Wander Outside this Winter (WOW) is an initiative to encourage families to get outside, have fun on snow and enjoy winter. It includes winter activities such as snowshoeing, sledding, downhill skiing, making a snowman and tubing, as well cross-country skiing. WOW has a nutrition component to promote the healthy habit of fueling the body with fruits and vegetables. This initiative was developed with assistance from elementary schoolteachers, children’s book illustrators, the Madison Children’s Museum and nutrition scientists.
FUNdamentals starts developing young Nordic skiers by teaching sport-specific skills and abilities. CXC makes available to ski instructors of local clubs a comprehensive CXC Youth Manual, 2.5-hour DVD titled “Athlete Long-Term Development” and Ski School Activity Booklet with ideas on how to organize ski sessions in an effective and constructive way. All of these materials are available to CXC youth clubs at no charge.
Clubs and youth skiers can sign up for membership at www.cxcskiing.org/site_pages/members/membership.htm. CXC has partnered with XC Zone in Canada and the Norwegian Ski Federation to offer some of their educational materials to CXC members, too.
“The Norwegian Ski Federation is pleased to exchange information and programming materials with CXC in the United States,” said Per Nymoen, director of cross-country skiing at Norges Skiforbund. “CXC is doing an impressive job with its comprehensive programming ranging from an elite race team to youth and children’s development programs, to supporting disabled athletes. We feel it is mutually beneficial to work with them.”
At most Junior Olympic Qualifier races, there are competitive opportunities for young skiers (J3/J4/J5 age categories, roughly ages 8-13). Skiers can compete with their peers around the region and score points. New this year is a Metro Nordic Youth Super Series. MNYSS was developed in collaboration with Minnesota Youth Ski League in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and various race organizers. The goal is to encourage more race directors throughout the Great Lakes region to host youth races, events and series, along with their citizen races.
“We are very excited about introducing all these new developments. This is just a beginning,” said Yuriy Gusev, chief executive and athletic director of CXC and the CXC Community Olympic Development Program. “The next big step is a J3/J4/J5 Regional Championships and Regional Youth Festival. We are working in this direction by looking at potential venues and are planning to give it life in the 2011 season. I would like to thank everyone who is helping with our youth program, from community leaders and volunteers to donors and sponsors.”
The principle funding source for the CXC Youth Program is the CXC Masters Team, a group of master and citizen skiers who benefit by training with CXC Elite Team Vertical Limit and CXC coaches. CXC welcomes skiers to join the CXC Masters Team and support CXC youth initiatives. For more information, go to www.cxcskiing.org.
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