By Denise Jordan
Summer is FINALLY over!
The crippling hot weather is finally heading south! Good riddance! It’s time to really cool off and do your snow dance because Nordic Ski Season is just around the snowbank! Arrowhead Nordic Ski Club allows you to make the most of winter as you learn to love the playing in the snow.
Start your Nordic Ski season off by checking your equipment – which may need upgrading. The annual Arrowhead Nordic Ski Swap is scheduled for Sunday November 2 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. If you have equipment that you would like to sell at the swap, bring it to Algonquin Outfitters on either Oct. 30, 31 or Nov. 1 to register it for the swap. This is a chance for you to clean out the garage and maybe even make a few bucks. Then come on out to Arrowhead Park on Sunday November 2 to check out the bargains. It’s also a great opportunity to find out more about our programs.
Once outfitted, it’s time to join in the fun. The club provides lessons for ages ranging from 4 to 94, and all ability levels.
The cornerstone of our ski lessons is the JackRabbit Program for kids from 4 to 9 years old. They learn the basic fundamentals of skiing through games, challenges and other fun activities. At ages 10 to 13, the JackRabbit move on to Track Attack where they start to learn about competitive skiing as they improve their skills and participate in adventures including two training camp days. For those older children who did not attend JackRabbit, there is the Lynx program which will allow them to ski with peers in their age group while they learn the basic techniques.
Teenage skiers can choose from two different options; racing or coaching. The Arrowhead Race Crew focuses on competitive skiing and trains athletes to compete. In contrast to racing, skiers can join the Leaders in Training (LIT) program, where they learn to coach skiing. Once qualified, they can work for the club as a paid instructor.
Adults can also participate in ski programs. Lessons are offered on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for both classic and skating techniques. The beginner lessons are in January, and the more advanced are offered in February. The seasoned skiers can refine their technique and improve their fitness levels by participating in the Masters program.
Private lessons are also available for those who can’t join in on the group lessons.
For more information and to sign up for any of these programs, please visit the Arrowhead Nordic website. It’s time to shake off the summer blahs and really embrace your time outdoors.
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Wonderful program for young children and older youth. The program is affordable, inclusive and just plain fun. It is a great way for the whole family to enjoy winter.
This is an excellent program for all ages – but especially for young kids. If they stay in the programs they have the option to eventually race or coach – both of which are fantastic experiences for teenagers.