National Coaches Week: Sept 14-20

Thank You, Coaches!

As we wrap up National Coaches Week, we want to take a moment to recognize and thank the amazing coaches who make our programs possible.

We are incredibly fortunate to have such a great coaching team at Caledonia Nordic. A huge thank you to our Head Coaches, Ali Cadell and Tuppy Hoehn, Track Attack coach Beth Hillhouse, and all of our volunteer coaches who give their time to support our Masters, Varsity, XC Junior Racers, Biathlon, Track Attack, and Skills Development programs throughout the winter.

And it does not stop when the snow melts! An additional huge thank you to our Spring and Summer bike coaches, including Head Coach Gabby Hoehn, and to Jen Keim and our In-School Bike coaches. It takes the whole coaching team to make these programs what they are. Every coach brings their own energy, experience, and enthusiasm, and together they make our programs awesome.

One of the things I personally appreciate most about our coaching team is their flexibility and creativity. Between changing weather, events, trail conditions, smoke, and everything else nature can throw at us, things do not always go according to plan. Our coaches continually find ways to adapt, keep things fun, and make sure our athletes still have a great experience. Sometimes the unexpected days even end up being some of the most memorable ones!

We have an amazing group of people who give their time, share their knowledge, encourage our athletes, and help create the welcoming community we are so proud of.

To all of our coaches, past and present, thank you for everything you do. Our programs and our community are better because of you.

Happy National Coaches Week, and a huge #ThanksCoach from all of us at Caledonia Nordic!

Looking to Join the Coaching Team?

Help to Build our Coaching Community

Thinking you might like to be part of our amazing coaching community this winter? We would love to have you!

Getting started is easier than you might think, and Caledonia Nordic covers the cost of your coach training. Whether you want to help our youngest skiers take their first steps on snow or work with our Track Attack athletes as they develop their skills, there is a coaching pathway for you.

For our BunnyTot and Bunny coaches (ages 3–5), you can get started right from home. The first two courses are online: Coach Initiation in Sport, which takes about one hour, followed by Introduction to Community Coaching (ICC), approximately four hours. These will give you the foundation you need to get started with our youngest skiers.

Want to coach JackRabbits (ages 6–12)? The next step is Community Coaching, and we will be hosting the course right here at Caledonia Nordic December 11–13.

For those interested in coaching our Track Attack crew, the pathway continues with Learn to Train (L2T) training. We are planning to host both courses at Caledonia Nordic this season, with L2T Dryland October 16–18 and L2T On-Snow January 22–24.

You do not need to be an expert skier or have years of coaching experience to get involved. We have a great coaching community to learn from, and there is lots of support along the way.

Interested? Reach out and let us know! We can help you figure out where to start, get you registered for the right courses, and cover the training costs.

Great programs start with great coaches, and we would love to have you on the team.

Prize Time! Our Alder Hills Winners Are…

Thank you to everyone who has already registered for the 2026–27 Caledonia Nordic season and was entered in our first membership prize draw!

A huge thank you to Alder Hills Golf Course for kicking off our membership draws with three great prizes.

Congratulations to our winners:

• Wendy Hallum (18-Hole Adult Pass for Alder Hills Golf Course)
• Danielle Klaponski (18-Hole Adult Pass for Pine Valley Golf Course)
• Wayne Yule (One-hour Lounge Range Pass)

We will pass your names along to the team at Alder Hills, and your prizes will be ready for you to redeem directly at the course. Congratulations and enjoy!

Did not win this time? There are lots more chances coming! The earlier you register for your 2026–27 membership, the more draws you will be entered in.

Next Up: Stride & Glide!

Our next membership prize draw will be October 4, and this one is a good one — we have some coveted Stride & Glide gift certificates up for grabs!

A huge thank you to Stride & Glide Sports for once again supporting our club and our Nordic community.



Get registered, stay entered, and watch for our October 4 draw!

Help Shape CNSC's Governance

Over the past several years, CNSC members have put considerable time and effort into updating our bylaws and strengthening the Club’s governance framework. With the updated bylaws now in place, the next step is developing the policies that will guide how those bylaws are put into practice.

