FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to our FAQs. As always, do not hesitate to ask a question. It may get featured here in the future!
How do I get hold of people?
If it is urgent, call 315-926-9078 for Coach Anthony Kerr.
For other questions or communication, email Coach Kerr at akerr@fairport.org or FHSNordicSkiBooster@gmail.com or contact the Booster Club representative, Trish Donohue at (585)764-8788.
I’m feeling overwhelmed and my skier isn’t communicating with me; how can I stay informed?
The coaches and the Fairport Nordic Booster Club mainly use two types of communication: Emails from coach and FHSNordicSkiBooster@gmail.com, the team Remind app (code is 86ad3c), and this website.
It is expected that each family have a family member join the Remind App and supply at least one email address to the booster club that is checked daily during ski season. Due to the nature of this sport and last minute changes due to weather, it is necessary to check email for ski-related messages at least once daily (more on race days). We usually have race day information the night before, but there have always been instances when race day is finalized mid-morning.
This website has almost everything you may need to know about the sport and the Fairport team. If you take a look and notice something missing or have suggestions of items to add, please let us know at FHSNordicSkiBooster@gmail.com.
My skier tends to be absent-minded and forgets some of his equipment/clothing; any ideas?
One suggestion is to have them make a list of all of the items they should have with them at each practice/race. As they pack their bag, they can refer to the list.
This sport can be especially demanding physically and mentally, so you may want to help your skier out if it would be helpful. Skiers do not want to “suffer the consequences” of forgetting something…no gloves = cold hands, no bib = no race, no dry clothes = misery. Coach usually packs extras in his huge duffel even though 2019 - 2020 skiers were very responsible.
Here’s a list of items that we came up with at the Kerr house:
Water (no sharing water bottles!)
Snacks for after school/bus ride (fruit, energy bars, trail mix, cereal, crackers)
Under Armour or long underwear bottoms
Fleece pants (to go between long underwear and wind pants)
Wind pants
Ski socks (smart wool, hot chillys, polar fleece – just make sure they keep you warm)
Under Armour or other long underwear top
Fleece top/sweatshirt
Windbreaker (or Fairport-issue warm-up jacket)
Ear band and hat (can be combined when it’s really cold)
Warm gloves and/or mittens.......................buying some swix or toko gloves is a better investment than a regular glove from local stores that don't sell reliable, warm ski apparel.
Change of clothes (dry and warm)
Head lamp, optional if at location other than Bristol. We did not ski in the dark last year, but I have in the past when we were skiing at Harriet Hollister during the dark days of winter.
Watch
Bristol Summit Nordic Center pass mandatory this 2020 - 2021 season for contact tracing
Race bib
Medications/supplies you may need (inhaler, Ibuprofen, contact solution)
Sunglasses (especially if you wear contacts)
Ski equipment (boots, poles, skis, wax, cork, etc.)
With a list this long, remember to label everything!
A good read for new Nordic skiers: https://www.outsideonline.com/2408406/how-dress-cross-country-skiing
Where and when are ski races held?
Ski races are generally held on Tuesdays or Thursdays in the afternoon starting at 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. or Saturday mornings.
Ski races are held at one of four venues, depending on conditions.
Bristol Mountain (Summit Nordic Center at the top where the Aerial Adventure Park is located)
Mendon Ponds Park (North Meadow, West Meadow or South Meadow)
Barker Road Middle School - also called Mount Pittsford (Pittsford)
Harriet Hollister Spencer Recreation Area
Directions to each of these venues are on the Maps & Directions page.
How long in distance are the races?
The races are generally 1-3K for JV racers and 5-10K for varsity racers. Unlike the timing in running, the times in skiing can vary greatly from race to race depending on the weather, course conditions and the type of course (hilly or more flat terrain).
How do you know how your skier did in the race?
Results are posted online at the Section V website, usually within 1 - 2 hours after the race. The coaches and the skiers have a pretty good idea where they placed right after the race is over. There are circumstances where the race results are up within half an hour of us riding the bus home. Coach will send the link on the Remind app. Note: The results provided by Section V are in an Excel spreadsheet - make sure you click on the tab for the correct date for each race.
In a couple of races, timing chips may be used, in which case the results are known before the skiers leave the race to return home. At Bristol they used to post race results, but for the 2020 - 2021 season they will not be posting due to social distancing.
How much travel time should I allow to get to the race sites?
Directions to each venue are on this website on our Maps & Directions page.
