June 06, 2013 (Anchorage, Alaska) – Lars Flora, two-time Olympian and executive director and founder of NANANordic, is one of three U.S. representatives chosen to participate in the International Olympic Academy (IOA) from June 11 – 25, 2013, in Athens and Olympia, Greece. The other two are U.S. Olympic Committee staffers.
The IOA’s goal is to educate and motivate young people to use their experiences and knowledge gained from the session productively in promoting the Olympic ideas and educating others in their own countries. Flora will present NANANordic to the 200 participants from around the globe taking part in this year’s event.
“This has been an amazing journey,” said Flora. “We’ve introduced nearly 2,000 children in Northwest Alaska to Nordic skiing, giving them another winter recreation opportunity in a region where there’s snow on the ground eight months out of the year. This is just the beginning. Timing for the conference is great – we’re in the planning stages for our third season now. I’m looking forward to hearing ideas that will help NANANordic become even more successful.”
NANANordic was formed to introduce the lifetime sport of cross-country skiing to rural Alaska through a sustainable Nordic ski program, starting with villages in the NANA region. Two-time Olympian Lars Flora brought the idea to NANA Development Corporation in 2011. Funded by corporate and individual donations, Flora and 20 volunteers, in cooperation with the Northwest Arctic Borough School District, provided a month of cross-country ski instruction to 650 students in Kotzebue, Kiana, Selawik and Noorvik in 2012. This year, approximately 2,000 children in all NANA region villages, as well as Anaktuvuk Pass, had an opportunity to learn to cross-country ski from more than 45 volunteers consisting of Olympians, World Cup athletes, University and college coaches and elite high school athletes.
November 01, 2011 (Silverstar Mountain, BC) – A number of readers wrote back asking “what is the difference between a ski coach & ski pro (instructor)?” To generalize, historically a ski coach will focus on how to increase speed whereas a ski pro will focus on how to control it.
Leading ski nations around the world cross-certify ski coaches & ski pros between their different skiing associations so as they are able to take a common approach when developing a skier.
The use of common terms, unified understanding of biomechanics / physics used by skiers, as well as a common methodology when communicating with a person has proven to develop a skier more quickly and to a higher level.
Over the past 25 years, the approach to our cross country camps has been just this – have a blend of top ski coaches and outstanding ski pros who are experienced and knowledgeable in developing you as a skier (technique) as well as how to apply it at higher level when competing / racing (tactical / strategies.)
With new snow on our upper trails this past weekend the excitement for skiing is growing. If you haven’t already – check us out on Facebook at “Silver Star Nordic.”
Look forward to seeing you soon!
Cheers,
Guy Paulsen, Nordic Manager
Time is starting to run out! Book your Silver Star Mountain Cross Country Camp between now and October 31 and receive 20% off your on-mountain accommodation. Now that’s something to smile about.
Did you know? Silver Star Cross Country Camps incorporate yoga / stretching sessions in our camps given by fitness expert Ms. Claudia Sorenson. Two more great reasons to come to our camps this fall. For more information and to book your Silver Star Cross Country Ski Camp please contact our Central Reservations at info@skisilverstar.com / 1-800-663-4431 / 250-558-6083
September 07, 2011 (Lake Placid, NY) – Join us for a NENSA L1 and USSA L100 Techique clinic to gain some new ideas for improving ski skills! This week starts the annual fall USST training camp in Lake Placid, NY. As is tradition now, NENSA will have a group of Elite team athletes participating alongside the U.S. ski team members and coaches. There will also be a technique clinic held in conjunction with the camp for coaches and athletes interested in improving their skiing and coaching skills.
Clinic will take place Sunday September 11th from 2- 4 PM. Meet at the Olympic Training Center on Old Military Road at 1:45 PM to sign in. Bring equipment for both classic and skate rollerskiing (helmet is mandatory) and running shoes. Bryan Fish (USST) and Janice Sibilia (NENSA) will instruct. This clinic will satisfy the technique requirement for USSA’s L100 coaches certification and NENSA’s L1 module for NENSA certification. (Anyone interested in working towards NENSA’s full L1 certification can plan on an additional 30 minutes following the technique clinic, for a basic physiology/training discussion.) To sign up please contact Janice Sibilia at janice@nensa.net. There is no charge for this clinic however, sign up is recommended so that we can have an idea how many people will participate!
August 10, 2011 – Check out this educational video from the USSA emphasizing the importance of agility training for XC skiers. The video explains why the best skiers in the world are also some of the most agile, as well as how factors such as balance, speed, aggressiveness, and coordination are integral to overall agility. The video also breaks down how the USSA designs its rollerski test courses in order to determine athletes’ overall agility. Click HERE to view the video.
June 15, 2011 (Middlebury, VT) – Check out details about an upcoming rollerski clinic in Middlebury, VT led by Garrott Kuzzy, Cam Mackugler, Andrew Gardner, and Abby Weissman on July 6.
Join Garrott Kuzzy (CXC), Andrew Gardner (Middlebury), Cam Mackugler (Frost Mountain), and Abby Weissman (NENSA) for this intro level clinic. There will be a Juniors clinic from 4-5 and a Masters clinic from 5:30-7:30. Learn some new techniques or brush up on your form with some of the area’s best coaches.
The clinic will be split into groups based on experience. Lessons will be focused on technique, safety, and fun. NENSA has a limited number of rollerskis so email Abby Weissman (abby@nensa.net) if you need a pair. Please don’t forget to bring a helmet, poles (with road ferrules), boots, and a reflective vest or shirt.
Clinic size will be limited to 20 skiers, so sign up early!
Full event info (including registration link) HERE!
June 10, 2011 – The Central Cross Country Ski Association is offering a variety of Junior and Master/Citizen Open Camps this summer, along with lots of other great events. There’s a CXC camp suitable for every skier. Read on for more details.
January 12, 2011 – Check out this great instructional video by SkiTrax technique columnist Keith Nicol on how to improve your 1 skate or V 2 skate – a popular cross country skiing technique. Nicol, a CANSI Level 4 instructor, demonstrates typical problems that skiers have with this skill and how to correct them. He also runs the winter outdoor pursuits programme at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Visit his web site HERE and for more information on CANSI click HERE.
