NENSA News

In honor of the long history of our organization, and our beloved community of skiers across New England we are going to pause and reflect on how we got here. I myself have been reflecting quite often over the past few months because, for most everyone, the future is more undefined than it has been in living history.

A group of families, from the Berkshire Trails Nordic Ski Club (BTNSC), met on July 6th to hike a 13 mile segment of the M&M Trail. Beginning at the Notch in South Hadley, MA and ending at Mt.Tom in Holyoke, MA.  This section has been rated by Runner’s World Magazine as one of the top 10 hikes in the US.  The range is a series of small mountains close together, so after every decent, there is another climb just ahead – a lot like skiing! Uphill efforts are rewarded by beautiful views.

The lead group, doing the entire 13 miles, was not stopped even by the Connecticut River.  An obliging boat owner with the well known name of Thomas Jefferson ferried them across and they continued up Mt.Tom.

Group hiking is a lot of fun. With a little planning, a successful hike has a destination and terrain to match varying abilities.  A common starting point, with cars left at one or two intervals, allows everyone to start together, and finish where they want to.  The best part of a group hike is that everyone can hook up with someone who goes at about the same speed.  All hikers, big and small, should carry their own food and water supply. Have a favorite hiking spot? Send us the location, or plan a group hike and spread the word.

By Penny Molyneux NENN Vol.3 No.1 Early Fall 1997

On Monday evening June 22nd NENSA and U.S. Ski & Snowboard will partner to host the first virtual Regional Elite Group (REG) camp for 34 athletes from the Eastern region.  The concept of a virtual camp experience was born from necessity as our current health crisis does not allow for groups to safely gather.  Although we would all rather be able to host an in person camp – the reality of a virtual camp allows the broader New England (and beyond) community to see what a REG camp entails, both through shared training plans and standardized testing.  Many clubs will participate alongside their nominated athletes and anyone can gain access to the training plan and testing by signing up for NENSA’s #JuneTerm event.

Athletes were invited to the camp based on NENSA Elite and Development Team criteria, Junior National ranking and nomination by the Mid-Atlantic division.  Throughout six days of training these athletes will be coached by US Ski Team staff, Ski Team athlete alums as well as regional club leaders.  Training and testing will be introduced via prerecorded video and interactive conference calls.

Male Participants: Aidan Burt, Brian Bushey, Caden Cote, Clint Macy, Fin Bailey, Finn Sweet, Isaac Freitas-Eagan, Jack Christner, Jack Lange, Jack Young, Linden Niedeck, Luke Streinz, Quinn Wilson, Sam Murray, Trey Jones

Female Participants: Amelia Tucker, Ava Thurston, Callie Young, Camille Bolduc, Elsa Bolinger, Emma Strack, Emma Charles, Evelyn Walton, Maggie McGee, Mica Bodkins, Nina Seemann, Phoebe Sweet, Quincy Massey-Bierman, Sammie Nolan, Shea Brams, Sofia Scirica, Hattie Barker, Rose Clayton and Sophia Kelting.

Success in this distanced environment requires self reliance and creativity – both themes that will be conveyed to the athletes – and that were essential to create the framework in which regional leaders came together to create national standardized testing.  Athletes will be challenged with a 3000 meter running test (ideally on a track), a 1000 meter SkiErg test and the Canadian Strength Test protocol.  These metrics along with individual placement on the National Ranking List will allow for comparison among athletes throughout the United States.  It also creates the potential for advancement to further U.S. Ski Team camps – namely the National Elite Group (NEG) which typically attends a camp in the fall alongside the National Training Group (NTG) and members of the U.S. Ski Team.

Stay tuned for updates about REG and the final week or #JuneTerm.  NENSA is proud of our athletes achievements and is dedicated to furthering their potential.  Despite the challenges we all face we are determined to meet this challenge and come back to the new normal stronger than ever!

#joinusforREG

Dear NENSA Community ~

The senseless killing of George Floyd, and so many others, has brought into sharp focus the injustice of inequality and race in our country and around the globe. These are long-standing problems and it is hard to know where to start to think about how we can be a part of the solution. As an athlete, coach, member, parent, or supporter of cross country skiing here in New England, the important thing now is that we actually do start. I challenge everyone, including myself and my family, to make one change towards good, towards a solution. After you have done that, then make another. Make it a pattern for positivity in this world.

Here are three simple things we can all do individually to start with:
1. Register to VOTE (if you are soon to be eligible or not yet registered) and then EVERYBODY go out and VOTE! Local and National elections, primaries and the big ones this fall.
2. Donate some of your time or resources to a cause that can help make a difference.  There are many out there doing a lot of important work ~ find one that speaks to you and get involved.
3. Educate ourselves. Education is a lifelong process. Right now, is the time for learning more from different voices than our own – about racism, diversity, biases, equality and inclusion – see BLM Resource List below for some ideas.

