Happenings of the JHSC Nordic Program, Trail Creek Nordic Center, and Local Nordic Community
In the wild and crazy Nordic world of the Jackson Hole Ski and Snowboard Club, and the wonderful supporting community, sometimes it’s hard to keep track of what is actually going on. In an effort to make information flow, about every two weeks this season an update will be posted. Welcome to the first edition!
Lollipopper Team and Teewinot Team
I anticipate having a couple of returning kids as well as new kids. In order to have the kids all fully participating at an appropriate level and moving forward in their development, I plan to use any experienced kids as my demo squad and critique/encourage them a bit. I will remind them of previous years’ milestones and goals, and then have the new kids work on the same skills. Coaches will move back and forth among the kiddos, trying to assess the best method(s) of instruction for each kid - for some it's motor, some it’s auditory; some are more visually oriented.
For the social/emotional component, I plan to start the conversation, continuing all year, about competition and respect for other athletes on their team and on other teams. It's important for kids to recognize that without fellow competitors we wouldn't be able to have competitions . . . so it is in everyone's best interest to encourage and support one another within a team, not only so the "team" performs better, but so that each athlete can improve individually through competition.
Kathy Neiley
Coach
Development Team
The development team is working on getting our ski legs going and refreshing our technique in December. On Wednesday we will be doing a Classic workout, focusing on weight transfer and fundamental body position. We will start with a scooter relay (think skateboard race), head into the trees for some adventure, and finish up with a game of sharks and minnows (one ski, no poles). Next week we move back to Skate Skis for more fun.
Rob Murphy
Development Team Head Coach
Junior Team
One very important workout that the Junior Team undertook this week was a classic interval session on Monday where we split up into three groups and worked on powerful striding and gliding using Woolsey Woods, Moose Loop, and Homesite/Suicide. The emphasis of this workout was to work the transitions and to carry speed into a powerful striding interval with recovery on the downhill portions of those loops. As we approach the racing segment of our season with our first races in Bozeman next weekend, we are adjusting our workouts to build on speed and race efforts after a great fall of building our strength and endurance. The trails have been perfect for skiing and a fantastic resource for the Juniors to be able to have such high quality on snow training this early in the season!
Calvin Wight
Head Coach of the Junior Nordic Ski Team
Prep Team and Comp Team
After a very successful training camp in West Yellowstone, with the largest group JHSC has ever taken, the prep and comp teams have been hard at work here at Trail Creek. The race season has also started with a group of our comp athletes attending the Super Tour Races in West Yellowstone and most of our team attending a Wyoming High School Race in Casper already.
While not racing or at training camp, the team is working on perfecting their technique, firing up their fast twitch muscles and getting stronger out at Trail Creek. Our focus has shifted to race prep from volume as we have our first Junior National Qualifier next weekend! One notable race prep practice included a full mock sprint race with a Preliminary round followed by Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and an A Final. A slow-motion of the A Final start is pretty exciting.
Scott Lacy
Prep Team Head Coach
Prep/Comp Update
As the Prep and Comp team are fine tuning their technique and putting in strong efforts to increase their fitness and strength before the first junior national qualifier in Bozeman, they primarily were focused on intensity and strength training early in the week. There is a window of opportunity to make some fitness and strength gains before the team needs to absorb the training load and recover. For Monday's skate interval session the team was working on skiing fast through transitions and flat terrain. After many weeks and months of low intensity training, the objective of this workout was to bring the athlete's speed up to race pace and stay quick through terrain where it's easy to get lazy. On Wednesday the athletes hammered out a double pole interval session on Moose Loop. The intervals were short, about two and a half minutes with about equal rest, and were designed to keep building upon their strength and intensity for the classic sprint in Bozeman. Athletes are maintaining a core strength routine on their own and will have one more intensity session on Tuesday before Bozeman. Come out to Trail Creek during training time to witness the athletes putting their training to the test during a classic mock sprint on the 1km course in the west field.
Results of a November 29th time trial at Trail Creek can be viewed here.
Ben Morley
Head Coach
Who better to feature in the premier edition but head coach and Nordic director Ben Morley?
Ben was born and raised in Jackson Hole and has spent his life Nordic racing and coaching. After competing at the junior level with JHSC, Ben raced at the NCAA Division 1 College level for Western State College, with a podium at Junior Nationals.
Subsequent to his junior racing career, Ben finished his degree at the University of Oregon and University of Oslo in Norway. In the following years, he returned to Jackson and coached the Teewinots, Junior Nordic and IMD teams, as well as the Master Program at JHSC. Ben also served as the Head Coach for the Glacier Nordic Team in Whitefish Montana.
Ben’s passion for the sport and our community will help him lead our program to new heights. In an effort to develop a strong program, summer training and athlete retention has been an emphasis.
2018-19 marks Ben's fifth year as Nordic Program Director and Head Coach.
