NENSA would like to communicate some information about the upcoming 2023 Junior Nationals.
This is the third weekend of four Eastern Cups – the races that rank skiers on NENSA’s Junior Ranking List. The top 6 U16’s and top 15 U18/U20’s (beyond auto qualifiers) on that list will be named Sunday after the Dublin Double. Athletes who intend to accept their position should be ready to do so and make payment for ground fees and airfare.
If you are in contention for the team please fill out this form.
NENSA has a hold on 55 tickets for athletes and staff from Boston to Fairbanks with one stop in Seattle for $1065.
Auto qualifiers should contact justin@nensa.net directly to discuss intentions and travel arrangements.
The New England Team will stay and eat at the Wedgewood Resort, and utilize the Organizing Committees shuttle service for the majority of our transportation.
You can read further information about NE Junior National qualification and team composition HERE.
Justin Beckwith will humbly serve as this year’s Trip Leader, joined by veteran Junior National Head Coach, Matt Boobar of the Stratton Mountain School.
Age Group Coaches:
Erin Waters – U16 Female – Concord High School
Erin grew up skiing for Concord High School and then skied for St.Lawrence University. After graduation she returned home and dove into coaching, as assistant coach for 2 years and now heading into her second year as head coach.
In addition to public High School coaching, Waters has been active in summer club camps and served in leadership roles at Eastern High School, U16 and Eastern Cup races.
Steve Bruner – U16 Male – Stratton Nordic Center
Steve is originally a Minnesota high school racer, former Amherst (MA) High School coach, and the current manager of the Stratton Nordic Center. Both of his children are competitive skiers at the Stratton Mountain School, where Steve has served as an assistant coach/wax tech/tester, along with being a staple of SMS Summer Camps for the past two summers.
Steve also jumped in to assist the New England Team at last winter’s Junior Nationals in Minneapolis when our staff was shorthanded.
Audrey Mangan – U18 Female – Craftsbury Ski Club
Audrey competed in three Junior Nationals as a junior for the Mid-Atlantic division, including a podium performance. She has been coaching junior and collegiate athletes for almost 10 years in New England. “This sport has given me so much and it has been an inspiration to remain involved with developing the next generation of skiers, and in some cases, future coaches!” In the last 6 years with Craftsbury, Audrey’s coaching responsibilities have included, “coaching brand-new BKLers, JN’s-bound juniors, new high school skiers, and wax teching for the GRP depending on the day.”
Mangan has been a part of three Junior National staffs, U16 and EHS Championships, and been a valuable member of REG and many other camp projects.
Evan Kendall – U18 Male – Dublin School/DXC
Evan has been a part of two recent New England staffs. He learned to ski “halfway through high school,” raced in Eastern High School Championships, Junior Nationals, and then skied for St. Olaf College. He has led wax efforts at the High School and Eastern Cup level and assisted teching at Junior and Senior Nationals.
Kendall brings a “can do” attitude that stems from leadership in education, coaching and outdoor adventures.
George Forbes – U20 Female – Stratton Mountain School
George has coached at the Stratton Mountain School for five years and was a part of the wax team at the 2020 Junior Nationals in Truckee. He is known for his energy, positivity, enthusiastic cheering, and his self proclaimed, “love for picking fast skis.”
Aside from his leadership skills, Forbes is an accomplished photographer.
Will Solow – U20 Male – Ford Sayre
Will raced with the Mansfield Nordic Club for four years in high school before taking a gap year to race for SVSEF where he first qualified for Junior Nationals for the Intermountain division. Heading back East for college, he qualified for the New England JN team in Kincaid, AK where he had 4 All-American finishes including a podium in the sprint and in the relay. He also received the prestigious David Quinn Award.
During his time at Colby College, he was a co-captain of the men’s team for 3 years, culminating with two-top-thirty results at NCAA’s in 2021 his junior year. During his senior year he had mono and bridged into a support role for the Mules, that passion has continued with the Ford Sayre program as a junior coach and wax technician.
Service:
Colin Rodgers – Head Kick – Green Mountain Valley School
Colin has been a valuable part of the New England Team for the past six years. His depth of knowledge spans from growing up under the tutelage of his father, Dale, who is an inspired coach and venue manager — to National Championships as an athlete and coach, World Cup starts and an organizer of projects of all aspects.
Rodgers loves kick wax as much as anybody and his fitness and energy will naturally lead the service staff.
Jacob Volz – Kick – Gould Academy
Jacob grew up in Alaska and skied for Team AK in three Junior Nationals. That led him to Middlebury College where he competed for four years. After graduation, he coached for summers in Williamstown for the Berkshire Nordic Club, and started teaching and coaching at Gould. Now into his third year at Gould, he’s in — “pretty good shape, and am capable of doing many laps testing skis. I have a decent feel for ski speed, and particularly enjoy testing and applying classic wax. I have spent a good portion of my life skiing on hard wax in Alaska, and have a good sense for it. I have also spent a decent amount of time racing at Birch Hill and have a good knowledge of the trail system. I am used to working long days and getting up early to test and/or wax skis has never been a problem for me. I am also very enthusiastic about ski racing.”
#perfect
Jefferson Tucker – Head Glide – Quarry Road Ski Club
Jeff grew up ski racing in Vermont, where he achieved success in High School and junior racing, under the tutelage of the Woodstock Ski Runners. He was a New England JN athlete in 2012, a Colby Mule, and then started his coaching career with: Colby College, Harvard, Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club, Nordic Ski Club Fairbanks, “and now I’m the coach of Quarry Road Ski Club. — I love testing skis and working long days on the bench, so I signed up to be part of the wax/tech team.”
Tucker was a part of Team AK last year and offers his expertise on, “(navigating the area and ski trails, dealing with the cold, avoiding moose, etc.)”
Cate Brams – Glide – EMXC
Cate didn’t fill out the form, but she is an invaluable member of our Team. She helped orchestrate the Team.
Sara Nicole Falconer – Glide – Mansfield Nordic Club
Sara has coached for Mansfield Nordic Club for eight years and been a part of three New England coaching staffs. With Mansfield and the SkiRack she has worked with all levels of skier — with extensive experience in ski service and athlete support.
Falconer is a physical therapy student.
Annika Martell – Glide – Williams College
Annika competed in Minnesota and then went off to ski at Colby College. “After my time there, I started coaching with US Biathlon, then moved to Hanover NH where I coached at Ford Sayre and now I’m coaching at Williams College where, during my summers, I’ve spent some time working with the Berkshire Nordic Ski Club! I recently traveled to Norway and Switzerland as a Trail to Gold Fellow with the US Ski Team. I’ll bring some expertise from both the coaching and the wax tech side, both from my experience as the T2G Fellow, but also as a college coach we have to do both coach and wax tech on race weekends. I’m so excited about skiing and love giving back to the community as well – pass on the knowledge!”
