Wednesday: 10.28.09.
So Soon!:

We met with the captains yesterday morning and are looking forward to seeing your bright shining faces this afternoon! The season will be starting quickly, November 9th, so get your forms turned in and fees paid. The parent's meeting is set for Monday, November 2nd at 6:30pm. We'll meet in room 234 at Elk River High School, signs will be posted for those of you not familiar with the building. The website will be going through a re-vamp this weekend so have some patience if you see some things down. We are trying to make it more user friendly for all. Hopefully the big reveal will be Monday at the parents meeting, cross your fingers that all goes well this weekend. ;-) Calendars, updated documents and all that jazz will be linked up then. Until then, it is the same info from last year. Wow, start the countdown, here we come!

Saturday: 10.10.09.
Did I oversleep?:

I woke up this morning and with a sudden jolt - and thought I was going to be late for morning practice. Did I forget the season started? I must be losing my mind - where did four weeks go? Then I looked at the calendar, checked a second calendar, and remembered that it has even been Halloween yet. Okay, safe - but looking at that beautiful view out my window, I can't help but get excited about the upcoming season. If you are in a fall sport - keep working at it, all that training will pay off for nordic as well. If you decided to take the fall season "off", make sure you have still been active and be ready, we will hit the ground "running" on November 9th!

In the meantime, take a few minutes to play in the snow - yes, there is snow out there - and then come back inside and enjoy a nice cup of hot cocoa and dream big dreams for the coming season. Oh - and think snow! We may not need it now, but it would sure be sweet starting after Thanksgiving! Happy Saturday!

Wednesday: 07.22.09.
Hillside!:

Mountain bike (with helmet), pole hike, trail run, gab, chat, treats... You name it, it will be there. The group decided on Hillside park for Thursday so meet up, have some fun, the party starts at 7:00am, or so we've been told!

Wednesday: 07.15.09.
Scavenger Hunt!:

Okay Nordic Fans - The scavenger hunt is set, all is a go! Meet at the back door of the high school tomorrow (Thursday) morning at 7:00am. Bring a friend, and be light on your feet!

Tuesday: 07.08.09.
Summer Fun...

Okay Nordic Fans - summer gatherings have been going on and it sounds like a lot of fun has been happening. Family vacations, drivers tests, weddings, jobs, college prep, it just keeps going... enjoy, have fun, keep working out and stay safe. For those of you meeting on Tuesday's and Thursday's, hopefully you've been enjoying getting together with friends for a workout. Thursday's practice (7/9) was lined up for Elm Creek but with the projected Thunderstorms you'll just be meeting at the high school and then moving from there. Bike, roller ski, pole hike, run, you choose your transportation - bring a friend or three. You'll head out from the school and return there. Cold treats provided!

Tuesday: 02.24.09.
Food and Festivities...

Okay Nordic Fans - it is time to gather together and celebrate another great season. Our banquet will be on Sunday, March 15th at 5:00pm. We will be doing a pot luck again this year so look for information as to what your family needs to bring in the next week. If you have some pictures/video from the season, try to get that to Coach Chris this week so he can pass it along to Coach K. Make sure you have returned your skis/poles/uniform and any thing else that you used from the team. You could also consider stopping by today after school to help put storage wax on all those skis you used during the season. Thanks in advance for all of you that are able/willing to donate your time to help! Look for more banquet details in the next week and we'll look forward to seeing everyone on the 15th!

Monday: 02.16.09.
Tidbits and Twidley Winks...

Wrapping things up. Things have come to a final end here. Congrats to the JV Team for their skiing at the JV Conference Championships the previous Tuesday. Results are posted here. We'll get pictures up tomorrow (Tuesday). Congrats also to the relay teams from Thursday, Results are posted here. And congratulations to our 5 State Meet skiers on their great performances, Girls results are posted here, and Boys results are posted here. We'll get pictures linked up Tuesday along with the normal results page updated with all the links also.

Thank you for a tremendous season! What will you do with all your time now? Don't get into too much trouble and make sure you get caught up with your school work. We'll get together on Wednesday to turn in equipment and vote for captians and such. The Olympic Nordic Decathlon will also be held that day, talk to a veteran skier for details on that. Enjoy your day of freedom and we'll see you on Wednesday. Remember to take some time off before Track season (or any other spring sport) starts up. Get us a schedule of your spring sports so we can get out and support you there and keep us updated with things going on. We'll get the date set for the banquet at our meeting on Wednesday so try to know your basic schedule for March so we can work around most conflicts. Thank you for being such great students, skiers, and all around excellent people, you have made the season a joy to be a part of. Enjoy your extra time and pass the word around about Wednesday! See you then.

Thursday: 02.12.09.
Relay-Relay-Relay-Relay...

We made it up to the cabin last night around 7:30pm. The bus ride was uneventful but with the rain/sleet/snow we didn't rush the trip. With the Volk's prepacked dinner of pasta, salad and bread we were eating by 7:45 (all 25 of us!!) and it was excellent! Thank you Volk family!! The kids were busy last night getting some energy out and "relaxing" but did seem to settle down by 10:00-ish. There was of course some random giggles and LOUD snoring but despite this, all seemed to sleep well.

The coaches were naively thinking that the sleep could last until 8:00, but alas, by 7:00 the natives were restless and by 7:15, all hope was lost. They awoke with abandon and are now threatening to take over the cabin and take all adults present hostage. (Well, we may be exagerating that a bit...only a little though) Your kids are excellent and they are calmly upstairs playing cards, getting ready and listening to some music. They have already sang "Happy Birthday" to Kayla (18th) once and it is sure to happen again soon and many times throughout the day. There also seems to be a creative hair salon going on in the loft area, we do not reccomend their services to anyone!! Stay far away!

We'll be heading to Giant's Ridge shortly for the relay races and to allow the state skiers some time to get on the course and to do some starts. We'll get some pictures posted from the race tonight along with results for you. Please keep us in your thoughts tonight as our relay skiers have reached the end of their season and are looking forward to letting some steam out (litteraly, the sauna will be hot tonight) and celebrating a bit. Thanks for having such great kids, we really are lucky to have such a great team!

Sunday: 02.08.09.
Way to Represent...

The JV team took to the trails yesterday against teams from around the state at the Lakeville JV Championships. It was finaly a chance for our younger skiers to compete against skiers their own age and for the JV skiers to compete against others from around the state. There were many great performances and we'll get pictures up tomorrow(Monday, along with the sections pictures also). Some of the highlights though were Aaron placing 3rd in the boys JV race, Kayla taking 15th in the girls JV, Alex was 15th in the 9th grade boys race and Mary was 6th in the 8th grade girls race.

Congrats to all the JV skiers and we are looking forward to seeing them race again in the JV Conference Championships on Tuesday at Elm Creek. Racing will beging at 4:00 at Elm Creek with the boys going first. This will be a 5km skate race but the course will be determined after we know the condition of the trails after the rain tonight/tomorrow.

Monday will be a day off for all skiers. Rest, relax and be healthy. The wax room will be open to wax your skis if you need to. CH8 for Tuesday's race. Tuesday is the race at Elm Creek for the JV team. The rest of the team will have practice at Elm prior to the race and then will be there to cheer on our JV team at their last race! Wednesday the State skiers and the relay team skiers will depart for the ridge. The bus will be leaving right after school at 3:00 so be packed and ready to go. We'll get travel details out to you on Tuesday along with a list of needed things. The relays will be on Thursday at 1:00 (girls) and 2:00 (boys). Friday brings the State Meet with racing getting underway at 10:00 with the girls classic followed by the boys classic at 11:00. The girls will continue with the pursuit skate at 1:30 and boys at 2:30. We'll stop for dinner on the way home and should pull in to Elk River around 9:00/9:30pm. We'll get you more details as the week goes on.

Congrats again to the JV skiers for Saturday and we are looking forward to seeing you race again on Tuesday! Good Luck! Drive safe the next couple days with the crazy weather, we'll see you all on Tuesday.

Friday: 02.06.09.
Heat Wave and Celebration!!...

How do we describe yesterday? A lot of cheers, fantastic performances, great skiing, sweltering heat and a whole lot of fight… For those of you that were able to make it up to Camp Ripley yesterday – you had a treat. Perfect spectator temps, great racing, and many personal bests from our skiers. For those of you that couldn’t come, we’ll give you a short recap here but you really need to talk to a skier to get the full info, it was great!

The day started early loading the bus and being first to arrive at the Camp Ripley Biathlon Range. We got set up and the boys started warming up for their 10:30 race. The boys took to the course under chilly temps but the warm sun was changing that fast. The Elks skied well but with the time placed by Bocso(Wayzata) it looked like it would be a tough race. Eric came in first for Elk River placing 4th in classic followed by Brian(10), Morgan(13), Mitch(21), Max(38), Paul(43), and Phil(50). Eric and Brian were in position to qualify for State if they skied well and Morgan, with an excellent classic race had positioned himself right on the bubble-it was an exciting and tense second skate race for spectators and coaches! They all skied well though and finish exhausted and happy. For the boys we have two State Qualifiers again this year and the team placed 4th behind Wayzata, Orono and just two points behind Maple Grove. Congrats and good luck to Eric and Brian as they take on the State Meet next Friday.

