Greetings NENSA community,

The annual U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress took place in Park City, UT last week and two individuals from New England received USSS Gold Awards, the single highest honor in the organization. 

• Colin Rodgers, USSS International Coach of the Year, for his role in developing top junior skiers
• Allan Serrano, recipient of the USSS Westhaven Award in recognition of an outstanding Technical Delegate

In addition, Ben Ogden was recognized as Cross Country Athlete of the Year for his outstanding season, Pepa Milocheva won Domestic Coach of the Year for her guidance of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project, GMVS won the Development Club of the Year award, and NYSEF received the Paul Bacon Award for Event Organization. The full list of awards and recipients can be seen HERE. Our New England ski community is thriving because of the unique contributions and the dedication of individuals such as these. I hope you will join me in extending sincere congratulations and gratitude for all that they do to elevate the sport in New England and far beyond!

Please read the important message below about the support your membership sign up or renewal provides as we begin to roll out a new cycle of year-round programming and benefits. With that, you’ll notice a growing calendar at the bottom of this newsletter and an expansion of programming and member benefits for 2023-24. You’ll find information here about recreational programming, liability insurance coverage for NENSA member clubs, and diverse rollerski and summer camp offerings for skiers at all levels including the 2nd edition of NENSA’s inaugural RDG Camp and a region-wide Masters training camp hosted by Ford Sayre. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for much more including Rollerski, Eastern Cup, and Championship event schedules and venue announcements. The ski year officially began May 1 and we are excited to share all that we have in store for 2023-24!

In this week’s edition of KickZone

• NENSA Membership 2023-24
• #25KinMay
• NENSA Recreational Event Support and Bidding Process
• NENSA Women's Day 2024 Announcement
• Popular and Eastern Cup Bidding Open for 2023-2024 Season
• Scenes from the Community
• U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club Excellent Seminar, June 6-7
• Summer Camps

In the News

• U.S. Ski & Snowboard: 2023-24 Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team Nominations Announced

Our new season officially gets underway with #25KinMay starting this Thursday, May 25. Dust off your rollerskis and join us! I look forward to seeing your submissions and to seeing you on the sunny tracks and trails shortly.

All my best,

Heidi

Heidi Lange

Executive Director

New England Nordic Ski Association

heidi@nensa.net

www.nensa.net

Thank you!

Memberships directly support all of our year-round programming,

backing us in our mission to nurture and sustain an active cross country ski

community for all ages and levels throughout the East. 

Thank you for taking a minute to join or renew your NENSA membership,

and for the important support that it provides!

Please join me in thanking and supporting our wonderful NENSA Sponsors 

for their generous contributions and the ongoing impact that they have on NENSA programming and cross country skiing in New England!

NENSA membership is about so much more than licensing and individual benefits. As a NENSA member, you are part of a broader community helping to grow and support cross country skiing in the Northeast, ensuring that the sport we love continues to grow and thrive.

Our membership year began May 1 and now is an excellent time for sign ups and renewals. Membership revenue sustains our organization and directly supports the year-round programming that makes our New England ski community vibrant and inclusive.

In addition to scoring, newsletter subscription, sponsor discounts, event listings, club visits and consultation, we are excited to announce some new member benefits:

• Club liability insurance under the NENSA master policy
• Discounted entry at all NENSA events, year-round

Don't delay - sign up or renew today!

Spring and the new training season are in full swing across the East. Based on previous year’s feedback and a desire to spice up the fourth edition of this community activating event — #25KinMay will be condensed into the final week of May. Starting on May 25th we encourage you to get out and safely enjoy rollerskiing as you ease into more specific training.

Categories:

• Best Video — Grab some friends and get creative. Please choose music suitable for all ages. Videos should be under 60 seconds.
• Best Image — Rollerskiing can take you to inspiring places, from mountainous terrain to the spectacle of your local green space. Capture unique lighting, settings or people in your images.
• Roll to Snow (or Water) — It’s getting harder to find white stuff, but there are still patches in the high reaches of ski areas, your local ice rink. Use your creativity and remember water is snow in another form.
• Members 25 — Any NENSA member who reports a 25km ski.

Rules, prizes, history, rollerski safety tips, and more at the link:

NENSA is excited to share that in addition to our race support model, we are now also offering noncompetitive recreational event support for ski clinics and touring events. Whether you want to host a learn-to-ski day for people who’ve never skied before or you want to offer a recreational ski tour adventure with food stops along the way, NENSA is happy to help. Interest in cross country skiing is growing and there are many people who want to try our awesome sport and/or grow their skills. In addition to bolstering your own ski community, recreational events such as ski clinics and tours also bring in new people who will return to your venue for years to come. 

