Andrew Kates

Strength & Conditioning Coach
B.Sc DAL 2011;
M.Sc UVIC 2014

Andrew has been working full time in high performance sport since 2015, after earning a B.Sc. in Kinesiology from Dalhousie University in 2011 and a M.Sc. in Exercise Physiology from the University of Victoria in 2014. As a Strength & Conditioning Coach with the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, he has worked with a variety of winter sports teams, spending most of his time with Freestyle skiers.  Andrew is currently the lead S&C coach for the Canadian Halfpipe ski team and has the pleasure of coaching multiple X-Games and Dew Tour champions, Overall World Cup champions, and Olympic medallists.

With a background in exercise physiology and a passion for biomechanics, Andrew uses an approach to combine these two disciplines for optimal training load management and exercise prescription.  He regularly incorporates the use of Force Plates to assess neuromuscular fatigue and training status, and to make training load decisions based on real-time data.  He has also developed several tools for on-hill load monitoring, helping athletes to find the delicate balance between skiing and physical preparation.  

Andrew has worked with numerous athletes through early to late rehabilitation stages, and has helped develop return to snow protocols, allowing athletes to confidently resume skiing after an injury.  He has regularly used advanced tools including Blood Flow Restriction for hypertrophy and strength, lower body asymmetry assessments to determine injury risk profile, and Velocity Based Training for optimal strength and power.