On the girls side of things there were some wonderful surprises and payoff for hard work. In the rapidly rising temps the girls took to the classic course and nailed it! Emma came in 5th placing her well for State Qualifying place and overall place. Second for the Elks was Renee(9) followed closely by Helena(11), Jane(14), Victoria(28), Ashley(39), and Laura (48). Both Renee and Helena were in qualifying places after the first race, they were just going to need to hold on for a tough skate race and Jane skied well enough to be right on the border of qualifying! Wow! The girls headed out with an eye on catching the Maple Grove team in points and hanging on to their spots. They just missed the Maple Grove team for second(by two points!). But they were able to qualify three girls! Congrats to Emma, Helena and Renee for qualifying for the State Meet and congrats to the girls team for placing third behind Wayzata and right on the heels of MG. It will be an exciting and fun week next week!

Tomorrow(Saturday) the team will be heading to Lakeville for the JV Championships. The bus will leave the high school at 7:45 and return by 1:30. Anyone not skiing at Sections will be racing and the section skiers will be there to support you! Good luck!

Monday has been changed slightly. With the warm temps, Woodland won't be very safe for the JV Conference Championships so those have been moved to Elm Creek. The races will start at 4:00 so that should give parents a chance to get up to support and cheer on their skiers. Practice and the race will all be at Elm on Monday. It will be a skate race and we'll get more details out soon.

Thanks again to all the waxers, the families bringing food and all those that support the team! It has been an exciting season and it just keeps going! We'll get the pictures up this weekend and get more details out about next week also. Thanks!

Tuesday: 02.03.09.
Finalizing Details...

Okay folks...Tomorrow(Wednesday) will be a practice for the JV team, skate, at Woodlands. The Section team will get their skis packaged up and marked and will have a workout assigned. Thursday is the section meet, the bus will depart at 6:30am. We will have your skis at the school for you, you will need everything else. This is an all day activity so you will not have an option to pick up something after we leave, make sure you bring it all. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come, it should be a great day of racing and we'll be working to have skiers earn qualifying spots for state. Friday will be an easy recovery day for the section team and will be race prep day for the JV skiers. You can wax after school and we’ll have a shorter practice with some starts that day(skate). Saturday will be the JV Championships in Lakeville. The bus will depart at 7:45am and racing starts at 10:00 for 8th grade boys. All races will be 5km skate races with the last race going out at 11:30. Details are available here. We should return to school by 1:30. Those skiers that qualify for the state meet will be able to ski the state course on Saturday, we'll be working out details Thursday night. We'll expect the section skiers to come and support the JV skiers as they compete for their titles. It will be a great day of racing.

Parents-we are looking for people to bring food for the section skiers. We know parents have talked to us but with different people on different days, we've forgotten if we have enough food coming up. We are sure that the Bates family is bringing potatoes and the Fergus family is bring up some remainders from Conference. Can the other families e-mail or call Coach K so we know if we should bring some extra. You have all been so supportive with everything, we just want to verify that we are covered. Thanks to the Volk family for the pasta dinner tonight and just a reminder that we'll be over in the Volk garage putting the final touches on the skis tomorrow night, anyone is welcome to help! Thanks in advance!!

Sunday: 02.01.09.
Best Comercial First Half?...

I would have to go with the Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head driving down the road, very nice! But back to more important sporting news...We will have a short practice on Monday and Wednesday this week at Woodland Trails. On Tuesday it will be a day off but the Section Team skiers and alternates will need to wax their skis that day sometime. We'll get you waxing details as we get closer but we are looking at some warmer waxes so be ready for that. Thursday, the bus will be leaving at 6:30 am! Be there early to load and have changes of clothes, your equipment and extra fluids. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come and support the team as we compete to qualify for the State Meet.

We'll get more info out on waxing this week. We also have the JV Championships on Saturday in Lakeville coming up. We'll get more information out on that also. Anyone not skiing in the Section Meet will be racing on Saturday in Lakeville. Enjoy the rest of the game and hopefully you were able to enjoy some time outside this beautiful weekend!

Thursday: 01.29.09.
Rest and Repeat...

Congratulations Elk River! What a great day of racing yesterday. We saw quite a few impressive performances and personal bests which is exciting to see. The girls placed 3rd and the boys 4th against some tough competition so that was very exciting. We had eight All Conference Skiers: Eric Volk, Brian Fergus, Morgan Wigmore and Mitch Nordahl for the boys and Emma Bates, Helena Keller, Renee Crepeau and Jane Kallemeyn and the girls side. Congratulations on a tremendous performance!

Thanks to the Fergus family for laying out some space for the team and getting the food organized and set up. The kids were well fed and had prime location to recover between races. Thanks to all the waxers that helped on Tuesday night and the brushers that tooks care of the skis race day, the skis were fast and the kids raced well on them. Thank you also to the skiers that were able to come with even though they didn't race. You are important to have on the course and supporting the team as workers and blanket fiends. Thank you and we hope you can come with next week as well. We are greatful for all the support of parents and family that were out there and those cheering from home/work. Thank you! The results are linked up and we will get the Elk River results and % Back posted later this evening. Pictures will be up tomorrow so check for those.

Today will be an easy day at Woodland, skate practice with some games afterwards. We should be back at the high school near 4:30. Tomorrow (Friday) is a day off. That means a rest day(not 4 hours of hockey or broomball...etc.) Enjoy your afternoon/evening but take it easy. Saturday will be classic with some intervals at Woodland at 9:00am. The temps look like they will be getting warm - enjoy it. ;-)

The kids did very well yesterday and we are excited to see where this takes us with Sections next week and the JV Championships coming up. Be ready for some fun!

Tuesday: 01.27.09.
It Starts Tomorrow...

Tomorrow - Conference Championships - The culmination of a season’s work and in some cases, years of preparation... This week is Conference, next Thursday is Sections, next Saturday is the JV Championships in Lakeville, the following Monday is the JV Championships for the Conference and then we wrap it all up with the State Meet on the 13th. Wow, there it is, done. Before we get to all that though, we need to start with tomorrow. All things are a go for tomorrow. A huge thank you to the Volk’s for hosting the waxing this evening in their heated garage. It was comfortable and toasty and we were able to get done in quick fashion! Gentlemen- thank you for your help and for the hours that you put towards waxing. The skis look fast (they are fast) and they are ready to go for tomorrow. (Ladies, you are still welcome to help out...next Wednesday night we’ll be doing the same thing, you are all welcome to join!)

Dress warm for tomorrow, it will be a chilly start. The bus leaves tomorrow at 7:45am, be at the high school early so you are ready. Make sure you have a change of clothes, fluids and both sets of equipment (we have your skis though). We’ll see you bright and early-it should be a great day!

Sunday: 01.25.09.
Final Weeks...

Okay folks, the big meets are here and the season is rapidly coming to a flashy close. Tomorrow (Monday) we'll be checking out the course at Baker Park, the bus leaves at 9:00am from the high school and will return by 1:00. Bring both sets of equipment and some food to eat. You'll ski the course classic and then work some transitions skating along with some starts and finishes. The weather looks like it will still be a little chilly so dress well and bring a change of dry clothes for the bus ride home. Try to wax your skis Monday afternoon/evening so they are ready for the coaches to take for finishing touches on Tuesday. Don't forget the pasta dinner on Monday night!

Tuesday we'll be practicing at the high school, have clothes for inside and outside, you'll have a choice. We'll run through some final details and then you'll be home early to have a good dinner and finish prepping.

Details for the Conference Meet have been posted on the conference page under the MEETS tab. Schedule and directions are updated and should not be changed. Parents, we will be waxing skis on Tuesday evening in the Volk's heated garage. We'd love to have some extra help so if you are available, please let us know and we'll get you directions and get you set up. Don't worry if you don't know how, we'll teach you some basics and you'll be good to go. The more hands available, the quicker the work goes and the faster the skis are. Thanks in advance for your help. We'll also need a parent worker for each of the four races. Please let us know you are available and we'll make sure that you are not working during your skier's race. The bus is leaving at 7:45 on Wednesday so the kids will miss the full day of school. Talk to your teachers in advance! We'll plan on being home by 5:45-6:00pm.

Saturday: 01.24.09.
More Changes are Here...

Mother Nature has hit us hard again this morning with some cold temps and blustery winds. We should have gotten a hold of all of you this morning but just to let you know some details: We are not going to Camp Ripley today with the temps and the time delay that would be forced from a race delay up there. We will be holding practice at 1:00 at Woodland trails. Bring both sets of equipment.

Monday is still set to head for Baker Park for the conference course. The bus will leave from the high school at 9:00am and will return by 1:00. Bring some food with for lunch and we will prepare you to race the course on Wednesday.

