Hello!
My name is Will Wicherski and I am the new Interim Nordic Program Director & Head Coach. I have been working with the Prep and Comp teams but I am taking over as program director after the departure of Ben Morley for Laramie. I am very excited for the opportunity to lead the Nordic Program and I look forward to working with everyone in the Jackson nordic community. Nordic skiing has been a transformative force in my life; opening doors for travel around the world, forging uniquely strong friendships, and enabling my personal growth. I am excited to help youth in Jackson along this path and work with the community to support our student-athletes in their personal journeys. I know many of you from my years coaching various levels of JHSC but feel free to reach out and say hello!
Prep/Comp Update
With leaves turning, snow in the mountains, and chilly mornings fall is definitely in the air. This month has been all about transitioning to after-school practice and figuring out school routines. Our focus this time of year is all about increasing ski specificity and fast-twitch movement while decreasing overall training volume. The changing weather and shifting focus have led to some "character-building" workouts for the team. Highlights have included: skate rollerski intervals up the Old Pass Road as the temperature plummeted during the Labor Day storm, running in the pouring rain (then dumping snow) up Paintbrush Canyon, and sweltering bounding intervals with poles up the steep end of Snow King. As an outdoor winter sport these workouts are important in helping athletes learn how to deal with unexpected adversity in the elements. We have also made a full switch to Trail Creek for strength workouts on Tuesdays and Thursdays, taking full advantage of the open spaces to reconnect with our home trails and get some good strength work outdoors, while also having an audience of some ranch residents.
Junior and Development Fall Dryland & Concussion Testing
The Development team team will begin dry-land the first week of November and the Junior team will start on October 12th. Both teams are designed to provide progressive training and new challenges for returning athletes, but also welcome newcomers to the sport. If you have questions about which team will best suits your kiddo, check out the Development Team Page, Junior Team Page, Nordic Program Manual, or contact Interim Nordic Program Director Will Wicherski- wwicherski@jhskiclub.org.
In conjunction with St. Johns Medical Center, we are running concussion baseline testing for athletes on the team to ensure we can properly address head injuries if they occur. Prep and Comp athletes have already done this testing, but Junior team athletes must complete concussion testing in order to compete and participate with the club. Concussion testing for the Junior team will take place from 6-6:45 at Snow King on Wednesday, October 7.
Ski Equipment Team Swap & Skinny Skis Ordering
With winter just around the corner, now is the time to make sure that you have all the nordic equipment you need! There will be two avenues for acquiring gear this fall. In lieu of an in-person team gear swap, please fill out this Google Sheet with any nordic equipment your children have outgrown or wish to sell. Please include size information, contact info, etc to facilitate the gear swap process. Those who need gear can check the sheet and see if anything fits their needs. Skinny Skis will also be offering a generous 30% discount on nordic gear to members of the club! The process for ordering gear this year will be slightly different due to COVID precautions. Parents and athletes will sign up for half-hour time slots at Skinny Skis to try and purchase gear instead of the traditional team night. More information about gear ordering from Skinny Skis will be available in the next few weeks - stay tuned. If you have questions about what gear is appropriate for your child, feel free to contact Interim Nordic Program Director Will Wicherski - wwicherski@jhskiclub.org.
Team Parent/Athlete Meetings
Team meeting dates are set for the Development, Junior, Prep and Comp teams. Each team will meet as a group (Coaches, Parents, and Athletes) prior to the ski season to discuss the training schedule, equipment, the race calendar and more. Right now we are planning on holding these meetings virtually, however if COVID restrictions relax we may hold in person meetings. We will be sure to keep all registered families up to date with any new information. The Lollipopper and Teewinot team meetings will be held in December, dated TBD.
- October 9th 6 p.m. -Junior Parent Athlete Meeting
- October 12th 6 p.m.- Prep/Comp Parent Athlete Meeting
- October 15th 6 p.m. Development Parent Athlete Meeting
JHSC Student Athlete Support
JHSC is dedicated to providing support to our student athletes. Check out the SAS Newsletter for more information and current events.
