Matura named U.S. Women’s Nordic Combined Head Coach

USA Nordic has named Tomas Matura Head Coach for the Women’s Nordic Combined Team. Matura will lead the women’s Nordic Combined team into a busy 2020-21 campaign which will debut a World Cup circuit as well as one World Championship event.

Matura, a former Czech Nordic Combined athlete, has worked with USA Nordic for the past six years. He began as a wax technician on the Continental Cup circuit, though his promise and passion for coaching was apparent early on- hence his movement up the coaching pipeline ever since. “I’m so happy and excited that USA Nordic has given me this opportunity,” says Matura.

Newly appointed sport director Jed Hinkley has certainly noticed Matura’s success over the past years, “Given the success our athletes have had under his guidance, as well as the great relationships he has with the team, we are very excited to move Tomas into this role.”

Hinkley also addresses the importance this has for women’s Nordic Combined. “Having a full-time women’s Nordic Combined coach is another step in the right direction for the sport and Tomas is the right person for the job.”

Matura worked with the women’s Nordic Combined team last season, in addition to managing the junior national team, and the entire Continental Cup circuit. This role isn’t necessarily new, just more specific. “I will now have more time to focus on the women’s team,” says Matura.

Looking forward, Matura is optimistic, “I think that with my passion and ideas, I can help this team to become the best in the world.” Matura continues, “I would like to see personal bests from our athletes across the board, while being able to walk away from the season and all say, ‘we were successful and had fun.’

The 2021 World Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany will feature the first ever medal events for women’s Nordic Combined. The last American world championship medals in ski jumping and nordic combined were won in 2013; Sarah Hendrickson became a world champion that year, while the men’s Nordic Combined squad earned a bronze medal in the team event.

Matura believes the seven-year medal drought can be broken, “The goal is a podium in Oberstdorf.”