Bristol: From Fairport, allow at least one hour so that you can park and walk the 0.2 mile (or more depending on how far away you parked) from the road to the Nordic center
Barker Road Middle School: From Fairport, 20-25 minutes
Mendon Ponds Park: From Fairport, 20-25 minutes (parking is always close to the race course)
Harriet Hollister: From Fairport, about 50 minutes driving time and 10-15 to get to where you might want to view the race (longer if you go to the top to use the pit toilets). There really isn’t any place to stop on the way to Harriet on West Bloomfield Road.
What types of facilities are available at the different race sites?
As a spectator, you should dress warmly and expect to stand in the cold for approximately 2 hours. Bring your own drinks and snacks in the car if you will need them.
Bristol Summit Nordic Center: In a normal year there is a warming yurt with vending machines (cold drinks and snacks) picnic tables, outdoor portable toilets with hand sanitizer. This year the yurt is closed, but the bathrooms are still open at 50% capacity due to social distancing.
Barker Road Middle School: Restrooms in the school, no shelter from the cold. Note: this venue can feel like the coldest place on earth if it’s windy.
Mendon Ponds Park: You cannot depend on any restrooms being open. The pit toilets near the South Meadow are available but not close to any of the racing trails. Your car is the only spot to get out of the cold.
Harriet Hollister: Toilets facilities are available in the parking lot. Otherwise, there are 2 pit toilets at the top of the main ski road about ½ mile from the parking lot. If you have your skis or snowshoes on, the pit toilets are easily accessible. If you are walking to the pit toilets, plan on 15 or more minutes to get there.
Where do I park at the races?
There is a limit to spectators this year for the 2020 - 2021 season. Only 1 spectator at Bristol Mountain and 2 at other venues. There will be a contact log, so please check-in with Coach Kerr about where to sign-in.
Bristol: South Hill Road you will see signs and other cars. There are limited parking spots but there is also parking along the road. Do not park in the loop; busses need space to turn there.
Barker Road Middle School: There are 2 parking lots, either one is fine
Mendon Ponds Park: On one side of the road near the race site
Harriet Hollister: There is a small parking lot that they like the buses to park in, so spectators are encouraged to park on the road
Where is the best place to view the races as a spectator?
First of all, no matter where you watch the race, always stand off to the side, not on the trail (I witnessed a crash of a skier into a spectator who was on the track. The skier went away in an ambulance, the spectator remained clueless as to how it happened — he was on the trail at the bottom of an incline and we yelled at him to move out of the way!).
Second, at classic-style races, avoid walking on the "tracks" - step over them. They're called tracks because they look similar to railroad tracks; They are the intentional indentations of Nordic skis. The racers will pole themselves along these tracks. When someone walks on the track, it destroys the indentation and can throw off the racer.
When you arrive at a race, you may want to ask other parents where they like to watch the race. There are some spots where you can see the skiers go past more than once, or you can run from one spot to another to catch the skiers at different points. At Barker Road Middle school, you can view a good portion of the course from anywhere you stand.
If you plan to watch all of the races, you may be outside for 1-2 hours, depending on how many races are being held. Be sure to dress accordingly.
Will I recognize my skier?
All of the skiers wear a bib number in each race, so it’s good to know your skier’s number. Each ski team has different uniforms, so you can usually tell a Fairport skier from other teams…but it is difficult at times to tell one Fairport skier from another until they are very close to you – or after they whizz by you. We often just cheer generically “Go Fairport!” Some skiers wear unique, colorful hats or bright gloves that make them distinguishable from others.
Why do people yell "track" when they're skiing?
Good Nordic ski manners call for a slower skier to step aside to allow a faster skier to pass. This applies to recreational skiing as well as racing. It applies to skate as well as classical skiing. The faster skier calls out, "Track!" to alert the front skier to move aside.
How do the skiers keep warm in just their race suit while waiting for races to start?
This is one area where you may be able to help your skier. They keep the warm ups on until the last minute; they have to take off their skis to get the pants off. When it’s really cold, parents bring fleece blankets to races and the skiers keep them over their shoulders until the race starts. At these races, parents are asked to help at the start line getting/retrieving blankets. This year will require social distancing and no sharing.
What is the "Hot Meal Share" for races? (Not possible for the 2020-2021 season. Bring your own food this season.)
Nordic skiing is one of the most demanding sports out there. High school kids do not tend to prepare for the demand on their bodies by having the appropriate recovery food/drink in their bag. About 8 years ago, some parents noticed that their sons (no girls were on the team at that time) were losing weight during ski season and couldn’t afford to do so. At that time, a recovery meal rotation was implemented for the 8-10 team members.
