NENSA introduces Kathy Maddock, Dublin XC and Justin Fereshetian, Quarry Road Trails as your 2019-2020 Coaches of the Year.  These two role models were integral in the development of their clubs — which are now strongholds of the East.  Maddock joined forces with the Dublin School Nordic Center, which opened in 2014, to create robust programming that spans BKL, Juniors and masters skiers.  Fereshetian was named the Program Director and Head Nordic Coach for the City of Waterville at Quarry Road Trails last year where he heads year round programming.

Kathy Maddock is a veteran of the New England ski community, as an athlete and a coach, and in recent years she has helped grow Dublin XC and the Dublin School to become, “one of the strongest youth programs in New England.”  Kathy not only supports her home club, but has been a key coach at U.S. Ski & Snowboard Regional Elite Group (REG) camps for many years running.

Kathy’s racing career began in Massachusetts where she was the first High School Girls Nordic Ski Champion.  She continued skiing at Dartmouth College, and went on to race for the US Ski Team — competing in multiple World Cup competitions.

“Skiing fast, whether it’s flying down a hill, accelerating out of a corner, or double-poling to a finish-line is one of the best feelings there is. I coach so that I can help others find–and fall in love with–that feeling.” KM

Kathy’s coached juniors at Souhegan High School, Stratton Mountain School, and with previous programs in Dublin.  She’s been a part of Junior National Coaching squads and led New Hampshire Team’s at U16 and Eastern High School Championships.  Not only is she a U.S. Ski & Snowboard L100/L200 certified coach, she’s helped instruct many New Hampshire coaches to gain their certifications.

“If I had to describe Kathy Maddock’s coaching style I would say she makes skiers faster with laughter! Her athletes simply love going to practice and Kathy knows how to create a team culture where everyone enjoys skiing with one another. While racing and training are important to Kathy I think I am most impressed with her ability to show young people the joy that skiing can bring to their lives. Her leadership, enthusiasm, and passion for the sport of cross country skiing can be felt throughout the New Hampshire skiing community. Congratulations to Kathy on this well-deserved honor!”  Brad Bates, Head of School, Dublin School

“Over the past ten years, I’ve been fortunate enough to be mentored by Kathy both as an athlete and as a coach. Throughout this time, she has continuously met me where I am, but has quietly demanded excellence — first athletically, and now in coaching. Her coaching style, built on knowing each athlete as an individual and building rapport from there, is what I have tried to emulate in my first few years coaching. Kathy’s efforts to unite the southern NH and Massachusetts ski communities demonstrates the incredible impact that collaboration can have in providing high level coaching to our athletes.”  Cate Brams, U20/U18 Girls Coach, Eastern Mass Nordic (the “new” CSU)

Justin Fereshetian took the reins as the Program Director and Head Nordic Coach for the City of Waterville at Quarry Road Trails in 2019.  He hit the ground running with big dreams for the the historic Quarry Road site along the Messalonskee Stream — first developed in the 1930’s.  The trails, bolstered by the support of the City of Waterville and an amazing group of volunteers developed a new vision of outdoor recreation in 2007.

“I am really excited about the coaching piece of the job. It’s a passion of mine,” Fereshetian said. “I am also looking forward to the programming because there’s a lot of really cool things happening here at this venue, and it’s awesome to have a part in what is going on to help it progress to the next level.” JF

Fereshetian’s initiation to coaching and leadership began at the Outdoor Sport Institute in Caribou, where he served as the Nordic Development Director / Head Coach and Initiative Coordinator.  During this time Justin served as a Wax Tech for Team New England at Junior Nationals in Lake Placid, NY.  This summer he created  a workout for Virtual REG Camp and led a coaching group in the program that reached over 100 New England athletes.  During his young career he has helped train 17 athletes who have qualified for the New England Junior National Team including the first Quarry Road Trails athlete this winter.

At Quarry Road Justin wears many hats, including trail maintenance, staffing, snowmaking and event management.  Last winter the boundless enthusiasm of Justin and his crew allowed for the shift of the Eastern Cup Opener from Sugarloaf to Quarry Road on the drop of a hat.  They had done their work and made snow in every possible temperature window for the past month — and despite unforgiving weather were able to create a track of the highest quality.  They also built in some terrain, in the form of two large rollers directly in front of the timing house — creating a visible “new school” feel to cross country skiing. It created too many smiles to count.