At the October 2025 Annual General Meeting, members ratified the updated bylaws and directed the 2025/26 Board of Directors to establish a committee to develop supporting policies. These included policies related to privacy, conflict of interest, finance, member conduct, member engagement and communication, strategic planning, and electronic voting.

In response, the Board established a Policy and Governance Committee, consisting of Kevin Charlston, Vonda Hofferd, Lanita Horning, and Gretchen Prystawik.

The Committee has built on the work completed over the past several years, reviewing suggestions submitted by members since 2023, previous contributions and feedback to the Board and CNSC Bylaw Committees, policies from other ski clubs, guidance from sport organizations, and best practices for British Columbia societies. This work has helped shape the first four draft policies now ready for member review.

Invitation to Review:

The Board is inviting members to review and provide feedback on:

• Draft Code of Conduct Policy
• Draft Conflict of Interest Policy
• Draft Privacy Policy
• Draft Strategic Planning Policy

Member feedback is an important part of this process and will help ensure the policies reflect the values, expectations, and needs of our membership.

Please send comments to CNSC Board Secretary Gretchen Prystawik at secretary@caledonianordic.com by 11:59 p.m. on October 5, 2026.

Next Steps:

The Policy and Governance Committee and Board will review the feedback received and consider any necessary revisions. The Board intends to consider the final policies for approval at its October 2026 meeting, in accordance with the CNSC Bylaws.

The Committee has also begun work on additional policies related to finance, communications and member engagement, and voting. As this work continues, the current Board intends to recommend that the incoming 2026/27 Board carry it forward.

This version gives the committee and the previous bylaw committees more credit for the work that got you here, without making the newsletter section feel overly long.

Find Your Program This Winter!

It might only be September, but we are already getting excited about the winter ahead at Caledonia Nordic!

Registration is open for our 2026–27 winter programs, and some programs are already starting to fill. From our youngest skiers discovering the snow for the first time to athletes training and racing, there are lots of ways to get involved this winter.

We are also excited to welcome back so many of our amazing coaches for another season, along with some new faces joining the team. Great coaches are a huge part of what makes our programs so much fun, and we cannot wait to have everyone back together at Caledonia Nordic.

Our programs are a great way to build skills, make friends, challenge yourself, and enjoy winter with a pretty awesome Nordic community.

If you have been thinking about joining us this season, now is a great time to find the program that is right for you and get registered.

Winter is coming. The coaches are getting ready. Now we just need some snow!

• Skills Development Program(Bunny Tots, Bunnies, Jack Rabbits, Jackalopes)
• Track Attack and Racing programs
• Masters Biathlon Program



Help Shape the Future of Caledonia Nordic

As we get closer to our AGM, our Nominations Team continues to look for members interested in joining the 2026–27 Caledonia Nordic Board of Directors.

Our club is made up of a pretty incredible mix of people, and we want that diversity reflected around the Board table. Recreational skiers, program families, dog trail users, racers, volunteers, young adults, longtime members and newer members all experience the club a little differently — and those different perspectives are valuable.

You do not need to know everything about the club or have previous Board experience. What matters is that you care about Caledonia Nordic, are willing to contribute, and want to help shape where we go next.

Maybe you have been thinking about getting more involved. Maybe you know someone who would bring a great perspective to the Board. Put your name forward, ask us some questions, or give that person a nudge!

Caledonia Nordic continues to grow and evolve, and having a Board that reflects the community we serve is an important part of making sure we continue moving in the right direction.

Help Caledonia Win.....And SAVE!!

Okay Caledonia Nordic members — we want to win this one!

Kal Tire has been a longtime supporter of Cross Country BC and youth ski programs across the province, and right now that support comes with a great deal for our members.

Purchase a set of four Nokian tires and have them installed by September 30, 2026, and Cross Country BC members can save $100.

But there is a little extra motivation this year: the club with the most members who use the offer wins a prize! So if winter tires are on your list anyway, this is a great chance to save some money AND help Caledonia Nordic take the win.

Check out the coupon below for all the details, get those winter tires sorted, and make sure Caledonia Nordic gets the credit!

A huge thank you to Kal Tire for continuing to support Nordic skiing and young athletes across BC.

Save $100. Get ready for winter. Help us win!