Also, we want to send a huge congratulations to the girls team for taking first in our two day pursuit with Andover and Champlin Park and congrats to the boys for taking 2nd. Full results are posted online under the MEETS tab. Photos are up also, thanks to M. Bates for adding to those! Nice job all.

Thursday: 01.22.09.
Results and pretty pics...

Well done team! The Elk River results are posted and we'll get the team results up as soon as we get them. Don't forget the tomorrow will be picture day so have your uniform and be ready to look pretty! We should be back to the high school shortly after 4:30. Enjoy your evening and study for finals!

Thursday: 01.22.09.
Starts and More...

The start order and start list is posted on the restults page so you can check that out for today. We will be compressing the start times after the 6 minute mark so that we can get you all out a little sooner so be ready for that. The boys race will start at 3:30pm and the girls race will start at the 30 minute mark on the clock (at 4:00). The race course will be the improved (to the X and back) course and should be more "fun" and challenging. Enjoy! We hope you see you out there today.

Just a reminder, tomorrow will be a short day for practice and games. Saturday will be the section course preview, meet at the high school at 10:30, we'll be back by 4:30. We'll head up by bus to Little Falls (Camp Ripley), ski the course-classic and skate- and then head home. Bring some snacks and both sets of equipment. Monday we will be checking out the Conference Champ. course out at Baker Park. Meet at the high school at 9:00am, we will take a bus out there and again, ski the course-classic and skate- and then head home. The Conference Championships will be on Wednesday and will be open to all skiers to come along, this is an all day activity so talk to your teachers in advance. This will be a busy few weeks so be ready!

Tuesday: 01.20.09.
Congratulations!...

Awesome job Elks! Results are up on the MEETS page so check them out, they are just the ER results but we'll get the rest of them up as soon as we get them. Start times will be based of the winner's time. Boys: 15:15, Girls: 18:24. Have a great night and keep in mind all the business that is coming up, take care of yourself, get your rest, eat healthy choices and stay healthy.

Practice tomorrow will be shorter, back to the high school by 4:30. Thursday is the pursuit skate portion. Friday will be short, with games. Saturday will be 10:30-4:30 to ski the section meet course up in Little Falls at Camp Ripley. Monday we will be at Baker Park for the Conference Meet course preview, meet at the high school at 9:00am, back by 1:00. The Conference Championships will be all day on Wednesday so talk to your teachers in advance(All Skiers will ski on Wednesday at the race.)

Monday: 01.19.09.
Back to School...

Well, enjoy your day back at school. Hopefully you were able to finish any and all homework you had with all the extra time available. We’ve got a busy few weeks ahead of us now so pay attention:

  • Tuesday-5k classic race, first part of pursuit
  • Thursday-5k skate, finish of pursuit
  • Saturday-Section course preview, 11:00-4:30 aprox.
  • Monday-Conference course preview
  • Wednesday-Conference Championships, All Day
    • Be rested and stay healthy, it will be an exciting ride!

    Friday: 01.16.09.
    Must be Nice...

    Must be nice to sleep in on a Friday. It must be nice to stay home on a perfectly good day. It must be nice to be headed into a three day weekend and already have had two days off. It must be nice to be you...

    Nope. Not bitter at all. Not jealous. Not wishing I was you... Nope.

    Moving on... We do hope you enjoy your day. The race today is of course canceled since school has been canceled. How can we expect you to go outside in these frigid temps if you can’t go to school in these frigid temps? However, there is a heat wave moving in for this afternoon and we would HIGHLY encourage you to get out and ski. The ski room will conveniently be open this afternoon around 2:30 and you will be able to get your skis for today’s and this weekend's use. If you were to go skiing today, we would encourage you to skate to freshen up those legs. In fact, if you have the option, we would encourage you to do the same workout as you did on Tuesday. (V=4x3 on Peeper + 3x3 on Maple, JV=3x3 on Pin with full warm-up and cool down)

    The weather looks like it will be nicest around 2:00 or after so that would be the best time to ski since it would be easiest on your lungs in the warmer temps. Saturday we will still have core-body practice at 7:00am at the high school. Our pursuit will be on Tuesday/Thursday this week so we will be canceling the skiathlon on Monday. Practice on Monday will be at Woodland Trails at 9:00 am. Temps should be pretty comfortable and good for classic. Our race will be on Tuesday of next week – same Bat Time, same Bat Channel; 3:30 Boys Start, 3:45 Girls Start, Woodland Trails Classic, course map is linked below. The race on Tuesday is looking like it will be warm so plan on waxing beforehand. More details will probably be coming out later this afternoon but for now – enjoy your SECOND "freeday". (We’ll see you all bright and early tomorrow morning since you will all be so well rested!)

    Thursday: 01.15.09. Part 2:
    Courses and Stuff...

    We are on for tomorrow. Andover and Champlin Park will be over and we should be starting with the boys at 3:30 and then following with the girls around 3:45/3:50. Here is the race course. It is the same course as the JV race last week with the addition of "the mitten" portion at the end of Jack Pond Flats. We look forward to seeing you out there!

    Monday's skiathlon is still falling into place. We aren't sure of the number of skiers but the course is set. The course will get us out on to Big Tooth Shoot and should provide some more challenge for the race. It will be a challenging 5 km classic, change equipment, 5 km skate and should provide a lot of fun and excitement. Depending on the numbers of skiers that we have sign up we may change the start times a little. We'll plan on starting the races at 9:30 and if we don't have too many skiers, the girls will start a few minutes later. If we have a lot of skiers we'll need to have two seperate races and will have the girls start at 10:30am. We'll announce that at Saturday's practice (7:00am core body). Have fun at school tomorrow - Happy Friday!

    Thursday: 01.15.09.
    Freeday - Freeday...

    "Free-day, free-day, we have a free-day..." I can hear it from a-far, being sung in that sing-songy taunting fashion the way all things are when one district has school canceled and another district is in school educating their students, during normal school-day hours... Enjoy your day. One of your coaches is at home, sleeping in, also enjoying their day, while your other coach is not typing on their computer, not getting ready for the school day and definitely NOT bitter about the situation...at all. ;-)

    Sleep in, catch up, get rested. Really, do enjoy your day and use it, take advantage of having it. We would love for you to do a little work out, about 45-60 mins of cardio, but keep it INSIDE! We were planning to be inside today so your lungs would be kept out of the cold, they need a day to recover also. Indoor bike, treadmill, aerobic cleaning of the house...be creative but try to keep it inside, it the warmth.

    We'll get more details about Monday up on the site today including the course map. Tomorrow we will have our classic-5km race, the first half of the pursuit. Boys will start at 3:30 with one skier from each school going out every 20 seconds. Girls will start about 15 to 20 mins later, about a 5 min break after the last boy goes out. The race is at Woodland Trails on the home course and with a high of 10 degrees projected, it will be down-right balmy. Come on out and support the team!

    Enjoy your "Free-day" and we'll see you tomorrow. Don't forget your race-suit and equipment and be well-fed and hydrated!

    Wednesday: 01.14.09.
    What would the season be without a few changes?...

    We had a great practice yesterday and when we were back in the woods, it was actually quite nice. Today will be an easy day and recovery, we will be back at the school at an earlier time. We apologize for getting back a little later yesterday, we had the kids take care of the waxing at the high school which kept their fingers warm but gave us a later start. We'll be on time today.

    Change is around us though and we have a few updates to throw at you.
    Update #1: Thursday's race has been rescheduled for Friday. It is projected to be too cold to legally race and instead of waiting for the temps to be official, we are just calling it now. It will still be the 5km classic race at Woodland Trails and will be on Friday. Temps should be much nicer for the racers and the spectators!
    Update #2: The Jamboree has been canceled. With other races moving in to that weekend we only had four teams signed up and would have lost money in the process at Theodore Wirth Park. We will try again next season but for this year, it will be off. Instead, on Monday we will be having a skiathlon, 5k classic/5k skate at Woodland Trails. We'll get you more details at practice on Thursday.

    Think warm thoughts!

    Monday: 01.12.09.
    Enter the Ice Box!...

    It is going to be down-right cold the next few days. We know that in advance so we have told the kids to be dressed for the weather. Please make sure that they have the required layers and coverings for their skin. We will be practicing back in the woods so the wind won't be much of an issue but the temperatures will still be cold so they need to be dressed appropriately.

    The race on Thursday may be rescheduled but that will be determined as we get closer. The legal cut-off for racing temperatures is "-4" because of the racing uniform and conditions. For practice, the recommended cut-off is "-20". We are aware of the cold temps and will be watching the skiers carefully for any signs of frostbite or adverse effects from the cold temps. We will try to have the bus available during practice as a warming shelter and if it can't be there the entire time, it will be their early if needed. We will be done a littler earlier Tuesday, 4:30 on the bus - 4:45 at the school.

    We’ll let you know as soon as possible about the race on Thursday, the backup date will be Friday at the same time. Thanks for your flexibility, welcome to winter, hopefully you brought your long-johns!

