Note: This is the first of a quick-and-dirty preview series on elite teams in the U.S. We asked coaches to send their 2012/2013 rosters and tell us what’s new for the coming season. We will be publishing additional reports over the next few weeks. Teams are presented in no particular order. Team name: XC Oregon Coaches: J.D. Downing (coach/program director, 15th year) National /International Elite Roster: Santiago Ocariz, Oliver Burruss, Matt Briggs; Carolyn Ocariz, Stephanie...
On Saturday we had a 10 year reunion for the SMS class of 2002. Our typical class size is 25, so getting the group above along with some "old" teachers and coaches was quite an accomplishment.In attendance were our nordie contingent, Ryan Foster, Molly...
While visiting my family for Father’s Day, I ran across an old scrapbook in my childhood bedroom. One gem that I unearthed was a NENSA Newsletter featuring a story that the Sargent sisters and I had written together many years ago. It brought...
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" -Albert EinsteinIn order to continue to improve it is important to make changes. I am really excited about my training and preparation for the 2012/2...
This morning we had a good group for our Griffith Lake loop run/hike. Most of the group above did the basic 10.8 mile loop, but 5 of them added a side trip to baker Peak and back (4 extra miles).The Devo group plus some parents hiked up Styles Peak, ou...
There is a lot to love about being on a mountain top. Refreshing breezes, a flow of puffy white clouds that tow splotchy shadows across ridge lines, and a lush carpet of contrasting peaks and valleys stretching across the land. I can see every shad...
Two weeks ago, Kris Freeman and Noah Hoffman weren’t exactly sure what they were in for before flying to Norway, but they were excited. The two had been invited to a Norwegian national team training camp, and without much else besides their bare necessities, they headed to the snowfields of Sognefjell. On June 3, the two U.S. Ski Team (USST) members jumped into action with the Norwegian men’s squad, kicking things off Sunday afternoon with...
Thank you to everyone who made this year possible and who believed in what I was doing. To my parents who have supported me financially, and taught me to love the mountains and skiing. To Dave and Tammie Gibson, and Bernie Hoffman and Karen Lavender, a...
When he first started coaching juniors in Crested Butte, Colo., Jason Cork didn’t exactly expect the profession to eventually take him to the U.S. Ski Team. Though his recent appointment as its men’s coach now makes the evolution from junior, to college, to elite, to national team seem like a natural progression up the domestic coaching ranks, at each step of the way he has only ever been concerned with being a good coach for...
We are doing some base line tests with our summer group this week and this morning we ran our 2 mile uphill test.The first mile goes up a pretty good pitch on a dirt road. The second mile is easier and on pavement.Izzy and Anya.Cambria.Eric.Calvin show...
Following up from last time, we’re still discussing the recent USSA rule changes for qualifying for WJC/U23s. Now, it’s not like USSA has a ton of options here, but I would like to point out a few difficulties with pre-qualifying an athlete using only a single result. Being a stats guy, I always think about [...] Related posts:
Our recent series on biathletes facing the question of when and whether to go to college (parts two, and
Eric (left), Sophie (front left) and Erika (right) celebrated their graduation on Sunday.They have now moved down to Stratton and are getting in the routine. Yesterday they joined us for the D-pole test and this morning they worked with Gus on skate te...
It was almost as if Aino-Kaisa Saarinen read Kikkan Randall’s mind. Longtime acquaintances, the two international cross-country superstars knew the best time to find each other – for a warmdown, a distance ski or just a chat. Finland’s two-time Olympian and multiple world champion, Saarinen caught Randall before a morning run in March at the World Cup Finals in Falun, Sweden. Fortunately for Saarinen, the sprint World Cup winner was in mid-thought. “I saw her...
Our recent series on biathletes facing the question of when and whether to go to college (parts two, and Development Team alumnus who had risen to the “B” squad but was left off of this year’s national team. Goessling went straight from high school in Minnesota to MWSC, where he has trained for the last two years. In total, he’s made five trips to World Youth and Junior Championships, but the 2012 edition was actually...
As our underclassmen are busy finishing up finals, our summer program is starting up. This means that we had a good group for our double pole test this afternoon.We will do this test about once a month to track everyones improvement. All roller skis ar...
We are in to our second full week of summer practice. Last week we got back to the basics and went over goals and expectations of the program and athletes. This week we are starting to do the work that will build the foundation we will use in...
Still searching for the perfect gift for Father’s Day gift? If dad’s a skier, the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation wants you to know that the 2012 Birkie Video is on sale at the here or stop in the Birkie office/store for a copy.
As school and spring sports draw to a close, our MNC training group is growing. We are up to 37 athletes registered for summer training - and we've already been meeting 1-3x / week for the past 5 weeks.Summer Training Schedules:Please use this weblog a...
The saga of Estonian Andrus Veerpalu’s doping trial has dragged on for well over a year, but with a final ruling in his appeal expected soon after the conclusion of the trial this week at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausane, Switzerland, Veerpalu may have finally run out options. According to Aivar Pilv, Veerpalu’s defense attorney, their appeal claims that FIS’s testing methods for doping are faulty. The appeal proceedings began on Monday...