Unexpected growth in Nordic program causes complications
Boys’ nordic coach takes on responsibility of driving team bus to meets
Photo Illustration by Ayelet Prottas. Nordic coach John Dyste retrieved his Class B bus drivers license to drive the Nordic team to and from practice every day. Dyste got his license because there was a shortage of bus drivers.
January 31, 2020
As the Nordic ski team kicked of their season, they were faced with a problem: one bus did not fit all 81 skiers. According to coach John Dyste, the teams’ practices ended up being canceled because they couldn’t fit everyone.
“We canceled going anywhere (for practice) one day,” Dyste said. “We had one bus, but we couldn’t fit everyone on it.”
According to senior Nordic skier David Klein, the catalyst was an unanticipated increase in the popularity of the program.
“This year we’ve had a big influx of younger skiers,” Klein said. “Because of that, we really need two buses. If we do one, it’s not even close to max capacity. It’s just over.”
Dyste said it was this inability to travel that brought the Nordic team to consider alternative solutions.
“When we started to ask for two buses, the company wasn’t able to provide them,” Dyste said. “They’re short on drivers, and actually, as a result of their contract with the school district, they’re not required to supply two buses. They supply more buses to the school district for activities than their contract requires them to.”
According to Dyste, this is what sparked his decision to do something about the problem himself.
“Because they had buses, but they didn’t have the drivers, I said ‘why don’t I get licensed to drive?’ so that we can make sure that we get everybody to practice,” Dyste said.
Klein said, although he would like a separate bus driver, he doesn’t care because Dyste is a good driver.
“Ideally, it would not be a coach (driving us), but at the same time, I don’t mind because he’s licensed, he’s safe on the road,” Klein said.
According to Klein, Dyste’s willingness to do this task for the team shows his dedication to the program.
“I think he’s a great all around coach,” Klein said. “This speaks to how willing he is to embrace new situations on the team.”
Dyste said having two buses has been helpful to the program and has had some additional positive aspects because they now split up girls’ and boys’ between the buses.
“It’s actually worked out a little better because there’s certain things amongst those groups that are specific to that gender, and it makes it easier for them,” Dyste said. “For example: we go to a race, then everybody has to go back to the bus and try to change out of clothing that’s wet. It makes (that) a lot easier.”
According to gopark.org, the next Nordic meet will be Sections Feb. 6 at Wirth Park.