 NENSA is looking for venues/clubs interested in growing recreational offerings in our region. Our goal for 2023-24 will be to incentivize participation through shared experiences and adventures all across our region. Venues interested in having their event supported by NENSA should complete the bid form HERE by July 15th. Early submissions are encouraged so we can help shape a calendar that minimizes event overlap.

NENSA is excited to share that the 2024 Women’s XC Ski Day will be hosted at Inland Woods + Trails (formerly Bethel Village Trails) in collaboration with Bethel Resort & Suites (formerly the Bethel Inn) in Bethel, Maine on Sunday, January 28th. In addition to hosting a small Women’s XC Ski Day during the first pandemic winter in 2021, Inland Woods + Trails also hosted the full event in 2020 and we looking to returning to this beautiful venue.

THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS

U.S. Ski & Snowboard works to provide a safe environment in which athletes can train and compete, free from abuse and inappropriate behavior. Please review U.S. Ski & Snowboard's Athlete Safety policies, the SafeSport Code, and the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies and join us in sustaining a culture of safety.

If you are an athlete who has experienced inappropriate behavior or know of an athlete who has experienced inappropriate behavior, report a concern:

The U.S. Center for SafeSport

Hotline:  833-587-7233

Report:  CLICK HERE

U.S. Ski & Snowboard

Report: CLICK HERE

We all are part of promoting a culture of safety through education, listening, and speaking up.

THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA SUPPORTING SPONSORS

June 6-7, 10am-2pm MDT

Six sessions over two days providing new and fresh content for coaches, administrators, parents, partners, and volunteers; furthering their understanding of best principles and practices that establish the foundation for a culture of continued improvement.

July 9-14, 2023

We’re not waiting for winter, and neither should you!

Skiers are built in the summer and Gould’s Nordic Camp is a fun way to kick off summer training right. Our experienced staff will take you on adventures while honing your endurance, strength, and skills. We’ll have a variety of activities from rollersking to running, biking to bounding, agility courses to multisport adventures, and a whole lot more.

We’ll also play lots of games and hit as many crystal-clear water holes as we can. You’ll get some nutrition tips and our coaches will provide you with a summer training plan if you don’t have one. But best of all, you’ll meet other skiers from around the state and country while enjoying the best that Western Maine has to offer.

July 25-30, 2023

Build training volume on foot and on rollerskis while exploring our local roads, mountains, trails, and rivers. Increase your strength in our world-class Racing Performance Center, and enjoy rejuvenating recovery sessions led by our experienced coaching staff. This year's camp will conclude with a race effort!

BKL Camp: Aug 7-10

Junior Camp: Aug 10-13

The SMS Nordic Program has combined sports science, a variety of proven training methods, a culture of athlete-driven excellence, and of course, FUN(!) to boast one of the most successful Nordic programs in the world. The program's unprecedented national and international success has produced 16 Olympians in the past seven Winter Olympics. Over 35 SMS Nordic athletes have made the U.S. World Junior Team, and 25 have made the U.S. National Team. Each Summer, SMS Nordic hosts two summer camps for young skiers filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

BKL Camp: Aug 9-11

High School Camp: Aug 9-12

Join us for a training camp that covers all aspects of dryland training for nordic skiing and will prepare you to be the best skier you can be next winter. Our camp has developed a reputation for its perfect balance of hard work and fun!

Dublin is the optimal setting for our nordic ski camp. Our quiet, paved roads provide great opportunities for rollerskiing, the Nordic Center has miles of single track for running and mountain biking, and the pristine Dublin Lake offers a great way to cool off after every workout. We’ll reside on the Dublin School campus where we will take advantage of the dining hall’s tasty meals, a fully equipped weight room, and an alpine ski slope that’s for the camp’s famous hill bounding workouts. Mount Monadnock is a quick jog from campus and provides an optimal venue for our distance hike at the conclusion of camp.

2023-24 Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team Nominations Announced

May 9, 2023 | by Leann Bentley

May 9, 2023 - PARK CITY, UTAH - U.S. Ski & Snowboard is proud to announce the 23 athletes who have been nominated to represent the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team for the 2023-24 season. The nominations include active athletes who qualified based on predetermined selection criteria.

The team is a blend of seasoned veterans and promising newcomers, ready to compete in the upcoming season. The A Team women’s roster will be led by three-time Olympic medalist and 2023 individual World Champion Jessie Diggins, two-time Olympian Rosie Brennan and 2023 World Champs bronze medalist Julia Kern. The men’s A Team includes 2022 Olympian and 2022-23 FIS U23 Green Bib winner Ben Ogden and 2022 Olympian JC Schoonmaker.

THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS

New England Nordic Ski Association

P.O. Box 97

Lyme, NH 03768

Phone: 207-688-6503