• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
New England Nordic Ski Association

New England Nordic Ski Association

The Home of Cross Country Skiing in New England

  • About
        • About NENSA
          • Purpose, Mission & Vision
          • Staff & Board
          • Contact Us
          • 50 Years of BKL Magic
          • Humans of NENSA
        • NENSA Club Directory
        • NENSA Committees
        • Awards
  • Membership
        • NENSA Membership
        • Membership Portal
        • NENSA Club Directory
  • Support Us
        • Giving
          • Make a Gift in Memory of John Caldwell
          • Donate to NENSA
          • Donor Appreciation
        • Sponsorship
          • NENSA Sponsors
          • Partner With NENSA
        • Membership
        • John Ogden Youth Programming Endowment
  • News
        • NENSA News
        • KickZone Newsletter
          • Subscribe
          • Newsletter Archives
        • Follow Us
          • Instagram
          • Facebook
          • YouTube
        • Ski Community News
  • Calendar
        • Calendar
        • Youth Events
        • Season Poster
  • Programs
        • Youth
          • Bill Koch League
          • L.L. Bean Bill Koch League Festival
          • NENSA Nordic Rocks
          • Youth Coach Resources
            • Annual Coaches Conference
          • Para Nordic Skiing
        • Community
          • NENSA Community Events
          • Women's XC Ski Day
          • NENSA Club Directory
          • Rollerski
        • Competitive
          • Fischer Eastern Cup Series
            • New England Junior National Team
          • Championship Events
            • Eastern U16 Championships
            • Eastern HS Championships
          • Community Races: Zak Cup & Marathon Series
          • Coach Development
            • NENSA Virtual Speaker Series
          • Athlete Development
            • Camps: REG & RDG
            • Elite & Development Teams
            • Athlete Funds & Grants
          • College & Post-Grad Skiing
            • EISA Carnival NENSA Quota
  • Results & Rankings
        • NENSA Race Results
        • Rankings
        • Scoring and Race Rules
          • Eastern Cup Race Rules
          • Zak, Marathon & Club Cup Scoring Rules
          • Eastern HS Championship Rules
          • Eastern U16 Championship Rules
  • Education & Resources
        • Coaches
          • Coach Development
            • Annual Coaches Conference
          • Coach Resources
          • Youth Coach Resources
          • Athlete Safety
          • Para Nordic
        • Club & Event Organizers
          • Event Organizers
            • Event Organizer & TD Seminar
            • NENSA Calendaring & Bid Sheets
          • Club Development
          • Insurance
        • Get Involved
          • Officials
          • Job Opportunities
          • Volunteer Opportunities
        • Policies
          • Code of Conduct
          • Liability Waiver
          • Refund Policy
          • Wax Policy
          • Rollerski Policies and Procedures
          • Diversity and Inclusion Policy
          • Privacy Policy
          • BKL/Youth Gender Policy
          • NENSA Transgender Information & Participation Policy
          • USSS Transgender Participation Policy
  • Search
New England Nordic Ski Association
Flying Moose
Celebrating 50 years of BKL Magic

Over the past 50 years, the League has touched countless lives, instilling values, spreading joy, and building friendships that extend far beyond skiing.

STORIES & MEMORIES
Flying Moose
Membership

As a nonprofit organization, membership is our most essential source of support. NENSA membership fuels lifelong learning, personal growth, and community-building through cross-country skiing.

Individual RENEW
Individual JOIN
Club RENEW/JOIN
Flying Moose
In Memory of John Caldwell

Memorial gifts in honor of John Caldwell (1928–2026) celebrate a life devoted to family, education, and the growth of Nordic skiing in the United States. As a founder of NENSA and author of The Cross-Country Ski Book, he made skiing more accessible to beginners and champions alike and helped build the youth and community pathways that continue to thrive today. Your contribution to NENSA will honor John’s legacy by supporting youth skiing, outdoor education, and causes that reflect John’s lifelong commitments.

READ THE OBITUARY
SHARE A MEMORY
MAKE A GIFT
Flying Moose
Host a NENSA Event

NENSA partners with clubs across New England to host a wide variety of events, from untimed tours to competitive Eastern Cups. We are still accepting community event bids for the 2026-27 winter season and invite you to submit a bid sheet.

SUBMIT A BID
Flying Moose
Events

NENSA events connect the traditions and communities that make New England a vibrant nordic skiing culture, and in turn, make nordic skiing a key part of the culture of New England.

CALENDAR
previous arrow
next arrow

About NENSA

Founded in 1995, the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) is a nonprofit member-supported service organization fostering a vibrant ski community through educational, recreational, and competitive opportunities for skiers of all ages and abilities. From youth programs like the New England Bill Koch League (BKL) and Nordic Rocks to community events such as Women’s XC Ski Day and our Community Events, we create inclusive, fun environments that inspire a lifelong passion for the sport. We also steward a robust competitive ecosystem, featuring events like the Eastern Cup, the largest Junior National qualifying series in the U.S., and regional training camps for athletes at all stages of development. With over 60 member clubs and more than 8,000 event and program participants, we are proud to be at the forefront of Nordic skiing in New England, empowering lifelong learning, development, and community-building. 

more about nensa

NENSA is a Member and Donor Supported Nonprofit Organization.

RENEW MEMBERSHIP
BECOME A MEMBER
MAKE A DONATION

Our Impact

The New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) is the umbrella organization for Nordic skiing
events in the region. We are a member-supported service organization that promotes the culture of
cross-country skiing by creating opportunities for youth, athletes, coaches, officials and skiers
of all levels. NENSA provides the support structure necessary to bring cross-country skiers
to their highest potential at regional, national and international events.