    Sunday: 01.11.09.
    Great Job Team!...

    Wow - we got back late last night after a great showing at the Giant's Ridge (Mesabi) Invitational. There was a lot of great racing throughout the day and the results are posted on the MEET page. We'll get some pictures up on Monday. Congrats go to top showings from Eric Volk (5th place overall), Morgan Wigmore (34th overall), Brian Fergus (36th) Emma Bates (42nd), Victoria Janasz (18th), and Max Riebel (47th).

    Team placings improved from last year with the Boys Varsity placing 11th out of 74 teams and the Girls Varsity placing 25th out of 73 teams. Congratulations to all skiers and supporters. Thanks to all those who were able to make the drive up and support the skiers and the team.

    We've got some cold weather coming our way this week so keep posted for any schedule changes. We do have the first half of the pursuit race this week at Woodland Trails on Thursday. Come on out and enjoy some great racing on our home course! We'll see you on Thursday!

    Tuesday: 01.06.09.
    Way 2 Go!...

    JV racers, you did a great job representing the Elk River Team. Well done! We are waiting on the results from the other schools but we'll get those results up soon. We have pictures to post from your race also and those will be up tomorrow. We are very proud, you rock!

    Mesabi racers, the start list is posted. You can get it here and we'll have it at practice tomorrow also(Wednesday). We'll also have an info sheet and permission form for the overnight on Friday up at Giant's Ridge in Biwabik, MN. This is open to all skiers although we are only allowed 10 boys and 10 girls to actually race. There will be plenty of time for the skiers to ski the course and to get lots of km on the trails. They will also experience one of the largest ski races in the nation and see their teammates challenge for some of the top spots. We encourage the entire team to come along if the have the oppurtunity. If you have questions, please contact Kirstin or Chris. We will be taking a bus up directly after school on Friday and will be returning late(10:00pm) on Saturday night.

    Mesabi Handout 2009: Posted: 01/06 10:00 pm

    Monday: 01.05.09.
    Tomorrow's Race...

    We have a race tomorrow! The JV team will be heating up the Woodland Trails course for our first home race of the year. Boys will start at 3:30 in 10 sec intervals and girls will start 15 mins later at 3:45. Skiers will be released at their normal time from school and should be back to the high school at the normal time also. Come out and support our skiers as they take on Park Center and Blaine.

    Your skier will also be bringing home details on the Giant's Ridge Invitational (Mesabi Invite) that will be coming up this Friday/Saturday. The top 10 boys and girls will be racing but all are welcome to come and support the team and see the largest high school race in the country!

    Sunday: 01.04.09.
    Weekly Schedule...

    We seem to be having a problem with the weekly schedule loading so it is posted here also.
    Week 9: January 5 through January 11
  • Monday, 5: Technique for new skiers. Long for veterans. Skate.
  • Tuesday, 6: JV Skate race at Woodland. Intervals for non-racers.
  • Wednesday, 7: Recovery/Games
  • Thursday, 8: Intervals and transitions. Same as Mesabi Tech.
  • Friday, 9: Leave for Giant's Ridge: 3:00pm
  • Saturday, 10: Giant's Ridge (Mesabi) Invite: All Day, return late.

    • Friday: 01.02.09.
    Home Again and Still Going...

    Well, we made it back and hopefully the skiers are better rested now that they have had a few days. Clothes are being washed and lost things found so if extra things show up that aren't yours, bring them with to practice and we'll try to get them back to their owner. We currently have two odd match gloves, a set of swix gloves and some odds and ends

    Core body will be tomorrow at the High School at 7:00 am. Be dressed for inside and we'll see you there. We have a JV meet coming up on Tuesday at Woodland Trails. Racing will begin at 3:30 so come on out to our home course to watch and cheer.

    We've got the last of the Winter Trip photos up that we have. The photos from Tuesday are linked and then there is another link for pictures from the Kallemeyn's. Dave has some photos from our relays, time trial and the last night so check them out. It sounds like we'll have a few more photos coming in next week maybe and then we'll get some photos from the races up also.

    Tuesday Winter Trip Photos: Click on "View Gallery" and then "Tuesday"
    Posted: 01/02 2:40 pm

    Kallemeyn Winter Trip Photos: Posted: 01/02 2:40 pm

    Monday: 12.29.08.
    Day 3: Getting There...

    Early Breakfast - Again. Off to the trails - Again. Skied more - Again. And then after being tired, and cold, and tired somemore - we raced. A skiathlon race with a 4.5 km classic followed by a 4.5 km skate. Wow. The kids were awesome and they even enjoyed themselves, a little. ;-)

    We headed back to the cabins and camp for lunch and naps and then headed out to Discovery Center for night skiing. It was very dark but the stars were amazing and the skiing - not dangerous but still fun.

    We just finished up skiing and will be performing our skits shortly - hmmm, should be interesting. The time trial results are up and linked below. We have a few more pictures added but for the rest, you'll have to wait for our return. We are still planning on leaving the Birkie Trail around 5:00pm and should be home around 7:30 or 8:00. We are watching the weather and road conditions though and will call along the way to update you on our progress. This is the last of our updates from camp - we'll see you at home tomorrow!

    Monday Winter Trip Photos: Click on "View Gallery" and then "Monday"
    Posted: 12/29 9:40 pm

    Time Trial Results: Posted: 12/29 9:40 pm

    Sunday: 12.28.08.
    Day 2: Half-Way Through...

    We started out the day with an early breakfast, loading of the bus, and a slight departure delay due to the adults cabin, not the kids fault. Once those crazy adult/coaches were ready to go we hurried up to get on the road and off to our sleepy journey. We arrived at 8:53, 7 mins prior to official opening time. (We like to be prompt.) 3.5 hours of classic in the morning provided ample time to explore the trails and tire the arms. We headed into the chalet for a lazy hour long lunch and then returned to the trails with a short bout of relay games.

    After finishing the games we headed out to the skate trails with about 70% of the team checking out the "amazing" - "epic" - "battle royale of hills" - "Sunday Sunday Sunday" trail entitled The Nutcracker. Video will be included on the end of season highlights but we'll try to get a few of the "better" falls online when we get home. New photos are also online, there are many, check under Sunday.
    Sunday Winter Trip Photos: Click on "View Gallery" and then "Sunday"
    Posted: 12/28 10:40 pm

    Saturday: 12.27.08.
    Tired? Already?...

    We were packed, all kids loaded, and pulling out of the parking lot just shortly after 6:30 am this morning. To have gotten so much loaded and ready in such a short amount of time is pretty impressive so thank you to all the parents that helped us get off this morning. Thank you for getting up early and getting your skiers to school, with a lunch, and all their stuff, on time!

    We arrived up at ABR (Active Backwoods Retreat) just after 11:30 this morning, the roads were good although the weather was overcast with drizzle. It was a balmy 36 degrees when we stepped out of the bus. The snow was soft but in good condition and we skated and attempted to classic at the end. We also headed out on a group classic ski at the very end of our time today on the infamous and wonderful Sunset Trail. While our kick was terrible (nonexistent) we still had a great time and started the trip with a bang (and maybe a few bumps)!

    We are at Camp Jorn and have had a hearty dinner and warm showers. We'll be turning in soon (at least that is what the coaches are hoping for) so that we can all be ready for tomorrow. Yes, your skiers are cooking the meals and cleaning up after. They did a great job tonight with lasagna, salad and bread and they should be eating well here. Feeding 40 hungry mouths is a challenge but they all work hard and do a great job.

    Tomorrow we'll be heading out early (breakfast at 6:45 and bus departure at 7:45) to get to the trails. We'll be at Winter Park all day for 7 hours of skiing plus time for a lazy lunch. It will be a long day but it should be great. We are expecting some snow tonight and that should give some good cover to the slippery stuff that is out there now. You'll find some pictures linked below from today's ski. We'll try to get some photos up tomorrow of the camp and what we are up to. All is well here, check back again tomorrow evening!

    Saturday Winter Trip Photos: Click on "View Gallery" and then "Saturday"
    Posted: 12/27 8:40 pm

    Friday: 12.26.08.
    Not another crumb...

    Food, such wonderful and rich meals the last few days have left our family stuffed. Just in time to prepare us to go shopping for enough food for 40 people for 4 days, and not just any people- mind you, 40 hungry skiers! All things are a go and are looking great. We have no big announcements other than to give you a few reminders of packing things and drop-off times.

    Pack lightly and yet pack enough stuff. That seems to not be possible and yet it is, you can get by with only one pair of jeans but you should have a few sets of ski clothes. You don't need the curling iron/hair straightener but you will need several pairs of socks a (couple) hat(s) and a towel and sleeping bag. It will be difficult but we know you can manage. Here is a list of things that are most often forgotten:

  • Bag lunch for Saturday
  • Race Suit
  • Head Lamp (For night skiing)
  • Small back pack/fanny pack for food
  • Water bottle/holder
  • Lunch bagged for the first day!
  • Boots/Poles/Skis/Bag
  • Towel/Pillow/Sleeping Bag
  • Toiletries
  • (Small) blanket for the bus
  • Winter Boots
  • Bag lunch for the first day!