Fereshetian attended the University of Maine at Presque Isle, receiving a degree in physical education.  He was a standout runner and cross country skier who competed at Junior and Senior Nationals, the EISA circuit and NCAA’s.  Like Maddock he is an active coach, who trains alongside his athletes and has the ability to jump into competitions when the moment arrises.

“The remarkable thing about Justin is his versatility, he is just as comfortable teaching elite skiers as beginners, he is extremely patient and listens carefully to each person because he is vested in their progress and success. He is a firm advocate for his athletes making sure that they are being treated fairly and their safety and well-being are the prime considerations.” Ole Amundsen, parent and Quarry Road Trails

“I’m so happy to hear that Justin has been chosen for this award! He puts in a lot of hours outside of his regular workday that exceeds expectations!  He supported me throughout the season for the Eastern Cup races last year by doing an amazing job waxing my skis … Sometimes he would just know that I was nervous without me saying anything and would give me some really great advice on how to have the best race possible, which helped me feel more prepared for the race.  I been working with him since this spring and thanks to his training plan and amazing feedback, I can see and feel myself getting stronger and faster. He also makes practices fun by incorporating sprint simulations into our workouts or doing agility courses that make me go out of my comfort zone.” Emma Charles, Quarry Road Ski Club

We congratulate both of these terrific human beings and coaches — can’t wait to see them out on the trails, having fun and no doubt instilling the love of skiing into countless new skiers.  We are so fortunate to have such a strong skiing culture in New England.  Kathy and Justin are shining examples of who we strive to be.

As anticipated, our racing calendar is, and needs to remain fluid – increased COVID case numbers and health care stress throughout New England reinforces NENSA’s paramount focus to protect the health of our membership and the communities we reside in.

While there will be undeniable disappointment with some decisions, we can all take solace in the creative programming available for the next month and a half — find motivation in cooling temps, a start of a snow-base, and the addition of regional on-snow racing!  Cross country skiers are leaders – we must all be vigilant and do our part over the coming weeks “to abide” above our regional guidelines.  We’ve laid down some brilliant plans and protocols, including the New England Cross Country Promise – now is the time to stay focussed on adherence to exemplary behavior – which includes a reduction in our personal travels.  To steal a phrase from Killington Mountain, “Help us get Open, and stay Open.”  We’re all in this together.

Eastern Cup & States Cups:

NENSA is committed to holding all of our events to the highest health standards, and Maine is currently under guidance to host events without cross-state participation.  Quarry Road Trails and Sugarloaf will move forward with their scheduled races, December 20th (QR) and January 23-24th (Sugarloaf) — for residents of Maine only.  These races will be rebranded as “Maine Cups” and scored to the Junior Ranking List.  All registered out-of-state racers will be refunded entry fees in full.  Due to this limit on attendance, both Quarry Road and Sugarloaf might be able to offer more opportunity for open registrants and masters.  Registration for Sugarloaf will open in January.

In Vermont we will likely see limited shift in regulation until after the New Year.  NENSA is working with Craftsbury and Prospect Mountain (our listed January events) and will update the status of these races as guidance comes from the state — potential postponement dates are likely to be announced.

Our February events are still scheduled as planned and we will continue to monitor regional regulations and update the community.

Eastern Mass Nordic is in the beginning stages of developing “State Cup” racing in Massachusetts.

NENSA is committed to providing race experiences for our developing skiers and we will focus on “State Cup” events and scoring those races to the Junior Ranking List.  We are optimistic the end of the winter will allow for more opportunities and races similar to a typical Eastern Cup.  We thank you all for your continued resilience and point you towards local opportunities including Popular Racing.

Popular Racing – Zak Cup / Club Cup / A Hall Mark of Excellence:

The Popular Race calendar and Zak / Club Cup scoring pages for 2020-2021 have been updated.  While these events have typically been focussed on the masters population they now have added value to all levels of skiers in the pandemic climate — these scheduled races give “race start” opportunities and help promote the guidance of staying close to home.  Some events will be offered that are only Virtual, some will be duel (in-person / Virtual), and some might be forced to become Virtual.