5,500+

…elementary students are enrolled in NENSA’s Nordic Rocks program, sparking a love for winter sports early in life.

    9,000+

    …participants across educational, recreational, introductory, and competitive programs form a welcoming and vibrant community.

      600+

      …children and their families gather at the BKL Festival, creating unforgettable memories and a strong foundation for lifelong participation.

        16

        …times in 20 years: New England has claimed the Alaska Cup, awarded to the top-performing division at U.S. Cross Country Skiing Junior National Championships.

          30%

          …of U.S. Cross Country Olympians over the last two Olympic cycles grew up in NENSA’s youth and junior development programs.

            NENSA in the News

            NENSA News

            Community news from across the region


            NENSA Community Training Day at Stratton

            Kai Miller
            July 8, 2026

            Calling all 7th – 12th graders and collegiate skiers (U14 through U23 are welcome)! Come join NENSA, Stratton Mountain School,…

            Continue Reading NENSA Community Training Day at Stratton

            Save the Date: NENSA Coaches Conference Scheduled for Nov 7-8

            Kai Miller
            July 8, 2026

            Save the date! This year’s NENSA Coaches conference is scheduled for November 7th and 8th. That location is still to-be-determined…

            Continue Reading Save the Date: NENSA Coaches Conference Scheduled for Nov 7-8

            Rick Costanza named 2026 NENSA Coach of the Year

            Kai Miller
            July 8, 2026

            The NENSA Coach of the Year Award is given annually to honor a NENSA coach for their achievements and contributions…

            Continue Reading Rick Costanza named 2026 NENSA Coach of the Year

            All NENSA News

            Connect with Us


            nensa_nordic

            Follow us on Instagram!

            Thank you to BKL alum Bryant Tolles who recently r Thank you to BKL alum Bryant Tolles who recently reached out with some photos from the early days of the BKL!

Photo 1: Bryant racing at the 1983 Bill Koch Festival in Tupper Lake, NY.

Photo 2: Wolfboro BKL with Bill Koch in 1977. So far our community has identified Michael Fairchild, Chris Nice, Michael Lynch, David Chandler, Bryant Tolles and Thayer Tolles. Do you recognize anyone else?

We want to hear from you! Share a Bill Koch League or Festival photo and/or your favorite BKL memory by filling out the form at the link in bio (or emailing kai@nensa.net).

Explore more from the BKL archives at the link in bio (see Celebrating 50 Years of BKL Magic).

#NENSA #BKLHistory #Wolfboro #BKLFestival #BKLFun
            Save the date! This year's NENSA Coaches conferenc Save the date! This year's NENSA Coaches conference is scheduled for November 7th and 8th. That location is still to-be-determined so stay tuned.

Our annual coaches conference is designed for all coaches from youth parent leaders to college coaches. Come learn in a community-centered environment and connect with other coaches and leaders from across the New England region. This full weekend learning opportunity will feature the BKL Parent Leaders Symposium and coaches education for High School Junior, and College Coaches. The conference will also include a US Ski & Snowboard (USSS) Level 100 Assessment.

Photo: @phillip.e.belena 

#NENSA #CoachesEducation #CrossCountrySkiing #Nordic #Coaching #SaveTheDate
            The NENSA Coach of the Year Award is given annuall The NENSA Coach of the Year Award is given annually to honor a NENSA coach for their achievements and contributions in working with athletes, in support of NENSA’s mission to sustain a vibrant and active Nordic skiing community in New England. This year, we’re excited to share that Rick Costanza of the Craftsbury Ski Club is NENSA’s 2026 Coach of of the Year!

Read more at the link in bio (see NENSA News).

Photos: @susan.dunklee & @phillip.e.belena 

#NENSAAwards #CoachOfTheYear #CraftsburyOutdoorCenter #Craftsbury #XCSkiing #CrossCountrySkiing #Coach

@craftsburyoutdoorcenter
            NENSA RDG Lesson: Gotta water your rollerski track NENSA RDG Lesson: Gotta water your rollerski track if you want skiers to grow.

NENSA's Regional Development Group (RDG) camp finished up a couple days getting skiers and coaches from across the region up to @craftsburyoutdoorcenter to lay the groundwork  for New England skiing success in all the unlikely ways that can include - watering cans, wheelbarrow races, mandolins, and...some skiing too!

RDG camp wrapped up a busy block of NENSA programming between REG, the Lost Nation Roll, and RDG Camp which spoke to the vibrancy of New England skiing. Some 60 athletes at camp, 15 coaches from across the 4 states, and many, many more athletes and coaches spectating, guest spotting, racing, and working on skiing better, together. 

Quite simply, it was good to get everyone back together again! Thanks to the National Nordic Foundation ( @gonnf ) for their support in making our summer reunion possible!
            Follow on Instagram

            Join our Newsletter

            Sign up to receive NENSA news via our regular Kickzone newsletter.

            Select list(s) to subscribe to

            NENSA Calendar

            Upcoming Events

            Jul 19
            8:00 am – 5:00 pm

            NENSA Training Day @ Stratton Mountain School

            Jul 20
            July 20 – July 24

            Sleepy Hollow BKL Camp

            Jul 23
            5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

            Master’s Rollerski Clinic with Mansfield Nordic Pro Team

            Jul 28
            July 28 – August 2

            GMVS XC Summer Training Camp

            Jul 31
            July 31 – August 2

            New England Nordic Masters’ & Seniors’ Training Adventure Camp

            View Calendar

            New England Nordic Ski Association

            THE HOME OF CROSS COUNTRY SKIING IN NEW ENGLAND

            Thank you to our valued NENSA Partners

            New England Nordic Ski Association

            New England Nordic Ski Association
            P.O. Box 97
            Lyme, New Hampshire 03768