April 17, 2012 – Spring has arrived! A crazy but no less exciting winter has now been put to rest. This summer in New England holds the potential to be one of the best yet for Nordic skiers interested in improving their skills and mixing it up with their peers. You can check the event calendar HERE for all the upcoming camps, clinics and happenings.

Speaking of camps and training, A topic of popular discussion at the National Governing Body (NGB) level right now is that of concussion education. While it is not something we like to think about I want to pass along this info to you as a resource, supplied to us as a benefit of our CODP Progam.

aHead of the Game
The NCYS endorses the “aHead of the Game” brain injury and concussion education and awareness program. Click HERE and then scroll down to the bottom of the page under Call to Action. That will take you to a page where you can access free educational materials. Also check out the CDC’s Head Up program; follow the same instructions as above from HERE. These are both good resources.

The aHead of the Game initiative is new and current. “aHead of the Game® is an initiative to reduce the risks of concussions and other head injuries in amateur youth sports. Through greater awareness and education, we want to help coaches, parents and young athletes learn signs and symptoms of concussions, seek proper treatment and follow appropriate return to play protocols to avoid the significant dangers of multiple concussions.”

While Nordic skiers may be at less risk than other sports, it is our responsibility as coaches to become familiar with the signs of trauma and know how to respond. Case in point: at a summer camp I attended a few years back we took part in a warm up game of soccer. One of the girls who was an accomplished soccer player, headed the ball and instantly passed out. It scared the you know what out of us! She came to immediately and seemed fine, but thankfully, the coaches knew what to look for in her response testing, to know what was required as the next step in ensuring her safety.

November 24, 2011 (Kuusamo, Finland) – Today will see the official launch of new FIS campaign known as Skiers and Snowboarders Say NO! to Doping – “Clean as Snow” in Ruka, Kuusamo, Finland.

Say NO! To Doping is an awareness campaign created by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for organizations to unite behind doping-free sport. FIS is fully committed to the fight against doping and is proud to launch the campaign with the support of the FIS Athletes’ Commission. At the FIS Nordic Opening in Ruka, all participating athletes are encouraged to promote the campaign through Clean as Snow material as well as signing a branded Clean as Snow glass in the finish area. During the 2011/12 competition season, all FIS Cross-Country World Cup athletes’ training bibs are also branded with the Clean as Snow logo.

The Clean as Snow campaign will be promoted at select FIS World Cup events across disciplines. For more information, please visit HERE or for Facebook HERE and Twitter HERE.