Wax Clinic at Bluedog

Wednesday night at 6:30.  Learn about waxing your classic and skating skis for training and racing.  If you have a race coming up, I'd be happy to wax your boards; bring them along.  No charge.

Practice Cancelled

Too cold to ski on Monday.  We'll have to wait another week.  Hopefully we can stretch the season out into March.

Congrats to Dominic (10km) and Genesee (5km) at the Dam Phunski today.

I will be giving a wax clinic at Bluedog Cycles on Wednesday January 29th at 6:30pm.

Get outside on Sunday before the next frigid blast hits us!

Dam Phunski and Frigid Monday

Thanks to the abundance of winter this winter, the Dam Phunski ski race will be held this Saturday at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. There are distances of 1km, 5km and 10km, based on age.  Categories include classical and freestyle (skating) technique.  For more information, click here.  Friday through Sunday may be the only break we get from the frigid temperatures, so try to get out to the Reserve and ski this weekend.

It looks like we may have to cancel practice again on Monday (forecast high of -6).  I'll update the blog on Saturday.  If coaches are available, and all this snow sticks around, I would like to extend the season for a week or two into March.  Stay tuned...

Bring on the skiers!

Thanks to Jason for getting the sled running and Joe for grooming up a storm!  Conditions look great out there, and the forecast warmed up a bit with even a chance of flurries.  The Park Dept was out grooming this morning, too.  If you have time later in the week, check out the rest of the trails at the Golf Course (both sides of the highway).

Snack Tips and cold temps

This from the Snack Crew of Tanja and Angela:

"There will be hot cocoa and snacks available on Monday.  In order to reduce waste, please send a travel mug with your child; we will not be providing disposable cups.  Labeled mugs can be dropped off at the table just inside the front door of the church.  Please remind your child that snacks must be eaten downstairs or outside, not in the upstairs lobby area of the church. Thank you!"

Keep your eye on the weather; the forecast is for about 10 degrees at practice.  Dress appropriately with warm layers, warm socks, mittens and maybe even those hand warmer packets.  A scarf or mask is also a good idea.  We will meet in a big group at 3:45 for some quick warm-ups and minor re-shuffling of the groups.  Then we'll be off for a brisk, fun ski session.

Great Response

Thanks for the response and filling most of the Ski Club positions!

I'm still looking for a Coach with some ski experience to lead a group of kids who are working on mastering some of the basics before moving on.

We will also need to find an Events Coordinator who can come up with and help implement some ideas for fundraising.  The Club has been using a snowmobile on loan from Chris Jackson.  The snowmobile has groomed many kilometers of ski trails over its life and it will need to be replaced, either with a snowmobile or tracked UTV.

Positions Still Available!

Hi Parents,

I am re-posting this info because some of you missed my talk at the sign-up night.  We still need to fill these positions in order to provide the best experience for the kids, this year and into the future.

Please consider taking on a position within the club.  It could be only for a season, or hopefully longer.  If you have kids in the program, we will refund their registration fee ($35 each, for up to 3 kids).

Ski Coach - NEED 1  You don't need a lot of ski experience.  Enthusiastic, fun coaches are the best.  I provide a curriculum, week by week agenda, and on-snow coaching clinic.  I would like to add a group for older kids new to skiing and those struggling with the basics.

Secretary/Treasurer - I have done this for 2014; position will be available in 2015.  Collect payment and registration forms at sign-up night and mail to CXC.  Create and maintain athlete roster.  Track club budget and reimburse vendors for expenses.  Not a big time commitment.  Should be good with spreadsheets and responsible with a checkbook.

Events Coordinator - (Fundraising) - we should start making money to buy a snowmobile or UTV.  We probably won't do the food sales at the ski jump anymore, so we need to come up with other ways to make some money (grants, ski race, trail run, bike race, auction, raffle, car wash?..)  May also coordinate a trail maintenance day or two in the fall.

Groomer - FILLED!  Drive the snowmobile and pull the track setter.  This should be done every Sunday afternoon during the season (Jan and Feb).  That way the trail can 'set up' and hopefully be free of snow drifts, human foot prints, etc.  Some mechanical experience would be helpful.  Typically takes about 2 hours each time.

