The Park nordic ski team went on its annual winter ski trip to Ironwood, Michigan, from Dec. 6 to Dec. 8. The team fundraised for this trip by selling coupon books in late Nov. The trip was an opportunity for the team to bond and work on new techniques for upcoming races.
According to freshman Anne Lawler, the ski trip is an opportunity to get plenty of practice. She said while the trip’s main event was skiing, there were varying forms of entertainment at the lodge..
“On the ski trip we mainly just ski for every hour possible and get in as many kilometers as we can,” Lawler said. “We get to explore new trails and catch up with our friends. It’s also a chance to play games with our teammates back at the lodge.”
Coach Brian Houst said the annual nordic ski trip benefited the skiers in many ways. He said the best part is that the whole team gets so much ski training, which can help with upcoming races. According to Houst, the trip is an excellent chance for the team to connect and meet with people they may have yet to talk to beforehand.
“The team trip benefits the team in a few ways. One would be that they get a ton of skiing under their feet in great conditions with lots of snow. Second, they get a chance to do training things like a time trial which can help test where they are at and help get the team prepared to race,” Houst said. “The trip is (also) a great time for kids to bond and get to know each other, eat a lot of great foods and enjoy each other’s time.”
According to senior captain Ale Coronado, her favorite part about the trip was all of the trails to explore and being outside for hours at a time. She said she enjoyed it more than typical practice after-school every day.
“My favorite part about the trip was getting to be on natural snow for the first time in a long time and overall being in nature,” Coronado said. “There are so many more kilometers to ski on and many different trails you can go on with your friends. Where we ski is so much better and refreshing than skiing in the city.”
According to Lawler, the ski trip improved her skiing skills and technique. She said the trip had the potential to help both newer and experienced skiers feel more confident for the remainder of the season.
“It does improve my technique because the hours we ski on the trip add up to about two weeks of practice, which can help improve overall confidence with skiing for all skiers, but especially newer skiers,” Lawler said. “(The ski trip) gets you experience with classing and skate skiing in a new and exciting place.”
Coronado said she would not change anything about the trip. She said it was her first time attending and she enjoyed her experience.
“The trip was super fun and there is not anything specific that I would change. This was my first time going on the trip and my experience was great,” Coronado said. “The trails were super fun and I loved getting to know more people.”
Houst said the trip’s primary goal is to get all the kids skiing on snow. He said he and the other coaches want to improve everyone’s performances for upcoming practices and races.
“We want to build the engine that makes for great performances and ski races. It’s a great time to help newer skiers learn their technique and get experienced skiers back into the groove of things,” Houst said. “We plan things like time trials, which are a practice race, to help kids get a feel for what races are like again, find out where they are at and how they stack up against others on the team. The coaches can also coach them a little bit better to perform at their best when the season starts.”
Park nordic has its first ski meet at 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 12 at Hyland Hills Ski Area.
