August 3, 2009 – We want to reconnect with as many people as possible who have been involved at one time or another with Cross Country Canada, going back as many years as possible. Have you ever been a member of the National Ski Team? Were you on the CCC Board of Directors at any time? Were you the chair or a member of a national committee?

If the answer is yes to any of those questions, or if you know someone who could answer yes to those questions, read on! CCC wants to forge a stronger link to its past, so that we can build a strong bridge to the future.

The first sport governing body for all competitive skiing in Canada was the Canadian Amateur Ski Association (CASA) which was incorporated in 1920 and was responsible for cross country, alpine and jumping. Later, the CASA became the Canadian Ski Association (CSA). In 1969, cross country was given full discipline status under the name Cross Country Canada and became a more than just a standing committee of the CSA. The discipline included biathlon at that time.

Four years later, in 1973, the chair of Cross Country Canada became a full member of the CSA Executive Committee, thus giving cross country skiing a greater role in the management of Canadian skiing. In 1978 biathlon chose to leave the Cross Country mandate.

By 1980, the stage was set for major organizational changes within Cross Country Canada and in 1984, after several years of planning and re-organization, it was incorporated and its first constitution was adopted. However, the CSA remained as the overall authority for skiing on the international stage and the voice of Canadian skiing at meetings of the International Ski Federation (FIS).

In 1989 more changes were made: the CSA was re-organized into a federation of autonomous disciplines (Cross Country, Alpine, Jumping, Biathlon, Freestyle etc.) and CCCs constitution was re-written to recognize its new status as a truly independent body. The link to CSA remained as FIS recognizes only one ski organization per country.

National Ski Team members and coaches:
We want to trace as many of our former National Ski Team athletes and coaches as we can – going back as many years as possible (the first Canadian Olympic cross country skiers competed in the 1928 Games in St. Moritz).

National committee chairs and members:
In 1984, the national committees included the National Ski Team, Athlete Development, Touring and Recreation, Coaching and Sport Science, Officials, Marketing, Competitions, Jackrabbits and Womens. Over the past quarter century other committees have been formed and disbanded at various times, and we would like to find as many as possible of the former chairs and members of all those committees.

CCC Boards of Directors:
CCCs Board of Directors was comprised of the chairs of the provincial and territorial ski divisions and the CCC Executive from 1984 until 2004, when the structure of the organization underwent another significant change. The Board is currently comprised of the president, six directors at large and an athlete representative. We hope to reconnect with many people who at one time or another have been a member of the CCC Board of Directors.

CCC office staff:
By the mid-seventies, CCC at last rented its own office space: a very small room at 333 River Road, Ottawa and employed a couple of administrative staff members. Over the years since, many people have been employed by CCC and we hope to hear from as many of you as possible.

Registration will be set up and linked to the CCC website this fall. Currently there is a Facebook page set up if you wish to start there – Cross Country Canada – Living History Project.

Thanks!

Lee Speed
on behalf of Jean Bristow and the CCC Membership and Clubs Committee