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Dear NENSA community,

This week cross country skiing lost a legend. John Ogden had warned us that this was coming, but there is no preparation for the loss of such a warm, spirited, and generous soul.

Costumed and exuberant, John set the stage for skiing in New England, his voice bellowing passion and enthusiasm at the start of countless BKL festivals. At all levels of sport, recreational to elite, local to international, John’s vibrant smile and positive attitude impacted all who surrounded him. The connections he forged and encouragement he shared reached and inspired the hearts of so many.

Through 16 years of service on the NENSA board, he was the player who could alternate between leading and supporting to achieve the best group outcomes, often in a way that would make one wonder, “how did he get us there?” Never a dull moment with John in the room!  His commitment to xc skiing spans a continuum all its own, a “racer Dad” who got to experience the gamut from BKL to Olympics (with a lot of family “backyard/backwoods” in between), as well as volunteer, official, contributor and entrepreneur; and so much more beyond the ski trail.

For so many of us, it is impossible to imagine a NENSA without John Ogden. It is one that will always be better because of the many hats he wore and the lasting contributions he made, forever raising the bar for our ski community.

In true Ogden style, the family invites all to a potluck celebration, aka “big ass party”, aka “potluck of the century” at their home on July 21 at 4 PM.

Our deepest condolences are with John’s family and all who have been touched by him, near and far. He will be deeply missed.

Ellen Chandler, NENSA President

Heidi Lange, NENSA Executive Director

Magic Mountain, VT June 3, 2023-

West River Sports marked its 50th anniversary by hosting their second annual Snow and Music Fundraiser at Magic Mountain, located in the heart of southern Vermont, where skiing still has its soul.

Southern VT holds a significant place in the snow sports world, with notable milestones such as Bill Koch refining skate skiing XC technique in nearby Putney during the late 1970s. The 80s and 90s saw the emergence of snowboarding and half pipe competitions, further solidifying the region’s influence. In the late 90s, Southern VT played a pivotal role in the development of the modern-day XC sprint race with the Lexus XC Sprint Series held at the base of local alpine resorts. This cherished history and unwavering passion for sliding on snow were showcased brilliantly on Saturday, giving birth to the exhilarating West River Nordic duals.

More than 500 attendees had the privilege of witnessing a thrilling duel slalom race featuring 36 elite cross country ski racers, including multiple Olympians and members of the US Ski Team. Thanks to the assistance of Magic Mountain operations and numerous dedicated volunteers, a massive snow pile was preserved for the event on Saturday. 

The festivities were further enhanced by the energetic performances of two awesome bands, starting with the local favorites Saints and Liars. Multiple food trucks catered to everyone’s palates, while cheers filled the air and champagne flowed for the Men’s and Women’s champions, hometown hero and Olympic athlete Ben Ogden and Olympic gold medalists Jessie Diggins. 

The setting was spectacular as the sun made appearances throughout the day, casting a dramatic backdrop while it set between the lush green mountains. The grand finale came with Bow Thayer and His Band headlining, followed by a bonus third set featuring both bands on stage. This slam dunk fundraiser success should definitely not be missed next year! West River Sports intends to use the proceeds to continue offering affordable Nordic and soccer opportunities to local youth, making a positive impact in the community. 

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the countless volunteers and sponsors who made this event possible, including Knight Tubs, Hunter Excavating, Merrill Lynch Walsh Group, rk Miles, Vermont Foam Insulation, WW Building Supply, Wylie Construction, Ed Despard of Bullitt Timing for professional race timing, and Mike Healy of BOC and Josh Wylie for course setup. Thank you to all participants and our amazing West River Sports Community, we look forward to seeing you next year! 

The New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) seeks a dynamic and outgoing person to be our next full time Youth & Introductory Program Director (Y&IPD). This role is responsible for NENSA’s youth programming including the New England Bill Koch League (BKL) and Festival, the Nordic Rocks school program, and Bill Koch League coach/leader education. This role is also responsible for Women’s XC Ski Day and additional Learn-to-Ski events and opportunities. The Y&IPD co-shares responsibility for Eastern U16 and High School Championships and all summer rollerski programming. An ideal candidate will be familiar with NENSA and the Northeast ski community, incredibly self-motivated, and able to work independently from home. This role requires strong, inspired leadership with a synergetic spirit to galvanize and work with our ski community. This position is highly collaborative and will work closely with many community stakeholders including venues, event organizers, clubs, school teachers, sponsors, donors, and the NENSA staff team. The Youth & Introductory Program Director is an empowered position requiring energy, vision, attention to detail, and the ability to multitask in advancing NENSA’s youth and introductory programs.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Establish NENSA as the go-to resource for youth and introductory skiing information, events, and resources in the Northeast.
• Provide leadership, education, instruction and guidance to Bill Koch League (BKL) District Chairs, coaches, club leaders, event organizers, parent/caregivers, and athletes.
• Chair and work closely with the BKL and Junior Development Committees to facilitate communication and support member youth ski clubs and the state team leaders/coaches involved with Eastern U16 and High School Championships.
• Support member clubs and their parent/caregivers, coaches, and leaders in building an inclusive community through club visits, workshops, and coach/leader trainings.
• Manage all aspects of NENSA’s youth programs and events including the Bill Koch League, the Bill Koch Festival, the Nordic Rocks school program, youth learn-to-rollerski clinics and offerings, and the virtual XC Ski Bingo game.
• Oversee and coordinate all aspects of Women’s XC Ski Day including chairing the Women’s Day committee.
• Grow and manage accessible and inclusive community-based learn-to-ski opportunities and maintain and develop collaborative connections with organizations doing similar work.
• Alongside the Events Coordinator, coordinate and organize Eastern U16 Championships and Eastern High School Championships.
• Collaborate with the Competitive Program Director on coach education initiatives.
• Work with the Competitive Program Director to organize and run all NENSA summer programming including rollerski races, clinics, coaches education, and camps.
• Manage all youth and introductory community communications via email, social media, and regular newsletters as well as maintaining the youth and introductory program sections of the NENSA website.
• Track and manage all youth and introductory program and event data.
• Collaborate on additional community building programs, events, and projects as part of the NENSA staff team.

