Ski Team Info
This page has extra announcements, general practice schedule, general plans for training outlined.
Message from Coach Connor - October (Late September) Update
Hey all, that snow is really creeping down the hills! First official day back is 30 October 2024. There will be some changes coming to the practices and schedules, so keep checking the website when you get a chance to see any updates. I have uploaded the practice schedule to the Homepage. The month of October has *suggested* workouts for those of you looking to get in shape before the season. If you are currently training for Cross Country Running, Swimming, Club Skiing, or any other sport, please review and consult with your coaches there.
To help you all achieve your individual training goals we have updated the format of the schedule. You will find suggested training volumes for each day based on three "load" plans: Low, Medium, and High. You will need to navigate to the "Daily View" sheet in the schedule to view the suggested hours. Once the season gets rolling, we can talk to you about which plan will be best for you to follow. If you have ambitions to be competitive on the A team, and qualify for bigger races like Senior and Junior Nationals, you should be following the Medium or High plans. If you are new to skiing, are using skiing to train for another sport, or just want to have fun this season, you should strive for the Low plan.
Here are some dates to put on your calendars:
9 October: Trail Improvement Volunteer Work at Russian Jack - We will meet at the Chalet or East and there will be tools and snacks. SIgnUp link coming soon. Our goal will be to knock back the alders to make the ski trails wider and easier to groom!
12 October: NSAA Ski Swap at Kincaid (12 noon)
19 October: First Saturday open practice, location and activity TBD. Will meet at East at 10 to carpool. Also, UAA Ski Swap at the Alaska Airlines Center (12 noon).
21 October: Trail Improvement Volunteer Work at APU - We will meet at the Moseley Center and there will be tools. Our goal will be to knock back the alders to make the ski trails wider and easier to groom!
22 October: Pre-Season Meeting in NW2 during Lunch. Also, at 6:30 Final Bonny Sosa Tuesday Night Race (Costume race!) - These are fun, family-inclusive events with multiple distances, put on by the Municipality! There is a small fee, but it is a fun way to meet people, hang out with friends, and get some fall running in. You can run at any pace you like. If you're doing another sport or club, do check with your coaches there about participating. I think they are a really special thing that makes Anchorage great, and it's a good community to be a part of.
28 & 29 October: Pre-season Practice - "Open Gym" and gear check-out
30 October: First Official day of Practice!
At this point, no updates to team policies. We will have the goals to have fewer and shorter meetings, quicker turnarounds after school to maximize time on snow, and more "fun" activities. Please don't wait until the day before, or day of, the first day to pick up your golden ticket. There will be some more announcements at the preseason meeting (October).
As always, stay happy and active; Go East! - Connor
Training Log Link: EXC_24-25-TRAINING-LOG; copy and save to your own Drive or download as an Excel.
Our coaching staff is full of passionate, eager, and fun people who are excited to guide you through another season of skiing and improving skills:
Assistant Coaches:
Fiona Worcester
Germain Thomas
Gino Graziano
Jaime Bronga
Gary Snyder, Coach Emeritus
Dress appropriately for winter training. Water, water, water (and food)! You must bring gloves and ear coverings to practice outside. Also have a bag of clothes and shoes for working out indoors. Gear can be brought to ski room Monday mornings or to a helpful teacher's room (or activities office) if it doesn't fit in your locker. Leave time for this in the mornings.
General Training Plans
With Snow Training; 15h40-17h30
M Strength/Speed Day: Specific strength on snow & indoors
T Learning Day: Technique work, also travel to race venue when needed
W Load Day: Classic/Skate Ski Intervals
Th Distance Day: Go long
F Fun Day/Race Prep: adventure, game, or race prep and waxing
Sa OD Day/Race Day: OD with speeds
Su OD Day/Recovery Day: Rest or easy ski/run/ride on your own
No Snow Dryland Training; 15h40-17h30
M Strength Day: Specific strength on foot & indoors
T Learning Day: Technique work, on foot, bike, or roller ski
W Load Day: Running intervals
Th Distance Day: Distance run, bike, or roller ski
F Fun Day: adventure (bog run?), game
Sa OD Day: Mountain run, hike, ski in Mountains TBA
Su OD Day/Recovery Day: Rest or easy ski/run/ride in mountains on your own
*Saturday practices will vary depending on snow conditions.