NENSA awards are given annually to honor the achievements and contributions of our members who work to support NENSA’s mission of sustaining a vibrant and active Nordic skiing community in New England. NENSA will roll out these award announcements over the course of June and July. First up, NENSA’s Club of the Year.
NENSA’s Club of the Year Award is given annually to honor a NENSA club that is doing an outstanding job of nurturing and sustaining an active cross-country ski community for all ages and levels. We are so fortunate to boast 63 active NENSA clubs, reflecting a healthy and vibrant base of Nordic skiing enthusiasm in the Northeast.
This year, NENSA’s Club of the Year Award goes to northern-Vermont-based Mansfield Nordic Club. Congratulations, MNC!
The first time I took notice of MNC was when I saw their coaches sporting homemade MNC logo patches on their US Ski & Snowboard coaches bibs. Was it fleece? Or felt? Not sure. But in my mind, it conveyed that they were proud of their club and part of a supportive cross-country ski family. Since then, my initial hunch has received boatloads of confirmation.
So, what gives MNC its mojo? Well, the list of factors is long.
A common thread among high-achieving programs is a focus on process rather than results. There is a recognition that all athletes develop at different rates; comparing oneself against others can be an exercise in arbitrariness. Still, it’s hard to look past results. In the 2025-26 race season, MNC skiers excelled across all age groups and genders. The club is home to 20+ Eastern Cup podium finishers, seven Junior National qualifiers, three All-Americans, and a Junior National Champion. MNC alum, Ava Thurston, was just named to the U.S. Ski Team.
But, what’s refreshing about MNC is that these successes do not define the club. Laura Schned, mother of two kids who’ve progressed through MNC writes, “…the emphasis is not on performance. Rather, it is on improvement, and perspective, and having fun. The MNC instagram posts are not podiums – although there are many podiums – they are goofy falls, backcountry adventures, artistic ski scenes – and everybody is represented.”
Silvester Williams moved to northern Vermont from Utah for a post-graduate year of training. He fell in with MNC and was able to find his groove. He explains, “I was able to receive excellent training plans, support from several coaches, including Perry Thomas and Adam Terko, and [to] continue developing as a member of the US Ski community. I also found a certain New England charm to this club. The community driven, athlete oriented mindset was a breath of fresh air… Mansfield Nordic Club is a low pressure, high support environment that allows all athletes, regardless of their goals, to flourish.”
At the center of Mansfield Nordic Club is Executive Director and Head Coach, Adam Terko. A perennial NENSA Coach of the Year nominee, Adam is supported by an engaged board of directors and an experienced team of coaches: Liz Hollenbach oversees MNC’s Bill Koch League programming, Kristen Bednar focuses on U14s, Adam focuses on the Junior team with a cadre of helpers, and Pennie Rand is the Head Masters Coach. And, of course, no club can thrive without a deep bench of volunteers and supporters – parents, BKL coaches, and race-day-helpers.
Last summer, MNC introduced Mansfield Pro Nordic, headed up by Perry Thomas. Off to an auspicious start, Lauren Jortberg competed in the 2026 Milan/Cortina Winter Olympics in cross country skiing and Chloe Levins was named as an alternate in biathlon. Craftsbury’s Nordic Race Director, Ollie Burruss, observes, “With the addition of MNC Pro, MNC now has cradle-to-grave skiing opportunities in one of northern New England’s biggest metro areas.”
Reflecting on her time with MNC, Ava Thurston writes, “As a high schooler, MNC introduced me to the world of summer training and ski camps. I met skiers from different high schools and colleges, who soon became close friends. These past four years on the EISA circuit, I have been lucky to toe the line with many an MNC teammate. As I make the transition to pro skiing, MNC is a community I know I will continue to find both on and off the trails.”
Mansfield Nordic Club definitely has a good thing going, and it is clubs like MNC that help NENSA strive toward its vision of being “a vibrant cross-country skiing organization that inspires and empowers lifelong learning, development and community-building through the sport of cross-country skiing.” For achieving that mission consistently, creatively, and with persistence, NENSA is delighted to honor MNC with this year’s Club of the Year Award.