Snacks & Clean-up - NEED 1  Find vendors willing to donate snacks.  You would need to get the snacks and have them out for the kids.  I will help with initial contacts to the vendors.  There will also be some clean-up (vacuuming etc) needed after every practice.

To sign up for a position, or get more info; contact Dan Goltz at 485-0876 or dan_goltz@hotmail.com

A big "Thank you" to the coaches and others who have taken a position with the club!
-Dan

Tough conditions

Thank you to all the skiers for making the best of tough conditions on Monday.  The snow was very icey and difficult to ski on.  On top of that, our snowmobile had broken down.  Thanks to Jason Mowery, we were able to borrow an ATV and groom what we could for practice.  Conditions will be better next week.  Also, because of the icey snow, some of the grip tape was scraped off the skis.  Please check your grip tape (on the white and orange or white and blue combi skis).  If it has been worn off, you will need to get the skis into Bluedog for a new application.  You will need to do this on Thursday or Friday because Pete will be out of town Saturday - Monday.  If you can't make it in this week, your coach should have kick wax they can apply at next practice.

First Practice!

It's time to get your skis on!  We will have our first practice on Monday January 13th from 3:45 - 5:00pm.

Some logistics -
Please park in the back of the lot behind Believers Fellowship Church (this will be closest to the ski trail).  It would be great if the kids can arrive dressed and ready to go.  If anyone needs to go inside and change, we will be using the basement for that purpose.

Each week we will all meet as a big group at 3:50 for a group warm-up.  The warm-up area is behind the parking lot out in the driving range.  Follow the ski trail down a slight hill for about 50 yards; look for all the kids with skis on.  After the warm-up we will announce the groups and break out to ski with our instructors. We will be back at the church and head inside for a snack shortly before 5:00.

Parents of Polar Bears (the youngest group, typically 4-6 year-olds) should help them get their skis on and off.  You may want to walk them down to the the warm-up area the first time.  You are welcome to join your child for the entire practice.  Other parents - you may join us for the warm-up each week if you like. Sometimes there will be announcements about upcoming practices, etc (I will try to post that info on the blog, too).

And a few housekeeping notes -
Please be gracious guests at the church; try not to track snow and dirt inside.  Stay out of the sanctuary (the room with the pews) and office rooms.  There will be a snack provided at the end of each practice.

The snow looked pretty good on Friday.  Hopefully this thaw doesn't change things too much.
Thanks for joining our club... we're excited to meet you all on skis.

- The Coaches

Coaching Clinic & Grooming Clinic

Sunday January 12th; Coaching Clinic at 1:00, Grooming Clinic at 2:30

Meet at Believers Fellowship Church, park in back of lot, behind church.

Coaches - I dropped off the coaches manual and games booklets at Bluedog on January 2nd.  Hopefully you have had a chance to look through them.  I will bring any extra copies on Sunday, and also copies of the weekly lesson plans.  I will have the roster divided into groups and we can discuss and make any changes before the first practice.  Bring your classic ski gear and we can go over some of the drills and lessons, and any questions you have.  Veteran coaches don't need to attend; unless you want to discuss the roster.  I would like to have a different coach lead the group warm-up each week.  I'll go first.

Groomers - Bring some ear plugs and I'll bring the gas.  I hope to have some of the grooming done before we meet, but hopefully you can each get a little time on the sled.

Practice Cancelled

Too cold.  We will have our first practice on Monday January 13th.  See you then.

Arctic conditions predicted for Monday

NOAA is predicting a high of -16 on Monday.  I don't think it would be fun (or safe) to have practice in those conditions.  I will make a decision and update the blog on Sunday, but it is not likely that we will have practice on Monday January 6th.

Boone from Viroqua Parks Dept has been grooming the Golf Course, but only for skating so far (no tracks). I hope to get our snowmobile down there this weekend and start grooming the driving range.

I still plan to have the coaching and grooming clinics on Sunday... dress warmly.  Go Pack!