Olympic champion Torah Bright won halfpipe gold in Vancouver ©Getty Images

Some of Australia's best snowboard athletes will take time out to help mentor the next generation of stars in the country.

Ski & Snowboard Australia (SSA) has run the SSA Futures scheme for six years - which has a focus on athlete development and talent identification.

It is hoped that youngsters can be aided with better coaching and more opportunities to shine.

Among the athletes helping out are Vancouver 2010 Olympic champion Torah Bright, who won her gold medal in the snowboard halfpipe and added a silver in the discipline four years later in Sochi.

She will be joined by 2015 world halfpipe champion Scott James, two-time snowboard cross world champion Alex Pullin and snowboard cross Winter Olympians Cam Bolton and Belle Brockhoff.

Brockhoff, winner of an International Ski Federation (FIS) World Cup event in Baqueira Beret in Spain last season, is herself a graduate of the SSA Futures programme.

Snowboard cross Olympian Belle Brockhoff came through the programme ©Getty Images
Snowboard cross Olympian Belle Brockhoff came through the programme ©Getty Images

“I have been coaching at Futures for a few years now and I learn a lot from the kids that I incorporate into my riding,” Brockhoff said. 

“It’s really cool going back to the basics of the sport and learning different ways to tackle a feature or figuring out better ways to get down a run. 

"It’s a unique opportunity for the kids as they get to race with and against us, giving them a lot of valuable experience especially if they want to go all the way to competing on the World Tour. 

“It’s also a unique opportunity for myself to see who is coming through the sport, how much everyone has progressed and being around a bunch of kids who are so excited to be there is really cool to see.”

Annie McCormack, the SSA Sports Programme Coordinator, added: "SSA Futures provides benefit for both the athletes and the sporting pathway allowing for athletes from pathway programs as well as athletes outside pathway programs to come together for training.

“It also provides the opportunity to educate athletes about the next steps in the progression through the pathway.

“The interaction between athletes and national team athletes is an important link for them as they grow and progress in the sport, these athletes having after all progressed through the same pathway themselves."