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Steamboat Springs — With less than 20 months until the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, new U.S. Nordic combined coach Dave Jarrett's not afraid to put it out there.

Jarrett, who was promoted from his post as assistant coach to the head position this month, already knows the first goals he wants accomplished.

Win a medal at the 2009 World Championships in the Czech Republic and win one in Vancouver.

"We'll do everything in planning and training to be ready for two weeks in February of 2009 and two weeks in February of 2010," Jarrett said. "That's our goal is to win medals. Everything else is predicated on that."

Jarrett takes over the head coaching position from Lasse Ottesen. Ottesen was coach for two seasons and has worked with the team since 2004.

Jarrett, who lives in Heber City, Utah, said he's excited to carry on a successful tradition. A two-time Olympian himself, Jarrett said he's especially excited to work with Bill Demong and Johnny Spillane.

When Jarrett was finishing his career as a skier, Demong and Spillane were just starting theirs. He said with the World Championships and Olympics so close, it should be a benefit to have continuity within the team.

"I'm really excited to have two of those guys that have shown what they can do and know what their capabilities are," he said. "Now it's a matter of continuing what Bill is doing and getting Johnny back to the form that we know he's capable of."

Although he's looking at Demong and Spillane to lead the team now, he said it's just as important for the sport of Nordic skiing to find at least a couple more talented skiers. He's also hoping to keep developing talented skiers in the junior ranks.

"We need two more Bill and Johnnys to have a really successful team," he said. "You've got to have depth. You can't just have two guys do well."

Jarrett attended the University of Colorado where he earned degrees in kinesiology and applied physiology. He was a Nordic combined athlete on the U.S. Ski Team from 1992 through 1998. He was a member of the 1994 and 1998 Olympic teams.

Prior to the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Jarrett worked with the ski club at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah. The following spring he was called up to the national team as assistant coach with the Nordic combined program and has been working with the team ever since.

Jarrett said he's planning three ski camps in Steamboat, one each in June, July and September.

- To reach Luke Graham, call 871-4229

or e-mail lgraham@steamboatpilot.com