    • The weather still looks like it will be great with some warmer temps. Lows each day in the mid-teens and highs in the twenties will make for some great skiing. The freezing drizzle/rain that they had last night was covered with some fresh snow afterwards so the trails will still be in great shape and by the time we get over there later tomorrow, the road will be good as well.

    Again, if you have any questions, call a coach and they’ll be happy to help. Make sure you are at the high school by 6:00am so we can pack up quickly and get on the road. Have your ski clothes on or in your carry-on on the bus. We’ll be skiing at ABR in Ironwood, MI on the way up (5 hrs) from Elk River. You’ll want to be comfortable on the bus as there is limited room but you also won’t be able to get to your main bag until we get to camp Saturday evening. Pack well, get some rest today, and be hydrated and healthy- we have at least 25 hours of on snow time planned for you over the next 4 days, you need to take care of your selves to be able to get the most out of it!

    Parents- we just want to warn you in advance: your skiers will be coming home tired(actually exhausted) and a little smelly after spending so much time in their ski clothes and on the trails… we apologize in advance for any difficulties this may present for you. Thank you for your understanding.

    We’ll see you bright and early in the AM tomorrow!

    Wednesday: 12.24.08.
    Ready? Break!!...

    What a great way to start winter break - a 7 am core body workout! Enjoy some time with your family and loved ones as you enjoy this holiday season. Things are coming together for the Winter Trip and we will be spending many hours on the ski trails working hard, get some rest and eat some good food before we head out on Saturday. Don't forget to be at the high school by 6:00 am! We want to be on the road by 6:30am, and we'll need your help to do so. Be on time with your bags ready and ski clothes easily accessible. Don't forget to pack a bag lunch! We'll be eating on the way to Ironwood, MI for our first stop on the trails.

    The Winter Trip packing list and itinerary have been posted online and handed out to the skiers but here is a direct link so it is easy to find. If you have any questions before we leave, please call Coach K or Coach Chris, our phone numbers are on the Winter Trip sheet. We will both have our cell phones with on the trip so you can get a hold of us at any point (though I'm sure most of your skiers have phones with them as well!)

    We'll try to update the website with pictures again during the trip as we did last year if we can access the internet again. We'll also post any updates on the 26th if there are any changes or additions. It looks like we will be very lucky with the weather at this point; Ironwood on the 27th says a high of 32, Minocqua on the 28th and 29th shows 24 and the Birkie Trail is projecting a high of 24 for the 30th. These temps may change (so pack for all conditions!) since it is a few days away but it looks like it will be perfect ski temps. Remind your skiers to pack wisely; they won’t need 4 suitcases, but multiple sets of ski clothes, an extra hat and gloves, and warms socks will be useful. Also remind them to pack their race suit as we will be having a time trial with-in the team.

    Again, enjoy your holiday time with your loved ones. We’ll update the website on the 26th with anything extra and a few highlighted reminders but feel free to call at anytime if you have questions. Both coaches expect parents or skiers to have last minute questions so don’t worry about contacting us if something comes up. Get your family outdoors for some fun in this snowy season and travel carefully as you move between destinations. We look forward to seeing you bright and early on the 27th!

    Sunday: 12.21.08.
    Thanks!...

    Thank you to our parents, skiers and supporters for all of your help and hard work putting on our citizen race. We had many wonderful comments on how the race ran and especially on our food tent!! Our groomers did a great job, as they always do- THANK YOU! Great Job, Thank you again and we hope you were able to get home safely and warm up a bit. We certainly did luck out with the weather, the snow was a bit much but so much better than those cold temps this morning! Things have a way of coming together but it was through all of your hard work that it worked out, thank you!

    This week will be a busy one for you with school wrapping up on Tuesday, many family activities planned, and our departure for the Winter Trip on Saturday. We'll get more details for the Winter Trip out on Monday at practice and online. This week we'll hold official practice on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday - Friday will be on your own around your family plans. We'll give you some workouts to do but you can work them in when you have time. Don't forget to enjoy this time of year! We'll see you at practice tomorrow!

    Thursday: 12.18.08.
    Racin' Recap...

    What an exciting day we had! The sprint races went well and were held on the North side of the loop with eight of our skiers participating. We started at 3:30 in bright sunshine and finished under the lights with the girls finals starting at 5:00 and boys finals at 5:15. On the boys side we had Eric Volk, Brian Fergus, Morgan Wigmore and Mitch Nordahl. For the girls we had Helena Keller, Jane Kallemeyn, Ashley Klotz and Renee Crepeau representing. Six of the skiers made it through to the quarter finals and we had three skiers in the finals! Helena Keller was in the finals for the girls race and skied tremendously along the back stretch of the course picking up a place and threatening the skier right in front of her, she place a strong 5th place – excellent job Hellena! In the boys finals it was equally exciting with Eric sitting in third and Brian in fifth, Brian started closing, coming on strong and passed a skier to pick up fourth and then was coming on hard chasing Eric. Coming up the final hill Eric was in the lead but Brian was closing fast and at the line... Eric held on. It was an exciting race with Eric finishing 3rd and Brian a strong 4th. Congrats to all the skiers on great races and tough performances.

    On the south side of the trail, we held a 3.75 km race open to all skiers. We had some great performances and some awesome skiing done on a cold day so congrats to all of you. With only skating on snow twice our newer skiers did a tremendous job working on gliding on the skis and keeping themselves moving up the hills. We also saw some great improvement from many of our returning skiers and that is exciting as we head full on into this season. Some highlights: Kayla N.-huge time improvement from last season-wow, Emma B. led the lady Elks with a fine time of 13:10, new skier Victoria J. showed great strength on the course, and of course Renee’s "slide" down the hill would have to be on the list also! On the gentlemen's side: Paul, Kyle, and Phil led on the boys side with Collin and Max close behind. With only a few days classic and a few days skating on snow, our skiers will be jumping up quickly on the results list. They are doing a great job and are learning and improving each day on snow. Great job in our second race, you all are rockin' out there.

    We’ve got an easy classic ski today and then intervals on Friday and our Citizen Race on Saturday. With the snow predicted for tonight and over the weekend, it looks like we will be on snow for quite a while which is good news. We WILL have practice next Monday (22nd) and Tuesday (23rd) and then will be heading out on the Winter Trip on Saturday, December 27th. We should get results from the race up later this evening.

    Tuesday: 12.16.08.
    White Fluffy?...

    As I write this the snow is coming down, hopefully it will continue to fall and give us a great ski base. While the temps have been low, skiing out in the woods has been quite pleasant and the trails are in pretty decent condition.

    Tomorrow we are heading to Elm Creek park for our annual Sprint Championships. The bus will depart the high school at 2:05 so make sure you are ready to go on time and have talked to your teacher beforehand. The start list is     posted here. The sprint race is only for those who placed in the top 48 for the last race. You will be racing on the ‘top’ portion of the 2.5 km loop. For all of our other skiers you will be racing in a 3.75 km skate race, 3 loops of the bottom loop, starting in age group order, one skier per school at a time. The approximate start times for the 3.75 km skate are listed below.

    Real time - clock time
    3:30 – 1:00 Sr. boys-
    3:34 – 4:00 Jr. boys
    3:37 – 7:00 Soph boys
    3:41 - 10:00 Jr high/middle school
    4:00 – 30:00 Sr. girls
    4:03 – 33:00 Jr girls
    4:06 – 36:00 Soph girls
    4:09 - 39:00 Jr high/middle school

    Monday: 12.15.08.
    Weather Anyone?...

    Goodness, rain, rain, sleet, and then finally - some snow. Hopefully it was enough to get a good cover at Woodland Trails. We'll check out the conditions today on our skate skis and we'll be staying in the woods to stay out of the wind. Dress warm though and plan to cover your skin to keep it warm, it will be a chilly one today. Results are finally posted from the class race last Thursday so check those out on the meets link above.

    The sprints race that was scheduled for Thursday has been moved to Wednesday. We'll get more details later today hopefully.

    Monday: 12.01.08.
    December Comes...

    First of all, we appologize for the lack of updates over the long weekend, our families came first this holiday so the time was spent with them. Some notes and updates and things... First of all - we had 25 show up to help clear Buckthorn out of a small area of Woodland Trails. We were able to make a great dent in the prairie loop area but there is still much to do. Thanks to all that were able to show up! We'll get more pictures up but there are some group shots below. I think someone has a picture of Mitch being eaten by some brush so as soon as we get that shot - it will be posted!

    All joking aside, Buckthorn is a huge problem in our area and in the park and we'll be asking the kids and anyone else for some help throughout the year to clear what we can. If you are interested in knowing more about Buckthorn and how to get rid of it from your own yard, the city of Minnetonka has put together a website full of information. Click here for Minnetonka's website.