The December Club KM Challenge is off to a strong start – with Mansfield Nordic already logging 2000km since the beginning of the month.  It’s not too late join in the fun and there is financial incentive this year to show the strength of your club with the – A Hall Mark of Excellence Award – offering $9000 of incentives for the three top Club Cup teams.

This weekend brings us the first Zak Cup race at the Quarry Road Trails – albeit limited to Maine residents.

Jackson XC is excited and planning to host the Jackson Jaunt on December 27th — this could be an excellent opportunity for juniors who were planning to attend the Quarry Road Eastern Cup.  As with all races – please register early – it is so important to the organizers to be able to plan and provide for safe events!

Bob Haydock has created an elaborate and well-vetted Virtual version of the iconic Bogburn Classic.  This race gives all of our masters and club participants an opportunity to compete and engage with their peers throughout the region and beyond.  Stay tuned – registration is slated to open on the 21st.

The Popular Race schedule has robust offerings into late January, February and March — you know we will keep you posted!  In the meantime — enjoy the building snowpack in your backyard, your local touring centers, and as you head out for organized events — be safe and have fun!!

NENSA is thrilled and honored to be a 2020/21 Share Winter Foundation Grantee. The Share Winter Foundation is a grantmaking organization working to improve the lives, health, and fitness of youth through winter sports, and their generous support funds our Nordic Rocks and other youth programming.

The Nordic Rocks program provides elementary school students, regardless of their background, with the opportunity to experience cross country skiing during the school day, with their teachers and classmates, and to learn the health and lifestyle benefits associated with exercise and outdoor fun. NENSA assists each Nordic Rocks school with a ski curriculum and resources, teaching support, and equipment acquisition. This winter, thanks to Madshus, we are testing some new prototype equipment with a hopeful eye towards up-leveling the quality and accessibility of program ski equipment in the future. The goal of Nordic Rocks is not only to introduce more young people to skiing by mitigating potential barriers to entry, but to also provide a pathway for students to continue skiing at local ski centers and within local youth ski leagues. We want to support our Nordic Rocks program participants in becoming lifelong skiers!

NENSA is truly grateful for Share Winter’s support so we can continue offering opportunities for young people to appreciate the many joy of cross country skiing. While we are no longer adding schools for the 2020/21 season, please reach out to [email protected] if you know of a school interested in the program for 2021/22. You can also consider donating to the Share Winter Foundation to help ensure programs like Nordic Rocks can continue serving young people for years to come.

We are all eagerly awaiting the beginning of the race season and doing snow dances.  Unfortunately, due to current Vermont Guidance the opening Vermont Cup has been removed from the calendar.  Quarry Road has gotten a jump start on their snowmaking and is optimistic to host their Opener on December 6th (popular race only / no chips) and the Eastern Cup Opener on December 20th.  Registration for the Eastern Cup Opener will go live tomorrow.  Registration for later Eastern and Vermont Cups will be moved closer to race dates so we have the most up to date information before opening.

We ask that all competitors who intend to race at the Quarry Road Eastern Cup Opener register to purchase their bib and rent their chip by tomorrow’s 5pm deadline.  You can do that here.  Please also take the time to thoughtfully make your season long race intents in the custom questions — this is very helpful for planning and creating safe event schedules.  We will email a list of bibs and chips that will be sent in bulk to larger clubs shortly after registration closes (to all that registered) — the remainder will be picked up at the race site on the date of the competition.  Bib and chip assignments will be listed at: https://www.bullitttiming.com/events/NENSA-bib-chip

We will also reopen bib purchase and chip rental for a second session — from December 2nd through December 31st — for Vermonters and those who might have missed the current window.  There is no penalty for waiting until the second registration if you do not intend to race at Quarry Road.

Thank you all for your patience and resilience in these unprecedented times — NENSA will continue to make every effort to make safe competitions available throughout the season and we can’t wait to see you out on the tracks.

