Nordic Team Handbook

Nordic Team Handbook The Mound Westonka Ski team mission is to teach 7-12 th grade students to become better skate and classic skiers at the varsity and JV level, to develop a love and passion for the lifelong sport of Nordic skiing, to get outside and enjoy our winter weather and to reap the rewards of fitness in a team atmosphere. Self-discipline, goal setting, commitment and motivation are required to become successful in Nordic skiing. The team functions to promote each skier to develop and progress in their own skiing. By each skier developing their skills and fitness, the team benefits and succeeds. A spirit of excellence, pride, unity, respect and sportsmanship is required of each member of the team and coaching staff. Team Rules and Requirements Attendance All practices are required. Receiving a Varsity letter is dependent on consistent attendance throughout the season. Prior notification to the head coach is required if you need to miss a practice or meet. Success as an athlete and as a team is compromised by poor attendance. Show your commitment through your attitude and attendance. That being said, it is understood that illnesses do occur, as well as unplanned events and emergencies and these situations will certainly not count against an athlete. Manage your time well in terms of homework. Look ahead at the calendar and plan your time wisely. This is an important life skill to develop. January is a very busy racing month for this team. Plan your time carefully. You can be successful academically and athletically. Most skiers are! Attending practice shows your dedication to the Nordic team. Rules All rules and regulations outlined by the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL), as well as those of Mound Westonka High School will be followed and enforced. You must be at school all day to attend practice (doctor appointments and funerals are exceptions). Transportation, Practices and Meets Before there is snow, practice is generally held at the high school with occasion trips to Gale Woods, Carver Park, Baker Park or the Dakota Trail. The team may carpool to these practices, but generally takes a bus. Once there is snow, we frequently travel by bus to practice sites and meets. Until we are on snow, practice will generally end at 4:30pm, unless we take a bus to another site and then we are back by 5:30pm. When we are taking the bus to ski (Baker, Carver, Wirth, Hyland, Elm Creek etc) for practice we will be back around 5:30pm (if at Baker or Carver) and later if at Hyland or Wirth. Practice begins at 3pm for dryland (before snow) days. The team home is in Mr. Humbert s room. Meet there for announcements at the beginning of practice. There is also a team bulletin board in the hall at the end of the C-wing. Bag storage is in the locker rooms. Please get a lock from Mr. Peterson. Skis are stored in the room at end of gym hallway. Once there is snow, the bus leaves for the trails at 3:05pm and returns at approximately 5:30pm (if at Baker). A weekly schedule of locations for practice is

distributed, plus sent by email. Also check your email for last minute weather related changes. Three Rivers Park district has a practice calendar and they control our practice location schedule. Once there is snow, athletes should have their skate and classic skis available for all practices. Communication I rely on a group email for schedule changes and weekly updates. It is critical that I have an accurate email address for all skiers and parents. Please check your check email daily. This is a weather dependent sport and things can change at the last minute. We also have a team facebook page at White Hawks Nordic Ski. There will also be a team bulletin board at the end of the C-wing with results, photos and other info. Coaches can be reached by phone or email at: Sue Harrison srharrison324@gmail.com 952-210-6994 Head Coach Corey Towle coreytowle@gmail.com Assistant Coach Sue Richardson srich2@msn.com Assistant Coach Wax Room Policies The team wax room is in the back area of Thaler ice arena. This space must be cleaned after each day of waxing. Sweep the floor, unplug irons and put the wax supplies away. It is a privilege for us to be able to use this space and we must respect that privilege. We also cannot use the space when high school hockey games are in progress (they start at 5pm). This will require some careful wax time planning. Don t assume you can wax whenever it suits you. We have to abide by the rink schedule. Benefits include; warm facility, refreshment stand, bathrooms, heated area to wait to wax. It may be possible to wax during a free period/study hall at school! Main wax room rules: UNPLUG ALL IRONS AND CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF BY SWEEPING AND PUTTING EVERYTHING AWAY!!! Ski Equipment Quality equipment fitted by a professional will provide the most enjoyment and success in skiing. Equipment is fitted for size, weight and ability. It is recommended that you buy equipment from a ski specific store where you can be properly fitted, such as Gear West, Finn Sisu or Hoigaards. Good used equipment is available at various ski swaps, but be sure it fits properly. Good equipment is not cheap, but will last a long time and provide the best experience for the skier and if taken care of, can be resold at a ski swap. There are ski packages available for high school skiers at most ski shops, ranging from beginner to advanced ski racing ability. Info available at store web sites Gear West: www.gearwest.com Finn SIsu: www.finnsisu.com Skinnyski: www.skinnyski.com