    Our first race was scheduled for this Thursday but we have just found out that we will not be having it. Elm Creek does not have enough of the trail system open to allow a race to be held and we can not practice there until we are scheduled. We will be talking with the team about some options later this week. It is important to get them on snow but it is also early in the season. We will get there as soon as possible.

    We are also starting to put things together for the Community and Alumni race that will be held on Saturday, December 20th. The volunteer pages and other information will be updated this evening (I will post when it is done) so please check for places that you can help. We'll get more information out to the kids this week about what we'll need from them to put this together. Also - a HUGE "Thank You" in advance!!

    Check back tonight and later this week - the season is getting busy!

    Friday: 11.21.08.
    Ride On-Tomorrow...

    It has been a busy few weeks here with Nordic starting up again and I am sure it is no different with your families. We have been getting in some great training, even without the snow, but we know the kids are already looking forward to getting on the white stuff. We were able to get in some great intervals yesterday for the veteran skiers and our newer skiers are looking better and more comfortable on those crazy things we call "roller skis". As we transition (hopefully soon) to on snow practices, remember that we should be getting a few coats of wax on our skis before that happens.

    Tomorrow is our Ride 'n Tie event! We hope that many of our family members will be able to join us in this event as the winning team will be judged not by the fastest time this year but by the most number of pair crossing the line before the cutoff. Either Elk River will win or Maple Grove will win, we would like it to be Elk River but in talking with the other coach last night, they may have a number advantage at this point. Step Up Elk River Nordic - Let's show the Crimson what we can do!

    If you are looking for directions, your athlete should have brought them home tonight but you can also download them here: Directions. Please be there by 9:45 am so we can go through any directions and be started at 10:00am. You need to have a helmet for each pair for when the biker is biking. We will have a shorter distance if you don't feel you can complete the full 12 miles. Just come and join us for a morning of activity, fun and team bonding. Oh - and dress WARM!! See you there!

    Wednesday: 11.12.08.
    And So It Goes...

    Well, the weather has thwarted us already and it is only the third day of practice. While we survived our pole hike in the sleet last night, our planned first excursion on to roller skis will need to be postponed. With the wet/slippery conditions we will be in shoes again today. It will actually work into our training schedule well but hopefully we'll get your skiers on wheels soon. Tomorrow looks like it will be a "little" warmer so we’ll give that a shot. We will be out in the field doing some technique work and then games. Your skiers shoes may get a little wet so encourage them to get them dried out at night. Newspaper or paper towels stuffed loosely into the shoes works pretty well.

    Also, we didn’t see any water bottles at practice last night and with a 90 min pole hike, they really need to have access to water. We'll be doing some intensity work on Thursday so a gentle reminder about water would be great! As always, if you have any questions, please contact us so we can get them answered right away for you. This Saturday is the Ski Swap down in Minneapolis at Dunwoody College. The doors open at 10:00am but there are always lines. Get there early and talk with people on the team as they may be able to arrange some car pools or look for something you need if you can’t make it down there. If you have questions, talk to the coaches at practice. If you need directions, we can get those for you also or you can just look on-line for the college. Take 94 toward Minneapolis and then take the Lyndale Exit and take the first right at the lights(Dunwoody Blvd.)

    Tuesday: 11.11.08.
    Day One, Check:...

    The first day of practice is over and we are mid-way through November already. In a few weeks it will be December and then the snow will be on the ground and then you will turn around and January will be on our door. As with every winter it seems that the season speeds past until around February 20th and then it just drags. Until then, let's enjoy what mother nature throws at us, and that includes today. The weather is a bit iffy and it is not the best of conditions but we are Hearty Minnesotans and we are prepared for the climate. Preparation includes: having/dressing in layers, wearing a hat and gloves, having a wind-proof shell(outer layer), having dry socks and other clothes for after practice. These essentials become more and more important as the weather becomes more intune with the nordic climate(becomes worse). We bring this up because yesterday we had many skiers that weren't dressed very well for the chilly temps. Check what your skiers are wearing to practice and if you need some help or have any questions, please contact Kirstin or Chris and we'll help you with that.

    We did have a great first day with a little conditioning, some work on body positioning and of course some 4-ball soccer. The rest of the week will include a long pole hike today at Hillside Park(behind wal-mart), some easy wheel technique tomorrow and Thursday(depending on conditions), and Friday we will be inside for core body strength. Check the "Weekly Practice Schedule" for each week's updates as they come up. We will try to have the schedule up by Saturday night but it is always subject to change as the weather changes. Any questions, please contact us or send questions with your skiers! Happy Winter!

    Thursday: 10.30.08.
    So it begins again:...

    Congratulations to fall sports that have been wrapping up. Don't forget to watch the State Cross Country Meet this weekend at St. Olaf College in Northfield. The season is shaping up quickly and practice starts up on November 10th already. The preseason meeting will be on Monday, November 3rd at 6:00 pm in room T4. This will be in the temporary building behind Elk River High School. We will be getting all the documents online in the next couple days but we will have everything copied for you at the meeting also.

    I know that many of you are going to be disappointed in missing out on those last minute election commercials but hopefully you won't go through withdrawal in the short time that the meeting takes place. We promise not to campaign or try to sway your vote in any way. We will talk a lot about skiing, the upcoming season and hopefully you will find it helpful. If you are new to the sport, welcome. If you are a veteran to the program, we are glad to have you back. Look around the website and pick up some additional information, we are hoping to add a bit more to it this season and clean it up a bit. We'll let you know when updates take place to different areas.

    Also, if you want to get any pictures off the site, please do so in the near future. We are going to have to start cleaning out the photo pages and taking them down to get ready for the new season. If you have any questions, please contact Coach K or Coach Chris and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Coach K has a new e-mail address so please update your contacts with that info, it is updated on the contact-us page now, Coach Chris is still at the same address. We would also like to welcome our new coach to the program. Molly will be joining us this season and we are excited to have her with us. We are hoping to have her join us at the preseason meeting where we can introduce you all to her.

    Again, any questions, please let us know! We'll see you in a few days, and please, spread the word!

    Sunday: 06.08.08.
    Congratulations!!...

    We want to send a huge congratulations to spring sports participants as their seasons have wrapped up or are just finishing. We would also like to send a jumbo congrats to Miss Emma Bates! She ran against the best in the state this weekend in the state track meet and placed 2nd in the 2-mile and 7th in the mile! Emma, way to go!

    To our seniors, we want to send a fond fairwell. You have given us a lot of memories and we hope that you will come back to visit next year! Good luck in all you do, you will be great!

    Tuesday: 06.03.08.
    A few days left!...

    Summer is almost upon us and we know that you are just itching to get out and start your dry-land training. Roller Ski check-out will be happening on Wednesday, June 4th. We'll be down by the equipment room so head in that direction. Besides checking out equipment, you can come and say a fond fairwell to our wonderful Coach Wells. Coach Wells has accepted a teaching position down in the fine area of Dover-Eyota. She is looking forward to being closer to her family but will greatly miss us, of course. Join us in wishing her well for next year as she, her husband Chris, and lovely Benna, will be moving down to Winona this summer. Please check out the skinnyski.com website for summer training programs if you are interested in those this summer. They are a great way to keep you fit, active and focused this summer. (For those of you that need a little motivation to get off your duff, they give you that too.) Otherwise, PLEASE, do some training, call up a teammate, have a regular Saturday or Monday or anyday time set up and if you are in town, meet and roll. You will really notice a difference next season if you put some time in over the summer. That goes for any sport, your fall sport included. Any questions, please ask a coach, as we have additional updates on anything else, we'll post it here and hope that you can pass the word. P.S. - Those of you that ordered video's, they will be available tomorrow at the check-out. Please come to pick them up!

    Wednesday: 04.16.08.
    Again New!...

    Thanks for the great season all. The season dvd's are done and have been done since before spring break. Coach K has been having some issues getting them to school. (She keeps leaving them on the table or desk or in the kitchen) She vows to have them here for you on Monday and will send them to you through school delivery if you ordered one. She is sorry for the LONG delay. In preperation for next year we are in need of doing some trail cleaning. Please come and help out on the new trail, "Stony Rollers", that is being developed off the top side of Top of the World.

    Things will get started around 8:00am, bring your own tools and try to label them if possible. Ticks are out already so make sure you have long socks and pants if available. Meet at the Proctor trailhead (near the top of the hill on the west side of Proctor, North of Salk School. You will see our cars through the gate)

    Thanks in advance for all your help and work on this project and all of the others!

    Tuesday: 03.04.08.
    Updates...

    The banquet time has been changed to 5:30 on Sunday. There were several people that couldn't make it earlier and in talking it over last night we've decided to move it a little later. Hopefully they will be able to join us for the program/awards portion at least. Information should be coming home today with what we'll need you to bring. It is a pot luck again at the Hallway Cafe in the High School. We'll start with dinner and chatting and move on to awards and the movie. We are looking forward to seeing everyone there!

    Wednesday: 02.27.08.
    Wrapping Up...

