The 2008 USSA Program of the Year, the Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center, is pleased to announce the hiring of three new staff members. Former APU Elite team member and Alaskan Eric Strabel will be assisting head coach Erik Flora with the Elite and University programs. During his competitive ski racing days Strabel competed both nationally and internationally for the U.S.A and has since retiring from the ski world has been working locally in Anchorage as an engineer. “Eric's experience and knowledge as an elite [APU] racer and his interest in coaching will be an asset to our program,” states Flora.