The "Hot Meal Share" has grown since then to one of the most appreciated aspects of the sport among the skiers (and has been admired by other ski teams who don’t have such an offering.) See the Food & Recipes page for more info.
How does the "Hot Meal Share" work?
In general, each family is assigned to supply a hot meal, bread, and hot drink once per season. Families of senior skiers or families with more than one skier may be on the schedule more frequently. For a team of 20 skiers plus two coaches, a hot meal consists of approximately 1½ gallons of soup, chili, stew, or goulash placed hot in an insulated container supplied by the Booster Club. The drink is 3 gallons of warm Gatorade or cider (hot cocoa could be provided, but only if everyone can tolerate gluten) in a 5 gallon drink container supplied by the Booster Club. Bread is 3 loaves of any kind of sliced bread or bagels.
It is important that each family keep track of their food assignments.
Let the Booster Club representative know if your skier has allergies or special dietary needs (e.g. gluten-free).
See our Food & Recipes page for recipes and more info.
If you cannot supply something, please communicate with the Booster Club representative, even at the last minute, so that someone can help make sure the skiers have recovery food.
Where do I get the "Hot Meal Share" containers?
The containers are stored in the team room at the high school. There are 3 hot food containers (2 gallons each) and one hot drink container (5 gallons).
What about cups, spoons and soup ladles?
The Booster Club provides these items. Soup ladles are in the team room. There are pre-counted packages in the team room that include 2 cups per skier (drink and hot food cup), spoon, paper towels, and garbage bag.
When you provide the hot meal, be sure to remind your skier that it is their responsibility to grab a bag with the cups and a soup ladle to put on the bus.
If they forget this, the whole team could lose out on enjoying the meal/drink.
The day before you are to supply the hot meal or drink, you or your skier should pick up a hot food or drink container from the team room.
Make your food or drink (recipes and how to’s on the Food & Recipes page)
Fill the food container to no more than 1-2 inches from the top; the drink container with 4 gallons.
Take the filled food or drink container to the high school on the day of the bus trip by 3:00 p.m. Have your skier get a soup ladle and cups from the team room. If you are unable to get the hot food/drink to the high school due to work or other reasons, you can contact another team parent to see if they can help you out.
When you pick up your skier after the bus trip, you should take the food container, the soup ladle and any leftovers home. Clean the container and ladle and return them to the team room the next day.
If you are unable to take the container back to the school the next day, contact the next person who will be using the container and let them know that you have it. That way they will not go looking for it in the team room.
When and where is the team banquet? (The 2020 - 2021 season banquet will not be held - An alternative will be planned.)
The banquet is typically held in March after the season ends. For the past few years, we have hosted a pot luck banquet at the Perinton Community Center. The pot luck is enjoyable, as there is a wide variety of good food in a relaxing atmosphere. The team and parents have enjoyed it more than the typical banquet and saves cost.
I’ve heard some different acronyms; how do they apply to me…NYSSRA, NYSPHSAA, ESG, JO, JOQ, RXCSF, States, Easterns? We can’t ski out of the section as a team, but there may be other race opportunities as skiers become stronger and more competitive.
Also see additional information on the Useful Links page.
NYSPHSAA: New York State Public High School Athletic Association. Fairport Schools are in Section V (five) of NYSPHSAA. "States" is the NYS Skiing Championship competition in which each section of the state sends their top 12 male and top 12 female skiers. States have often been held in Lake Placid. Section V has hosted the state races at Bristol and Harriet Hollister in recent years.
NYSSRA: New York State Ski Racing Association is the governing body for NY ski racing. You must be a member of NYSSRA to participate in certain races, e.g. Empire State Games. NYSSRA Championships are held in late February or early March in Lake Placid (Super sprints and 25km classic races). JO’s/JOQ’s: Junior Olympics and Junior Olympic Qualifiers. The Junior Olympics is a United States Ski Association (USSA) sponsored event for experienced competitive skiers. Skiers must qualify by racing in a specified number of JOQ races and must be a member of the USSA. More information can be found through the NYSSRA website.
ESG: Empire State Games. New York state’s version of the Olympic Games. The winter games are held in Lake Placid (how appropriate!). In order to participate, you have to qualify by racing in a couple of “ESG qualifiers”; a few are held in Rochester. The top 60 male and female high school student finishers in the qualifying races are invited to attend the games. The past few years, everyone who participated in the requisite number of qualifying races was invited to participate (there were less than 60 males and 60 females who raced in the qualifiers).