    The banquet is scheduled for Sunday, March 9th! It will pot luck again so look for more information about what to bring in the future. Equipment turn-in and the end of season meeting will be on Thursday, February 28th. Bring your uniform and any equipment that you checked out from the school (skis, poles and ROLLERSKIS!) We'll check rollerskis back out for the warmer months but we need to take inventory and check wheels before they go out again.

    Look for more details about the banquet in the next week. Skiers, remember the meeting tomorrow - equipment turn-in, voting, and end-of-season details. Meet downstairs by the ski room. It won't take long if you get there right away. Thanks for a great season!

    Friday: 02.15.08.
    We Have Survived...

    The race went off today, as scheduled, with the 1.5 hour delay. Eric got underway at 11:30am with Emma following closely behind at 12:00pm. The racing was tight and exciting all day. Eric finished the skate in 27th place, just a few seconds out of All-State awards. He started the classic portion in a sprint with the other 115 skiers and he had a 20th Classic placing and 21st overall earning him All-State Honors. Congratulations Eric. Emma was in 72nd after the skate portion and skied an awesome classic race, results are not in yet though! Congrats skiers and a huge thank you to all the relay skiers for their support and cheering of our athletes!

    Thursday: 02.14.08.
    We Have Arrived...

    The state skiers have skied their course, completed their starts and are now relaxing in their room. The relay skiers have hit the road and should be arriving up here in Biwabik in a few hours. We are planning a spit dinner at the Banquet and at Jarv's cabin. The State Meet start time has been officially delayed until 11:30am for the boys skate and 12:30 for the girls skate. The officials will be re-evaluating the start time and weather conditions at 11:00am tomorrow so we won't know any more until then. Stay in contact with your skier and you'll have the updated info! Happy Valentine's Day and stay WARM!

    Wednesday: 02.13.08. 10:00pm
    And We Have Transportation...

    We have two "fan vans" to leave after school tomorrow (Thursday). There is enough room for the skiers to ride up to the Ridge to cheer on Eric, Brian and Emma. We'll depart after school from the locker room door. Make sure to pack a sleeping bag and pillow along with WARM clothing to cheer in. Coach Chris and Coach Wells will be driving the vans and we will still be returning on Saturday. Thank you for your patience and flexibility today and this evening. We're sorry for all the late phone calls and unknown plans...Now get to bed!

    The temps are still questionable for Friday but the plan is to try to remain on schedule or to delay slightly as needed. Please check "Skinnyski.com" for updates as once we head north we won't have the opportunity to update the website. The kids will also be able to contact you so they'll be the best source of information. Again, thank you for your flexibility, the vans will be ready to take off tomorrow after school with the State skiers heading up tomorrow morning.

    Wednesday: 02.13.08.
    Planning - Who Needs It...

    Well, as you have all heard by now, the relays have been canceled for this year. Different weather models are showing different things and one is predicting 5 below zero at race time and a wind chill of -40. Based on that information the relays were canceled and we were diverted back to the high school and our own homes for this evening. The three State skiers will be heading up tomorrow morning (Thursday) to ski the course and prepare for Friday. We'll meet at the High School at 9:00 and leave at 9:30. Make sure you dress warm because the weather outlook is mighty cold for Friday.

    We are still waiting to hear about having the "fan van" (as we are calling it) drive up on Thursday night. As soon as we hear we'll post it and start calling the relay skiers. We wish we had more news to share but things have been tossed up in the air at the moment and we are still waiting to see how they fall into place. Jarv still has his cabin available for any that come up so hopefully we'll get the news soon.

    Thank you for your patience and check back later tonight. I'll update at 10:00pm with news or with the fact that we have no news. Thank you to all the parents that were flexible enough to come pick up your skiers tonight, even when you thought you'd have a night to your self! Also, huge thank you to the Volk family that was able to host a pasta dinner with less than 2 hours notice. We had all that food available and they were willing to have us drop in, and eat a great meal! Thank you!

    More news later, hopefully good news. Posted at 7:50pm

    Monday: 02.11.08.
    And the Racing Continues...

    We've got a race tomorrow folks! For any of the skiers that did not ski in the Conference Meet at Trollhaugen,the spotlight is on you tomorrow! The bus will pick up at Salk around 1:55, the high school will get out 10 mins early at 2:10. The racing will begin at 4:00 with about a 5 minute break between races. Both classic and skating are offered so you choose your best race. The rest of the team will also be practicing at Elm Creek and will be cheering you on as you race!

    For those of you heading up to Biwabik this weekend, we will have a handout at practice tomorrow with a list of what is needed. (This will include some dinner items and food for meals) We'll be leaving right afterschool on Wednesday (by 3:00pm) and will return on Saturday. Parent's of State skiers, Coach K will be calling you about the room situation but otherwise, things are set. Skiers, you will need to pack light, everything needs to fit in the vans. More details will come tomorrow and we'll have the handout posted online tomorrow by noon.

    Saturday: 02.09.08.
    Practice Update...

    With the newest weather forecast for tomorrow we are not going to be meeting at 12:30 for the optional practice. We will start phone calls now but pass the word to your teammates so we don't have people showing up in the cold. We were hoping to get in some intervals tomorrow before heading up North but with the cold, we don't think it is worth any gain that you would get. We will have practice on Monday though, it will warm up(they say). Thank you for your flexibility. Enjoy the extra rest day, it won't hurt you, we'll come back with some different intervals for Monday, some quick pick-ups for Tuesday along with the JV Conference Meet and then we'll head North Wednesday afterschool. Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

    Friday: 02.08.08.
    Celebrate...

    Wow. What a day yesterday! It was a little cold and damp but we had classic tracks and decent snow. The racing started at 10:30 with the boys classic and they were hammering the trail, working for decent position to start the skate race with. Eric V. came in 4th behind two of Wayzata's strong skiers and a Cathedral followed by Jacob in 10th and Brian not far behind. Tony (representing Rogers today) came in a strong 22nd for the classic with Morgan and Tom not to far behind and then Chris and Donald followed by Kyle K (also representing Rogers).

    The girls had their classic race next with Renee C. being first out on the course. The girls headed out strong with a team goal of placing 5th or better. (We are glad they had that "or better" clause at the end because after the classic portion they were sitting a solid 3rd overall. Finishing in strong form, Emma was tops for the ER girls team, she came in at 9th and with the Wayzata girls slipping 4 into the top spots she was sitting 5th for qualifying positions. Helena and Renee slipped in next for ER followed closely by Jane, Ashley K., Hillary and Kayla. They put together some great races and we were excited to see the team sitting so well, especially behind a powerhouse like Wayzata and the likes of Maple Grove.

    After a short(!) break the boys headed back out to what turned out to be some very tight and competitive racing. Eric went out strong with a competitive field and finished a solid 5th overall. Brian closed the gap on Jacob and with a strong finish pulled ahead at the very end. Tom picked up a several more places and points for the team followed by Tony(Rogers), Morgan, Donald, Chris and Kyle(Rogers). The boys moved enough places to bring the team up to 3rd place overall behind Wayzata(ranked 2nd in the State) and a new addition to the section, Orono. The boys put together some great races and really laid everything out on the course. Huge congratulations go to Eric and Brian for qualifying for the State Meet next Friday at Giant's Ridge in Biwabik.

    After the boy's exciting finish the girls headed out for their second race of the day. There were some changing positions all the way along as the girls were fighting to hold onto their placing and pick up a few more. Emma maintained her 9th place spot with some great skating and focus, she was followed by Helena who has been improving constantly every race and first year skier Renee. Ashley K. started out the skate at near sprint pace and caught several girls, she may not have held the speed the whole way through but she did hold her position and didn't let anyone slip past. Jane was working hard too and had a great day with her racing (even with a slight encounter with a crazy tree!) and Hillary and Kayla also put together great races, skiing the hills hard, pulling tight corners and tucking low on the downhill. The girls were able to maintain 3rd place which far exceeded their goal and sets them up well to make a push for things next year. Emma B. qualified for the State Meet next week also so a huge congratulations to her!

    Today will be an easy practice, classic, working to loosen things up and relax a little after yesterday's stressful day. Saturday will be off completely, rest day, and we'd like to practice Sunday afternoon with the State and Relay skiers if it is possible for them. Looking ahead to next week: Monday will be regular practice at Woodland Trails, Tuesday will be the JV Conference Meet for skiers that were not skiing at Conference last week, Wednesday the State and Relay skiers will be heading to Biwabik, the Relay is Thursday and the State Meet is Friday. We'll get more information up as things come together. Congratulations for yesterday skiers!

    We would also like to thank all the parents that helped the last few day. Waxing dads and other volunteers - thanks for your time and for doing such a great job. You did stellar! Food yesterday, again you did a great job of providing food for the skiers. They were well taken care of and ready for that second race because of your work, thank you! Ski brushers, kick wax corkers and finish line recorders - you allowed us to focus on the athletes, thank you!

    Monday: 02.04.08.
    Good News (8:30pm)...

