Welcome
to the
We are excited to be here and look forward to a great season. We are glad that you are considering being
part of the team. Practice starts on
Monday, Nov. 2 and continues through February 20 for most skiers. The Varsity team selected for State will
continue skiing through Feb. 27, 2009.
There are 9 races scheduled for this season, and everyone is expected to
participate in the races.
Attendance
Practice starts at 2:30 Monday – Friday.
If we are at South, practice will be over by 4:15. If we bus to Hilltop or Kincaid, we usually
are back at school around 5 pm. Any
absences must be prearranged with one of the coaches. If you miss a practice because of a weekly
music lesson or other activity, please let your coach know ahead of time. Daily attendance will be taken. A schedule will be posted on the website, but
as skiing conditions are subject to change due to the weather, skiers must also
be adaptable to changes. Check the
Hotline at 336-SKIS (336-7547). The
schedule and any last minute changes will be posted on the white board in the
ski room lobby by 2 pm. Always be
prepared to run outdoors or ski either technique. Dress for outdoors unless you are notified
otherwise. You will be assigned a locker
in the team locker area and can keep your stuff there.
Buses. When we
have scheduled buses, you
are expected to ride. It’s part of the team camaraderie and should be fun. The
bus will depart at 2:30 and all skiers must be on the bus on time, fully
waxed. In past years the district has
had a shortage of buses, and this year may be no different. The situation can
be frustrating and calls for a bit of flexibility and understanding. Please be
patient with us.
Strength practices will be on Mon-Wed mornings at 6:15 in the Little
Gym. These will start as soon as we can
confirm space in the little gym. This is
mandatory for everyone aspiring to race as A
team. There will be optional Saturday
practices early in the season.
Equipment
All skiers need both classic and skating gear. Combi boots are
acceptable but a pair each of classic and skating skis are mandatory. We really prefer waxable
skis. Two pairs of poles are also
necessary as the techniques require poles of different lengths. There is a limited amount of equipment
available on a first come basis. Use of
this equipment will be assigned for the season:
Skis - $20, Poles - $10, Boots - $10.
Talk to the one of the coaches if you need equipment, and the staffs at
AMH and Barney’s are very willing to help.
Classic skis need to have the wax
zones clearly marked on both sides of the skis.
This can be done when you purchase your skis or the coaches will help
early in the season.
Clothing
Hats and gloves are mandatory.
Dress in layers using wool and/or 1-2 layers of breathable poly-pro
synthetics under a wind layer such as your ski team jacket and Swix pants. Save
your cotton for indoor workouts and strength.
Ski racing uniforms, tops and bottoms, will be issued to all skiers and are
expected to be used. Ski team jackets
can be purchased. Skiers should have
base layers that will fit underneath the race suits on cold days (most
conditions). Wind fronted long johns and
wind briefs are strongly recommended. If
racing uniforms are not returned at the end of the season, your name is
submitted to the office and there will be consequences.
Waxing
Learning to wax skis is an important part of the Cross Country Ski
Team. We will provide instruction on
waxing and skiers will be responsible for waxing their own skis on a regular
basis. Team wax will only be used for
races or for extreme conditions. We
request that each skier has their own cork and a selection of kick waxes for
use on classic days. If you have
purchased new skis, they will benefit from frequent glide zone waxing. If you do not have a bench and waxing iron at
home, you are welcome to use team equipment, but please bring your own
waxes. The basic hydrocarbon glide waxes
in yellow, red and blue (temperature ranges:
warm to about 14 F) should cover you for most of the season. A selection of kick wax in the same
temperature range is great. Pick one
brand and stick with it.
Much of the team budget is spent on waxes.
If you use your own, you will probably keep track of it.
Participation/PE Credit
In order to receive participation credit/PE credit, skiers must attend 75%
of the practices or 4 days a week.
Varsity skiers are expected to attend all practices. Races are not optional… We are a ski RACING team. Don’t
be scared, this doesn’t mean you have to be super fast. In fact, you can come
in last in a race and as long as it’s apparent that you tried, that’s okay. The
team will eventually be broken up into squads and racing in the “open” category
shouldn’t be nerve-racking. If you’re anxious about this, please talk to
us. If for some reason you are going to
miss a race, tell us one week in advance.
Lettering
To letter you must have at least 75% attendance. Ways to earn a letter include: Racing on the State Meet team; Placing in the
top 35 overall in five or more races; Participation awards for seniors who
have been on the team for four years; Discretionary award based on major
contributions to the Team.
State Team Selection
The team selected for State will be based on results from 7 of the 9
races. Results will be based on Super
Tour Scoring: 1 - 30pts, 2 – 25 pts, 3 – 21 pts, 4 – 18 pts etc. within the
team. Performance in the later races of
the season will be weighed more heavily in a tie-breaking situation.