Additional key priorities, including but not limited to, the following:

• Assist the Executive Director with writing grant applications pertaining directly to youth programming.
• Assist the Executive Director with fundraising initiatives including the annual fund drive and auction.
• Branding and marketing through creating event posters, branded apparel, postcards, stickers, and other promotional items and marketing materials. 
• Serve on ad-hoc committees as necessary.
• Complete US Ski & Snowboard L100 Coach Certification or higher (which includes SafeSport certification and background checks) by start date or as soon as possible following start date.
• Track and share relevant news and updates via the website, social media, and youth newsletter.
• Other duties as assigned as part of the NENSA staff team.

Qualifications:

• Passion for the sport of cross country skiing and the ideals of the NENSA mission.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Familiarity with the ski community in the Northeast.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Docs Editors, WordPress, Constant Contact, and NEON (will train).
• Savvy social media user with demonstrated ability to effectively use Facebook and Instagram. Videography skills preferred but not required.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast paced, multidisciplinary team environment.
• Rollerski experience preferred.
• Must be eligible to work in the USA.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and vehicle.
• Ability to lift and carry 50 lbs.
• Space to store a carload of NENSA gear and equipment.

Conditions: This is a remote position that requires the ability to work and communicate regularly and effectively from a remote home office. Frequent and extensive regional travel in and around the northeast is required. Some work takes place outdoors in variable and sometimes extreme conditions. Must be able to work weekends and evenings aligning with NENSA and community needs.

The Youth & Introductory Program Director is a full time salaried position. Salary for this full time position is $40k – $45k commensurate with experience. Benefits include paid vacation, a health care stipend contribution, a matching IRA fund, and travel expenses. This position reports to the Executive Director. Start date is negotiable, but we seek to fill this role as soon as possible. Interested candidates should send a letter of interest, resume, and three references no later than May 6, 2023 to Heidi Lange, Executive Director via email at heidi@nensa.net.

by Chisholm Ski Club announcer Craig Zurhorst

The Chisholm Ski Club’s Youth Development Program and the Mountain Valley Nordic Ski Teams needed a new place to wax skis and to serve as a meeting space.  One man envisioned, then spearheaded the transformation of the v-board storage shed into a beautiful and very functional waxing room to serve the needs of the next generation of Nordic skiers from the River Valley. . . that man was Chisholm Ski Club Youth Development Program coach, and Chisholm Ski Club Chief of Course, Dan Warner. . . we know him as “Mouse”.  To recognize his work and dedication to our young skiers and to the Chisholm Ski Club, it is our great honor and even greater pleasure to name this facility, “The Warner Wax Cabin!”  Thank you, Mouse for all your work and dedication!

 

Triple La Niña Popular Racing Update

Is we wring out the year we have so much to be thankful for, from thriving Bill Koch clubs, to competitive junior racing, coaches, parents, masters and new skiers.  We all share the love of gliding on snow, and perhaps we need cherish that just a little bit more each time we experience a winterscape like we did in Lake Placid a few short weeks ago.  NENSA is especially grateful for the venues that lose sleep and put in the tremendous work it takes to maintain skiing in much of our new winters.  One thing is for sure, we’ll do our best to support our community getting out on snow.

Please read on for updates on our next few events — we will have updates on the Chisolm Ski Club Eastern Cup
& Bates Carnival this coming week too.

The Jackson Jaunt has been moved to Jan. 8.   REGISTRATION
NOTE: Possible later start time to be determined Wednesday. Intended Course: Wave Trail. Parking is in the Village so you will need to warm up by skiing to the start via the Yodel. Rolling start times, so you can warm up and start without having to wait. Puzzle Prizes. Top Masters in each age group awarded.

The Bogburn has every intention to be hosted, with a backup site on January 7th – stay posted to Bogburn Facebook page and the SkiReg site for details on Tuesday.  REGISTRATION

The Gunstock Freestyle — Zak Cup, is postponed until a later date this winter. Stay tuned!  REGISTRATION

The Lake Placid Loppet is BACK – February 26th. This storied event is a part of Club, Zak and Marathon Scoring.  EVENT SITE

As always stay posted to the NENSA Calendar, our social channels and the event registration pages for the latest info.

#stridingintothefuture #bettertogether #community