While we don’t know what the beginning of this season is going to look like NENSA is working hard to try and keep our population enthused, excited to ski, and provide some incentives for your clubs to work together as a team!  We’ll be unrolling our Popular race schedule next week – which will include Virtual Events so people can participate in BKL, Club and Zak Cup racing regardless of where they live.  Our Club Cup rankings have taken on new meaning this season with the gracious support of Marty and Kathy Hall – with a carrot of $5000 going to the top ranked club at the end of the year, $3000 to the second place club and $1000 to the 3rd place club/school.  This ranking will be based on rollerski races we hosted, Eastern and Vermont Cup races, and the Popular Race calendar (which will include Virtual events).

To kick us off and get teams together we created the December Club KM Challenge – it’s designed to be simple and driven by the leaders and coaches of our awesome NENSA clubs.

December Club KM Challenge  #DCKC

Join NENSA clubs of all walks for an inclusive kilometer logging challenge.

Club points will be awarded to 2021 Club Cup rankings – A Hall Mark of Excellence Award.

The team with the most kilometers skied (or rollerskied) will net 300 points, 2nd – 200, 3rd – 100, 95, 90, 85…

REGISTER HERE

The goals of the Challenge are to:
– Bring some certainty to the beginning of the season.
– Unite teams and clubs that might be physically separated during this period.
– Log some of your first kilometers of the year.
– Get clubs psyched to ski and boost club participation.

How it will work:
– NENSA coaches or club leaders register their team / club on SkiReg
– Challenge runs from December 1 to midnight December 31
– Clubs are encouraged to report kilometers weekly:  add photos / videos and share notable moments – impressive skis, beautiful scenery.
– No cost for NENSA clubs.

What do you get:
– Winning club will get #25in20 branded Skida headbands (until our supply runs out)
– Clubs score points toward the yearlong A Hall Mark of Excellence Award  of  $5000 1st place, $3000 2nd place and $1000 for the 3rd place club/school.
– Get stoked and fit for the 2021 Season
– Add your club’s kilometers to our season long goal of logging 250,000 K as a community!!

49 Pineland Drive, New Gloucester, Maine 04260 | (207)688-6503 | Fax: (207) 688-6505

We know many folks are facing challenges with how to run their BKL programs this year during the pandemic. Some clubs are already running practice, some are just starting up, and some have been recently shut down. If you haven’t seen it already, you can check out our BKL COVID-19 Best Practices Guide. To build on the information in this guide, NENSA is hosting a virtual BKL Leader Forum on Tuesday December 1st at 5:30pm so leaders can ask questions, share ideas, and learn from each other. We don’t have to tackle these challenges alone! This forum can also serve as a platform for leaders to connect with one another to plan future events whether in person or virtually. This year will require some creativity and out-of-the-box thinking and we believe our BKL community’s got what it takes.

If you are a BKL leader/coach and want to attend the forum, please email [email protected] for the Zoom link.

While we are living in such a dynamic time – especially with the current regulations in Vermont – NENSA is here to bring us together and #getskiing

Our @tokous Marathon Challenger hats arrived with NENSA “25 in 20” branded labels yesterday – last year we had a record of 24 folks who completed the challenge.  They will look sharp heading into 2021!!

Look forward to an update about Popular Racing next week – and the announcement this Friday of a December Challenge designed to give clubs and teams the opportunity to “ski together” even if they aren’t physically together.

These beautiful #wasatchhats are shipping today – see you out there.

– NENSA Staff

#25in20 #letsgetskiing #letitsnow

NENSA is psyched to be partnering with LL Bean and some northeastern Ski Centers in a fun, free, engaging youth cross country ski game this winter: XC Ski Bingo! We realize almost all of you are still waiting for snow… so while you wait you can start planning how you’ll get Bingo. Every few weeks we will raffle off LL Bean US Ski Team Pom Hats and $20 LL Bean gifts cards to players who completed Bingo. Players can submit more than one Bingo throughout the season if each one is unique.

Download and print the Bingo card for your state and get ready for some winter adventuring. Be sure to fill out the BINGO ENTRY FORM when you get Bingo. We’ve got Bingo cards specific to Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont with local Ski Centers to ski at and fun activities to complete. Activity descriptions and info about participating Ski Centers included in the Bingo card downloads below.