Here are three things NENSA is going to do:
1. We will write a Diversity & Inclusivity policy. We do have a Transgender Policy, and we are going to build on that to be sure it is stated that our NENSA mission is to be inclusive of all – no matter your race, religion or sexual orientation. Sometimes it takes a time like this to show what is missing.
2. NENSA is looking at long-term ways to make the New England ski community a more welcoming environment for people of color, and we will be looking at how our organization can support black businesses and institutions.
3. We will work to create more opportunities for BIPOC programing and partnerships within NENSA and our New England ski community.

Thank you all for joining us in this effort. As a community of endurance athletes who know the importance of getting the details right and working every day to achieve difficult long-term goals, I know we can make big difference.

Best,
Amie W. Smith
Executive Director | NENSA
[email protected]

BLM Resource List Tab on www.NENSA.net homepage:
This list has many great ideas of things to read, watch or listen to, and organizations to donate to. This is by no means a comprehensive list of all resources, but I invite you to start here, and if this is helpful, share these ideas with others. Thanks to all those who have helped pull this list together.

In response to our socially distant landscape this spring, NENSA created a virtual rollerski challenge to engage the community, give athletes added motivation to train and have some friendly competition.  The format was geared so that skiers of all abilities could participate at their own pace and comfort level.  From it’s introduction the concept proved popular with tens of skiers signing up in the first days and a constant stream of mentions and tags on social media.  People were getting after it and they were having FUN!  As the month went on we skied 5000, then 10,000, and finally over 13,000km together!

Folks could sign up as Rockstar’s and ski the full 25km in one go — or as many choose — to go further!  Will Koch, Sam Murray, Jack Lange and Philip Lawson all logged 100+km skis.  All told 92 skiers officially logged over 150 unique 25km (or longer skis) — putting together an impressive 4667km total for the group.  Although it wasn’t intended as a competition, skiers are listed by pace per kilometer on the results page – a stat which no doubt spurred some competition.

Speedy Repeater was designed for skiers that wanted to break up 25km into more manageable pieces.  The category perhaps had the broadest appeal with skiers from Taiwan, the Yukon Territories and throughout USA and the East Coast.  Several skiers racked up some impressive kilometers including Sam Holt from the University of Vermont Club Team (389km) and Emma Charles from Mount Blue High School in Maine logging 123.

My Own Pace was advertised as the the touring class.  It allowed for participation by anyone – by any mode.  Among participants was 89 year old Martha Chandler from Laconia, New Hampshire, who walked over 50 kilometers.  We were super impressed with this group and had lots of feedback and thank you’s for encouraging them out the door and back onto rollerskis.  There is a stigma, which this group disproved, that rollerskiing is too hard or hardcore — give it a shot — rollerskiing in the right environment is fun, rewarding and dare we say cool!

Halfway through the month we added a fourth category!  “Keep Up With Beckwith” – was a category geared towards masters skiers to keep pace with our Competitive Program Director as he successfully took aim at 200km of skiing throughout the month.  All told 17 skiers combined for nearly 5000km of activity on this pursuit!  For Beckwith it was motivating to take small skis nearly everyday of the month and remember how much fun rollerskiing can be – but the story was about the impressive skiing by all in the group – including 13 of the 17 who skied considerably more than Beckwith.  Some standouts include Tom Thurston, who ran 615km over the month!  It was Bob Witkowski from Victor, New York who skied the most – finishing the month with a 75km ski and logging 592 total km.  Two women joined the fun, Tristin Adie of Mansfield Nordic and Gabriella Frittelli of Saratoga Biathlon – Tristan made her mark logging 211km and Gabriella notched 100.

Videos and pictures were encouraged with each event entry and NENSA shared lots of stories over the month – it was so cool to see folks personalities and local neighborhoods!  There will be some special NENSA prizes showing up at folks houses in the next days – but the challenge was based on raffle tickets with, each entry receiving one raffle ticket (or two tickets if you had renewed your 2021 NENSA membership) towards a prize pool provided by Swix, Enjoy Winter, Swenor, and the Trapp Family Lodge.  You can see winners and their awesome prizes here!

This month we ramp things up with #juneterm – which includes some more structured benchmark testing for some, a BKL component, and of course categories for taking things at your own pace!  Ski you out there.

#JuneTerm
#enjoywinter

NENSA, and the entire national TD community is thrilled this award has been bestowed upon Jim, we only wish he could have been here to receive it – he would have been very honored. It it a double whammy that with the pandemic, US Ski & Snowboard Congress was virtual, so the annual dinner and gala where these awards are given out was cancelled too…another lost opportunity to honor Jim, even posthumously, with his life work. I want to share this letter with you all today, with some of the thoughts from his friends and colleagues, sent into U.S. Ski & Snowboard, for Jim’s nomination this year.