Coach Towle works at Gear West, so he is a great resource in terms of questions about equipment. He will discuss equipment for new parents at our meeting. The team owns some equipment which we rent out to first year skiers. There is a $35 charge to use the team equipment for the season. Please take care of it as if it were your own. We are instituting this charge to try to replace worn out equipment. We have random sizes of skis, boots and poles in our supply, but we are glad to try to fit all new skiers. Equipment Overview: Skate/freestyle skis: Specifically designed for skate skiing (also called freestyle technique). These skis are waxed only with glide wax and wax is applied from tip to tail. Classic skis: A slightly longer ski designed specifically for traditional or classic cross country skiing. Classic skis are glide waxed on the tip and tail and kick waxed in the kick zone under the binding/foot area of the ski. This allows the skier to kick and glide on the ski. Combi Skis: Primarily for beginner or recreational skiers or for athletes on a tight budget. The wax has to be changed according to the technique being skied that day, which can be a problem. These skis are not great for either technique. Please do not buy combi skis. Roller skis: Used for dryland training and recommended for athletes who have had on-snow ski experience. Off season roller skiing is the best way to improve as it is ski specific training. Great improvement can be made in the off season with roller ski training. Mound Westonka team will do some roller skiing in the dryland period of our season. A helmet is required. Poles: Poles also need to be fitted to the height of the skier. Skate poles should reach the middle of the skier s chin when wearing skis. Classic poles should reach just above the skier s armpit, but below the top of the shoulder. The above mentioned ski shops can help with proper fitting. Good handgrips and straps are also important. Tips should be changed to ferrules for dryland and roller skiing to avoid breaking off steel tips. It is also useful to have a pair of old poles for pole hiking. They should be shoulder height or shorter. Boots: Good fitting boots are essential for comfort and warmth. Skate boots are stiffer and typically have a higher cuff that reaches above the ankle. Classic boots area more flexible in the toe area and have a lower cuff. A combi boot is a good value for beginning skiers. As an athlete becomes more proficient they will benefit from skate and classic specific boots. Bindings: Bindings are specific to the type of boot purchased. The main binding systems are NNN, SNS and Pilot. The majority of Mound Westonka skiers have Pilot bindings. It is helpful for resale to teammates to try to keep to this binding system in future, but certainly not required. Ski bag: A ski bag is required. It is not safe in the bus and a huge organizational mess to have 30 pair of skis, poles and boots loose in the trailer. Other gear: o Running shoes o Bike Helmut: Required for roller skiing. o Water bottle and water bottle carrier (for hydration during longer ski workouts) o Basic kick waxes and wax cork o Ski ties o Watch

LABEL EVERYTHING!!! Clothing: Proper clothing is essential to a safe and enjoyable Nordic ski experience. Dressing properly requires planning. Skiers must take responsibility for drying their gloves, boots and clothing after each practice. Wet clothing, mittens etc are not warm and can lead to frost bite. Layering is the best way to dress for comfort and warmth. Some suggestions: Base layer closest to skin is best made from a wicking type of fabric. This can be a polypro, drilete, dri-fit, therma-pro or other brands of long underwear top and bottom. AVOID COTTON! Cotton will absorb moisture and then skier will have wet clothes next to skin. Boys will want wind briefs. These are like spandex with a wind resistant patch in crotch area and are essential. Insulating layer over base layer can be a fleece fabric or other choices. Outer layer should have wind protection, breathe and provide some water protection. This is not a thick winter jacket. A windbreaker with lining works well. We have a team jacket that can be ordered for $95. Gloves or mittens or lobster gloves for hands. Nordic ski mittens are generally warmest, even warmer with a thin lining. Those with a leather palm are very durable. Many choices are available at ski stores. Some skiers like a lighter pair of gloves for races. Nordic ski mittens are not the puffy downhill ski mittens and not wool knitted mittens. Hats are required unless it is very warm (above freezing). Too much heat is lost through your head not to have a hat. A thin, warm and comfortable hat is ideal for racing. Thicker hats are great for training. Many choices are available at ski stores. Earmuffs can be added for extra warmth, though earmuffs and headbands alone are generally not enough. Facemasks are great for some especially cold and windy days. Warmskin cream or Vaseline can also be beneficial. A ski buff is very useful to have!! Conference and Section Information We ski in the Twin Cities Nordic Ski Conference (TCNSC). Nordic Skiing is not a part of the Wright County Conference. Schools in the TCNSC are: Mound Westonka, Orono, Holy Family, St Paul Central, Highland Park, Como and Visitation. As a conference we have decided to award 10 All Conference plaques and 10 Honorable mention certificates at the conference meet. There ribbons for the top 25 at the JV conference meet. We compete in Section 6AA with the following schools: Nordic Ski Racing, Boys Class: Section: 6 12 teams in this section Map Administered by Region 6AA Benilde-St. Margaret's School Blake School (The) Breck School Hopkins High School Minneapolis Patrick Henry H. S. Mound Westonka High School Orono High School Robbinsdale Armstrong High School Robbinsdale Cooper High School St. Louis Park High School