Certifications:
USSA Nordic L200
200hr Yoga Training
Last weekend the high school team and many of our IMD skiers journeyed to Casper for two days of racing on Casper Mountain. The following article tells the story, thanks to the Jackson Hole News and Guide.
Cornish, Carlman lead Broncs in Casper
Jackson skiers fill 10 of top 20 spots in classic race.
• By Clark Forster
• Dec 12, 2018
Jackson Hole’s Sam Johnson makes his way uphill Friday in the varsity boys freestyle team sprint during the Don Jacobson Memorial in Casper.
The Nordic season kicked off in Casper over the weekend, and Jackson skiers combined for 10 top-20 finishes during Saturday’s classic race.
Reed Carlman and Andie Cornish led their respective Jackson teams with top-three individual results Saturday at the Don Jacobson Memorial. Carlman placed third among the boys with a time of 15 minutes and 16 seconds in the 5-kilometer race. Cornish finished in 18:44, which was good for second place in the girls race, 31 seconds back of the race winner from Laramie.
Following Cornish for the Lady Broncs was freshman Kate Brigham, who placed sixth overall with a time of 19:01. Jackson’s Elsie Hall finished in 19:56, good for ninth place. Ruby Milligan was Jackson’s fourth finisher. Milligan skied to a time of 20:35 to place 13th. KC MacLeod was Jackson’s fifth and final scorer with a 20th place time of 21:12. Teammate Parker Smith (21:13) was right behind her in 21st.
Carlman and teammate Sam Johnson were neck and neck Saturday. Carlman beat Johnson (15:18) by two seconds. Johnson placed fifth. Bridger Stiles earned a top-10 finish with a ninth-place time of 16:03. Des Concannon (16:21) and Jack Love (16:22) placed 12th and 13th.
Friday’s relay results and overall team scores were not received in time for print. The two teams will get the weekend off from competition before they travel north to compete in Cody on Dec. 21 and 22.
Jackson Hole’s Kate Brigham grinds out the final few yards of one of her laps Friday in the Don Jacobson Memorial in Casper.
The previous weekend to Casper a handful of skiers traveled back to West Yellowstone for their first race of the season, the Super Tour opener. Building upon experience of competing against a tough national field of juniors and seniors and to get a race start under their belt was the objective of the weekend. There were some particularly strong results from JHSC athletes, Natalie O'Brien came in 8th in U16s, but 2nd in intermountain standings in the 5km skate. Both David King and Bridger Stiles found the U16 podium in the 5km skate with strong performances. In Elijah Weenig's first 15km as a U18 he came in 8th among the juniors, right in the mix with a handful of strong skiers. Solid efforts to everyone in both races. See https://www.sportstats.ca for complete results.
This fall heading into winter Trail Creek has been blessed with lots of early season snow. While we had done a bit of rolling up to Thanksgiving, the main focus was marking and prepping trails and continuing the never ending process of fire prevention by burning deadfall.
Beginning the Saturday after Thanksgiving, instead of starting with the roller, we were able to jump right on the trails with the Pisten Bully as about two feet of snow had fallen in the holiday storm. Ever since then things have just been getting better and with the recent 6 inches this week we are nearly at full winter conditions. We do need just a bit more snow for the East fields and the woods to be completely covered, but all in all things are looking great.
Once again there was a great fall work day crew and currently all equipment is functioning well. In addition to our regular races there are a couple of unusual races this winter, with Trail Creek hosting the IMD Youth Fest as well as a collegiate national Championship. It’s looking to be a great winter!
