Mathilde Monet

Mathilde coaches to pass on the same passion for skiing that her own coach once inspired in her. She focuses on understanding each student to keep them motivated and progressing, while creating a positive, inclusive group dynamic. As part of the Winter Sports Program Freeride Freestyle team, Mathilde is all about building a great atmosphere, on snow and among colleagues.

Melissa Poecher

Melissa’s passion for skiing began in childhood, and coaching gives her the opportunity to share that love with young athletes. She focuses on creating a space where athletes feel safe, supported and encouraged, believing that's the key to bringing out their best. Melissa is excited to be a part of the team, learning from each other and sharing unforgettable moments at Falls Creek.

Patrick Riepl

Patrick Coaches to share his passion for freeskiing and help young athletes grow both on and off the slopes. He values clear communication, trust and adapting to each athlete’s unique style. Patrick creates a supportive, fun environment where confidence thrives. He’s excited to spend as much time on snow as possible, see progression in the park, and experience life in a new country at Falls Creek.

Archie Shaw

Archie coaches because it’s fun, fast-paced, and incredibly rewarding to see athlete's progress. He believes the key to effective coaching is really knowing your athletes, their personalities, strengths and skiing style. So, training can be tailored to everyone. This season, archie is looking forward to getting back on snow with the kids and picking up right where we left off with last year's great skiing.

Alfie Wenk

After competing at a high level, Alfie is enjoying the more relaxed, grassroots side of the sport. He loves showing kids how fun skiing can be while helping them improve along the way. For Alfie, fun is the key to progress, when kids enjoy themselves, they learn faster. He’s especially excited to introduce some young skiers to skier cross and inspire the next generation.