According to head coach Doug Peterson, a lack of snow is common for the season but the Nordic team remains focused on getting on the snow.

According to sophomore skier Cece Schmelze, off-season training is vital to performance during the season.

“The stuff in the off-season, like when we don’t have snow, is really important to focus on technique and work on your endurance to build up, so that when the ski season comes you’re ready to race,” Schmelze said.

Schmelze said the team continues to keep up the training for the upcoming season.

“We have practice five times a week and we have morning practice twice a week, so we’re really working on our strength and our core. And then we do speed workouts on Tuesdays and Thursdays and that gets you ready for the race. And the rest is endurance,” Schmelze said.

According to Schmelze, the team is not too worried about the lack of snow and the meets that have been canceled because of the lack of snow.

“It’s pretty normal to not have snow in early December, we’re pretty used to having meets canceled, it’s not great but we make it work. Once it gets to snow the most important thing is to get out there and ski and get used to the snow again,” Schmelze said.

Peterson said the coaches are focused on developing new skiers and improving returning skiers this season.

“We take a bus to the local parks and then we’ll work on technique. A lot of the kids are already in pretty good shape so they’re all ready to start skiing. But a lot of what we do is development, you know, working with kids who have never skied before,” Peterson said.

Peterson said the team looks forward to the season and expects good things to come.

“Both our boys and girls have always been competitive in our conference, we’ve always been toward the top so I don’t expect that to change much. I think most everyone on our girls’ team expects us to do better at our Sections meet than we have in the past.Those are things that I’m looking forward to,” Peterson said.

The next meet is at 3:45 p.m. Dec. 15 at Hyland Park Reserve.