Wayzata High School Coop: 668 "Heritage/Providence" Heritage Christian Academy (HOST) Providence Academy The top 2 section teams of 7 skiers and top 6 individuals not on those 2 teams qualify for the state meet. Lettering Requirements: Attend 90% of scheduled practices, races and events. Compete in all offered conference races. Compete in conference and sections meets. If not on conference and section rosters you may achieve letter by participating in 2 other Nordic ski events of 15 km or longer. This can be any timed event, team organized or citizen race. Send head coach the results. Show proficiency at skate and classic skiing. Attend team waxing clinic and be proficient at waxing your own skis. Help with ski related volunteer event, such as City of Lakes Loppet. Communicate with coaches if you need to be absent. Follow all MSHSL rules and regulations. Be a positive role model at the school and advocate of the Nordic ski team! Lettering is at the discretion of coaching staff. Fundraising This is a self funded team. That means we rely on student registration fees plus fundraising to support the team. Perhaps this should be a source of pride that we are able to run this team with minimal school dollars! To do so and not charge families excessive fees requires a committed fundraising effort. All athletes and families are expected to help with our fundraising. Funds are needed for many things, including coaching fees, busing costs, meet entry fees, wax supplies, other equipment and uniforms. Our main fundraising effort is the Scramble, an omelet breakfast/silent auction event at the American Legion. The date this year is Sunday, Dec. 10 th from 9am noon. Everyone is expected to help with and attend the event. Skiers sell tickets and work at the event. Parents are expected to help solicit items for the silent auction, do some baking, spread the word to get people to attend and volunteer at the event. Thanks for supporting the Scramble! Our Sport: Cross country skiing is an individual sport. Competing in cross country skiing is a team effort. The joy in skiing is both the individual nature of the sport and the collaborative environment of the team. Cross country skiing breeds lifelong friendship. Cross country skiing opens doors around the world. Cross country skiing is a power endurance sport. It is a sport of skill and speed, fitness and perseverance, strength and grace. Cross country skiing is a true outdoor sport. The weather, terrain and conditions create the playing field and backdrop for both head- to- head drama and solitary self-exploration. There

are no judges in cross country skiing but the watch, the finish line and only you know if you gave it all you had to give. Cross country skiing is a hard sport. There is no hiding, faking, no points for style. It is a fun sport, a fast sport, an exciting sport. But it is not easy. It is not easy to do the first time and at every step it brings new levels of challenge. It is a sport practiced cradle to grave. Once it gets a hold of you it is life-long. This is a sport for those who seek a challenge. Cross country skiers are considered the most fit athletes on the planet. Bar none. It is the most physiologically challenging sport there is. Bar none. Speeds range from over 50 mph to less t hat 10 mph. All speed is earned by effort, courage, effectiveness of technique and strength. Speed is maintained over race distances of one to 50 kilometers by efficiency of technique, endurance and mental toughness. It is a long-term sport because it is fun, because the lessons you learn within and beyond the sport, but mostly because of the friends you make along the way. US Ski Team Head Coach, Pete Vordenberg