Massachusetts | Maine | New Hampshire | New York | Vermont

Rules of the Game:

1. Must be under 14 years of age to play.
2. Game runs from December 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.
3. Get “Bingo” by completing the activities and skiing at the Centers in a full row, column, or diagonal.
4. Document your activities and the Ski Centers you skied at with photos and mark your Bingo card.
5. Fill out the Bingo entry form once you’ve completed Bingo. You will include your activity and Ski Center photos and a picture of your marked Bingo card.
6. Follow all state COVID-19 Regulations: MA, ME, NH, NY, or VT.
7. Get outside and HAVE FUN!!!
8. Direct any questions to [email protected]

In 2014 NENSA began the tradition of honoring the top ranked male and female Eastern Cup skiers with the Gallagher Award.  NENSA is pleased to announce that Abigail Streinz (Fort Kent Outdoor Center) and Will Koch (University of Colorado) are the 2020 Eastern Cup Champions – their inspired efforts are a perfect way to celebrate Mike Gallagher’s legacy as an athlete, coach, and community leader.  The two skiers who win this award each year do so by being consistently dominant in New England’s premier race series (winners are determined by the lowest average points from seven of the nine EC events).

This year’s winners are both soft spoken leaders among their peers — and exhibit the grit and creativity needed to be successful in the sport of cross country skiing.  Whether they are “taking full advantage of the weather and landscapes available .. in the boonies of northern Maine” or developing “50km over distance workouts on a unicycle or “inventing” a three hour strength in the gym,” Streinz and Koch march to their own beat.

Abbee skied last season with the Craftsbury junior squad where she was a consistent top-ten skier and had two podium finishes.  In her two races at Junior Nationals in Truckee, California she placed second in the U20 sprint and sixth in the individual classic.

“Abbee is a super hard-working skier who finds the motivation to do a whole lot of training all on her own.  She’s straight up tough, totally unafraid to do the hard work in gnarly conditions, and doesn’t shy away from training her weaknesses. One of my favorite things about Abbee is that she’s incredibly humble, too—you’d never know that she’s a ripping fast skier just by talking to her. Abbee’s also awesome at stepping up and doing the not-super-fun tasks on team trips, like making dinner, doing the dishes, and generally making sure that the team can keep functioning. It goes along with her “get it done” mentality. It’s great to see her earn the Gallagher Award!”  Anna Schulz, Craftsbury

Will Koch who hails from the Stratton Mountain School program was a stalwart competitor on the Eastern Cup circuit for four years.  This season he found himself on the podium five times including three victories.  The highlight of his young career to date came at the Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne and Valle de Joux in Switzerland where he earned a bronze medal in the 10K classic last January.  Will also went on to win the classic race at Junior Nationals and place second in the sprint.

This spring NENSA had a fun interview with Will and Andrew Newell.

“I only had the pleasure of working with Will for one year, but his work ethic, attention to detail, and respect for his teammates impressed me.”  Alex Jospe

“As a coach, it has been rewarding to see Will’s development as a young athlete throughout the years. From the early days as a winter term student coming out and chasing around the senior T2 Athletes on roller skis and snow, to now coming into his own as one of our countries top junior’s, Will’s development has been his based on his strong work ethic, creativity and playfulness. He is there hammering hard with our group on interval days, but equally at home on a 7 hour adventure run across the Green Mountain Forest. His holistic and mature approach to training and skiing is something all New England Junior athletes should aspire to. You have to do the hard work, but you need to love and enjoy the process to make it in this sport!” Patrick O’Brien

“What sticks out most to me with Will is that he is a student of the sport. He doesn’t want to just know what to so, he wants to know why. When you know why, you can take ownership of what you are doing.” Sverre Caldwell

Will joined the University of Colorado Buffalo’s this fall.

We congratulate these skiers and thank them for reminding us of Mike Gallagher’s competitive spirit.  Mike was a three-time Olympic cross-country skier and the Head Coach of the US Ski Team from 1980-86.  You can read more about Gallagher here on fasterskier.com

It is that time of year for our NENSA Auction! We are thrilled to have over one hundred options this year, from Cheese and Syrup to House Rentals, and a historic collection of memorabilia from the family of Jim Rodrigues. Come take a look!  Go to www.32Auctions.com/NENSA2020

CHECK OUT THE AUCTION! 

(new items will be added)