    We are on for Ripley! Celebrate! We just got the word from our meet director and things are a go for Ripley on Thursday! The Section's Information page is up now with race schedules, directions and anything else that we think you should know. We also will need a worker for each race, Boy's and Girl's Classic and Boy's and Girl's Skate. Please let us know if that is something you can do. After running into several timing issues over the years we want to make sure that we have accurate back-up times for each of our kids. If we could have four parents willing to help out, that would be a great weight off our shoulders so we can focus on the skiers. We will make sure that you will not work during your skier's race. Thank you in advance for your help!

    Sunday: 02.03.08.
    Stiff Competition...

    It looks like Coach Chris had some stiff competition last night in the City of Lakes Sprints. We don't have access to the results yet but we'll get them up when possible. There is a great picture on Skinnyski.com though. Go to skinnyski.com and scroll down to the "City of Lakes Loppet Saturday Coverage" and click on the link for "Sprints - 115 photos". Chris is in Photo #20.

    Saturday: 02.02.08.
    The Waiting Game...

    The waiting game...what are the rules for "The Waiting Game" you ask? Well, first of all, you need to be a member of the Nordic Ski Team or have a family member on the team. Once that condition is met you are able to start playing. The game starts anytime there is lack of snow, an extreme warm-up that might ruin the snow or an extreme cool down that may prohibit you from skiing. Over the past few years (a decade really) we have gotten quite good at the game because we have had a great deal of time to practice. Here we are, February 2nd and we are playing it again. We were bumped around a bit with temps and snow conditions for Conference and it may be affecting us again for Sections. We just want to keep you updated so here is the information as we have it now. We skied the Section trails up at Camp Ripley this morning. They were skiable (freshly groomed), but very dirty with some ground and pavement showing through in some spots. If they receive some snow between now and Tuesday we will be at Ripley with no changes. It won't take much to give us some cover up their so we are hoping that the weather system that is on the way will swing a little further North with the snow.

    In the off chance that the weather does not do exactly as we would like...we currently have two options that are being looked into. One of the options will be to keep the meet on Thursday but move it north to Mt. Itaska in Coleraine, MN. The other option is to move the meet to Friday and have it up at Giants Ridge in Biwabik, MN. Both are about 3 and a 1/2 hours from Elk River. We are crossing our fingers that the snow will come through. More information will be coming on Monday night or Tuesday morning. We just wanted to give you the heads up about back-up plans and such.

    We'd also like to send a huge Good Luck to Coach Chris this afternoon/evening. He will be racing in the Citizen Sprints on the Uptown streets in Minneapolis for the City of Lakes Loppet events this weekend. Chris' event starts around 5:00pm so if you have a chance, head down and check out the action!

    We'd also like to wish Coach Wells a Happy Birthday! Tomorrow, Sunday, is Betsy's birthday. We sang to her on Friday but if you see her around town the next few days, wish her a Happy Birthday again!

    In other ski news, the results from Thursday's Conference Championships are posted on the website. We'll get pictures up on Monday from the Conference Meet along with additional photos from M. Bates. Also, make sure you check out Wednesday's Star News for a spotlight on a Nordic Skier!

    Thanks for all you do for your skiers, they are wonderful to work with! We'll look forward to seeing many of you Monday for the Jr. High meet or Thursday (at Ripley hopefully) for the Section Meet. Enjoy!

    Friday: 02.01.08.
    Congratulations!:

    The snow conditions were skiable, the temperatures legal, the course - well - it worked, and the conference meet went on without too many hiccups. The skiers really stepped up and we want to give them a huge congratulations! The girl’s team placed 6th, just 15 points out of 5th place. They skied a solid classic race and came back hard in the skate to narrow the margin. We'd like to congratulate All Conference skiers Helena Keller and Emma Bates and also highlight Emma's 4th place finish in the classic race and 6th overall finish in the pursuit. The entire girls team did a great job and we are looking forward to sections next week for some great individual performances and a strong team position.

    The boy's team kept us on our toes all day with an exciting classic race in the morning which set them up at the team to be chased. They headed into the afternoon skate with an 8 point lead over Anoka who was gunning hard to pass us by. The classic placings of Eric V. (1st), Jacob S. (5th), Brian F. (11th) gave us a great start but in the end we finished a close second to Anoka, just 8 points behind. The boys gave tremendous effort and we really saw some great improvement in our all of our skiers. We are closing the gap between our top skiers and our next group and heading into Sections, that is exactly what we want to see. All Conference skiers for the boys were Eric Volk (1), Jacob Stevens (5), Brian Fergus (11), and Tony Nowak(27). Congratulations to all of our skiers yesterday, you all did a great job!

    We also want to say a HUGE thank you to our parents. The food was spectacular! The kids were well fed and prepared to head back out there for a second race, thank you! The waxing assistance was second to none! The fish house was a huge help along with the generator, thank you. Our waxers and corkers yesterday, you did a great job getting our skiers excellent kick and still keeping their glide, thank you. And a second thank you to our waxers on Wednesday night. You guys put a great final coat on those skies and really sent them off flying down the trails. We can only hope that this Wednesday it will be as easy of a job. ;-) And finally, Thank you to the Volk's for hosting our waxing fiesta on Wednesday. I would like to add, ladies, waxing skis is not a male-only event, you are more than welcome to join us in waxing. If you are unsure how to wax, we will teach you! ;-)

    We are looking forward to our sections training trip on Saturday, hosting the Jr. High Championship Relay's on Monday (if conditions improve), and our Section Meet on Thursday. Stay tuned for more info as the conditions - hopefully - change for the better.

    Wednesday: 01.30.08. (Part 3)
    All Updates are Complete:

    (For this race at least!) Check the conference info under the "MEETS" link and the Conference button on the left. Times, directions and anything else has been updated so all is accurate. Thank you again for your patience. Hopefully we'll still see you tomorrow at Trollhaugen!

    Wednesday: 01.30.08. (Part 2)
    A Date, A Place...

    But will we ski? It looks like we will be able to ski the Conference Championships after all. The race will be on Thursday at Trollhaugen in Dresser, Wisconsin. We will have a slightly different time schedule for the races. We'll update with any other details as they come up. Check the "Conference" page (Linked from the MEETS page) for more details this afternoon. We'll get the directions up for you then if you need them. We will still be waxing tonight so if you were planning on helping, we'd still like your help! Thank you for your flexibility and we're sorry for the many changes you've been dealing with. Welcome to Nordic!

    Wednesday: 01.30.08.
    Nothing is Ever Easy

    Parents - The Conference Championships have again been rescheduled. We will let you know more as soon as possible. It may be on the same day at Trollhaugen, it may be Friday at Elm Creek or it may be after Sections. Check back soon and we'll get the final word to you...

    Tuesday: 01.29.08. (Part 2)
    Still Stretching:

    Wow, if it is not one thing, then it has to be another. It was too warm to ski yesterday, and now, it is just too cold to make it reasonable to have the whole team out there. Practice is "officially" canceled. If you don't have a mode of transportation on your own then take the bus home. We would like to you practice though if it is a possibility, either at home or skiing or at the school if you decide to stay. It is a short practice which is why we didn't want to make you stay after school and then not have a ride for 2 hours...The wax room will be open though so you can wax your skis!!

    Warm up for 10 to 15 mins, get the muscles loose and warm. 5 Starts (If you are on skis) Start near the finish side of the race Start/Finish area, double pole across the flats and up the hill, you are done at the top of the hill. Easy ski around the small loop to get the heart rate back down, recover fully, and then go again. Easy, 10 min cool down. If you are on feet (dry land) the warm up and cool down are the same. For the middle portion you'll do 5 builds. Run/jog at normal pace and then build your speed so that by 25 seconds you are running FAST, hold for 10 seconds and then slow back down again. Get your heart rate back under control and then go again.

    If you are skiing, please be careful. The snow is NOT soft today and we don't want bruised knees or heads. Also, we only want you to double pole today. Obviously classic won't work with the icy conditions but we also don't want some of your stabilizing muscles (inner thigh, shin, arches...) freaking out (that is a technical term) because you are trying to skate on an ice rink. Keep it simple, keep it clean, double pole and go home. The wax room will be open for waxing and it would be great for you to get a coat of wax on your skis!

    Monday: 01.28.08. (Part 2)
    Flexible:

    The meet has been changed to Thursday. With the projected drop in temperature for Tuesday and Wednesday the meet has been moved to Thursday. We will follow the same time schedule and will still be at Baker Park. The bus will leave at 7:30 so arrive to school early to gather all your things - race suit, boots (both pair), skis (both pair), poles (both pair)... All skiers are able to race. 12 skiers will be in the Varsity portion and everyone else is able to ski in the JV race in the middle of the day. Additional details can be found from the MEETS link and then the Conference button on the left.

    Monday: 01.28.08.
    Heat Wave:

    Changes for practice!! With the "hot" temps today, Woodland Trails has been closed. We'll be meeting in room 325 to set up the conference schedule and then doing a dry land practice. We should know