On the front burner for events are the first IMD Qualifier at Bozeman, MT December 22-23 and the Betty Woolsey Classic Race at Trail Creek on December 29th. All of the multitude of events for IMD, High School, and the community are below. If you would like to add an event email trailcreeknordic@gmail.com
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2018-2019 Total Nordic Calendar |
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Date |
Event |
Location |
Technique |
Group |
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November 20-24, 2018 |
Yellowstone Ski Fest |
West Yellowstone, MT |
IMD/Public |
|
|
Saturday, December 01, 2018 |
Super Tour Opener |
West Yellowstone, MT |
Fr |
Public |
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Sunday, December 02, 2018 |
Super Tour Opener |
West Yellowstone, MT |
Fr |
Public |
|
Friday, December 07, 2018 |
WY High School |
Casper |
WY High School |
|
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Saturday, December 08, 2018 |
WY High School |
Casper |
WY High School |
|
|
Saturday, December 08, 2018 |
Targhe Tune-up |
Grand Targhee |
Sprints Fr |
Sandbag |
|
Friday, December 21, 2018 |
WY High School |
Cody |
Cl |
WY High School |
|
Saturday, December 22, 2018 |
WY High School |
Cody |
Fr |
WY High School |
|
Saturday, December 22, 2018 |
Santa's Relays |
Teton Pines |
Fr |
Sandbag |
|
Saturday, December 22, 2018 |
IMD Qualifier |
Bozeman, MT |
Cl |
IMD |
|
Sunday, December 23, 2018 |
IMD Qualifier |
Bozeman, MT |
Fr |
IMD |
|
Saturday, December 29, 2018 |
Betty Woolsey Classic |
Trail Creek |
10K Cl |
Sandbag |
|
Friday, January 04, 2019 |
WY High School |
Pinedale |
Fr |
WY High School |
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Saturday, January 05, 2019 |
WY High School |
Pinedale |
Cl |
WY High School |
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Saturday, January 05, 2019 |
Alta Vista |
Teton Valley Alta Trail |
10K Fr |
Sandbag |
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Sunday, January 06, 2019 |
Free Ski Day |
Turpin Meadows |
JH Nordic |
|
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Saturday, January 12, 2019 |
Teton Ridge Classic |
Teton Ridge Ranch |
28K Cl |
Sandbag |
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Friday, January 18, 2019 |
IMD Qualifier |
Soldier Hollow, UT |
Fr |
IMD/WY High School |
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Saturday, January 19, 2019 |
IMD Qualifier |
Soldier Hollow, UT |
Cl |
IMD/WY High School |
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Saturday, January 19, 2019 |
Buffalo Stampede |
Teton Pines |
10K Fr |
Sandbag |
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Saturday, January 26, 2019 |
Spud Chase |
Teton Springs |
16K Fr |
Sandbag |
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Friday, February 01, 2019 |
WY High School |
Trail Creek |
Fr |
WY High School |
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Saturday, February 02, 2019 |
WY High School |
Trail Creek |
Cl |
WY High School |
|
Saturday, February 02, 2019 |
Boulder Mtn Tour |
Sun Valley |
32K Fr |
Sandbag |
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Friday, February 08, 2019 |
WY High School |
Casper |
Fr |
WY High School |
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Saturday, February 09, 2019 |
WY High School |
Casper |
Cl |
WY High School |
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Saturday, February 09, 2019 |
Alta Skate Race |
Alta, WY |
20K Fr |
Sandbag |
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Saturday, February 09, 2019 |
IMD Qualifier |
Boise, ID |
Cl |
IMD |
|
Sunday, February 10, 2019 |
IMD Qualifier |
Boise, ID |
Fr |
IMD |
|
Saturday, February 16, 2019 |
Moose Chase |
Trail Creek |
30K Fr Cl |
Sandbag |
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Friday, February 22, 2019 |
WY State Champ. |
Lander |
Cl |
WY High School |
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Saturday, February 23, 2019 |
WY State Champ. |
Lander |
Fr |
WY High School |
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Saturday, February 23, 2019 |
American Birkebeiner |
Hayward, WI |
50K Fr Cl |
Sandbag |
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Saturday, February 23, 2019 |
IMD Youth Champ. |
Trail Creek |
IMD |
|
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Sunday, February 24, 2019 |
IMD Youth Champ. |
Trail Creek |
IMD |
|
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Saturday, March 02, 2019 |
Yellowstone Rendezvous |
West Yellowstone |
50K Fr Cl |
Sandbag |
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March 08-17, 2019 |
Junior Nationals |
Anchorage, AK |
Fr Cl |
IMD |
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Saturday, March 09, 2019 |
Sandbag Finals |
Trail Creek |
10K Cl |
Sandbag |
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Saturday, March 09, 2019 |
Western Club Champ |
Soldier Hollow, UT |
IMD |
|
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Sunday, March 10, 2019 |
Western Club Champ |
Soldier Hollow, UT |
IMD |
|
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Saturday, March 23, 2019 |
PPP |
Shooting Star |
Sandbag |
|
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More Community events at https://jhnordic.com/events/ |
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Thanks so much to the members and sponsors who make this all possible!
Trail Creek Members:
Adams Family; Brazell, Matthew; Coburn, Broughton; Conway Heslin, Janet; Curtis-Adams Family; DesLauriers Family; Gordon-Mick Family; Harvey, Ann; Hall Family; Horn, Scott; King Family; Kohlhardt Family; Lee, Nancy; Lovett, Mark; Mahoney, Rob; Makley, Ann; McCloskey, Kelly; McGee Family; Moller, Lars; Neal Family; O'Brien Family; Petsch, Wayne; Price, Michael; Sheafor Family; Springer Family; Stiles, Family; Wasson, Jocelyn; Wimberg, Chris; Wiswell Family
Sponsor the Trail Creek and The Nordic Program
We are still searching for Gold Level Sponsors. If you or your business would like to sign on as a Trail Creek and Nordic Program Sponsor, this is a special opportunity to place your logo on new event fencing. With a handful of large and high profile events for the 2019 season, this is an opportune time to get involved. For any questions contact Nordic Program Director Ben Morley-bmorley@jhskiclub.org