A letter from Tiger Shaw, U.S. Ski & Snowboard:
May 15, 2020

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Jim Rodrigues on having been selected to receive the 2020 Al Merrill Nordic Award, which is presented to the individual or group involved with any aspect of nordic skiing (cross country, nordic combined or ski jumping), who demonstrated an exceptional level of commitment, leadership, and devotion to excellence.
Each nordic sport committee submits a nominee with the final selection being made by the sport committee chairs. The committees were unanimous in recognizing Jim’s lifetime efforts.

The following was provided for the nomination:
“Jim was a current FIS TD for U.S. Ski & Snowboard, and has been for many years – working with colleges across the US, Canada and South America, on both cross country skiing and rollerski competitions.”
“Jim was planning to retire from his work as a TD and Chief of Competition, and mentor to all, this spring, when he died unexpectedly. But he still made some very major contributions to our Nordic ski community this past season, and even more importantly, in his lifetime.”
“His continued commitment to the annual NENSA TD & Event Organizer training, held the weekend of September 22 & 23. Jim’s presentations and perspective on all matters of TD’ing – as a mentor to our newer group of TD’s in training, and as a colleague to his TD friends, was always inspiring and appreciated.”
“Chief of Comp/Chief of Course for both the first ever Harvard Carnival (January), and for the NENSA Dublin Double Eastern Cup Races (February). A mentor to the Dublin School helping them improve and expand their trail system and start snowmaking there (this past year)”
“Chief of Stadium for the NENSA New England Bill Koch Festival held at Great Glen 2/29 & 3/1 – Jim was there with his dear friend Mouse (Dan Warner – TD for the event) helping him in any matters that needed to be done that weekend. We have no official Chief of Comp or Chief of Race for that Festival, but Jim was there all weekend doing whatever needed to be done, setting up the entire stadium, and helping with all the races.”
“Jim was packing his bags, on his way to be the TD in Lake Placid for a collegiate competition, when he died very unexpectedly.”
“Jim’s passing leaves a huge hole in both our New England Nordic Ski community, as well as with friends and colleagues from across the country, and beyond. We lost a great friend and colleague. Jim was a dear friend to so many. He worked for NENSA for many years as an Event Organizer, as well as a U.S. Ski & Snowboard FIS Technical Delegate official, Chief of Competition, trail designer, coach, mentor and friend to so many of us.”

I am so sorry for this loss.
Sincerely,
Tiger Shaw President & CEO

Most of you started your 2021 training season this week – some might be testing, others getting back on rollerskis or enjoying time on the bike.  Despite not being able to gather in groups your resourcefulness and focus are inspiring to us!  And we thank all of you for participating in our Virtual Programming – whether it was the Video Challenge or our ongoing #25KinMAY.  It’s clear to me whatever the next weeks, months and even years look like we will get through it together!

**Next Wednesday evening we are psyched to announce our second live conversation with Andy Newell and Will Koch**

Speaking of Video Challenge – we received over 20 entries from across New England – with clubs and individuals coming together to share the spirit of their team culture, training and lifestyle.  It was hard to pick a winner but,  David & Mathew Northcott from Putney XC impressed both the NENSA judges and our social media followers by combining rock n’ roll, skillful skiing and a HUGE fun factor!  We look forward to hosting a Rollerski Event in Putney of David and Matthew’s choice, when we can all get back together!  Hats off to Declan Rogers and to Dublin XC ski club who were named our two Runners Up!  You can find all the videos here.

This month we are well into #25KinMay Rollerski Challenge with close to 100 participants so far — from Alaska to Michigan, North Carolina to Ontario, and even Taiwan!  The premiss is simple: challenge yourself to get out and ski 25 kilometers (or more) in May!  The goal of the event is to provide excitement to our broader cross country skiing community and continue the momentum of NENSA’s Rollerski Programming despite our current travel and social distancing restrictions.  For event specifics read here.  We’re getting close to skiing 500km together already!  We’ve added a fourth category: Rockstar, Speedy Repeater, On My Own and #KeepUpWithBeckwith – whether you want to ski 25 or 200 km there’s something for you and each category will be eligible for raffle prizes from Swix, Enjoy Winter and Salomon.

In June our Virtual Programming will turn towards community wide testing – with some historic tests including a 3000m run, a SkiErg and rollerski test and a strength component.  There will be categories for junior athletes, recreational skiers and prizes will be awarded to clubs.  Stay tuned as we roll out that program.

July we will be focussing on a “World SuperSprint Virtual Championships.”

As you continue to plan your training and adventures stay up to date with our developing programs on our Virtual Resources tab.

Be in touch and have a great weekend!

Justin Beckwith