Junior Nationals 2026

SHS Nordic Team Wraps Up an Incredible Season

The SHS Nordic team has wrapped up an incredibly successful ski season, despite the unusually warm and dry winter that Wyoming has experienced. 

Just one week after the boys winning the state championships and Kayley the individual Skate race, five Sheridan athletes were headed for Junior Nationals in Cable, WI:

• Justin McDowell – Sheridan College, U20

• Kayley Alicke – SHS Senior, U18

• Abe Hughes – SHS Junior, U18

• Kade Shideman – SHS Sophomore, U16

• Macey Alicke – SHS Freshman, U16

These athletes, along with 17 other others, lead by Coach Alicke as well as Coaches Johannson from Casper, Sandall from Lander, and Siegel from Jackson, represented High Plains Nordic Club at the 2026 XC Junior National Championships, hosted by the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation in Cable, WI, March 7–14. Teams from 10 divisions representing all of US skiing were treated to an Olympic-style athlete parade and opening ceremony on Sunday evening before starting a week of racing.

The competition spanned four competition days against the nation’s top skiers on challenging courses. Early in the week, athletes battled slushy trails due to warm temps leading up to race week. Later, dropping temperatures created icy conditions, followed by over a foot of snow with sub-zero temps on Saturday—ultimately providing fantastic conditions to finish the week. The grooming staff worked tirelessly, often re-grooming trails every two hours through the night, ensuring pristine racing conditions each day. Waxing expertise was critical, as constantly changing snow conditions required careful preparation. Thank you to Bjorn and Kris Hanson with OutThereNordic for taking care of the High Plains teams’ waxing needs all week!

The athletes’ race schedule began with a 5K/7.5K skate ski race on Monday. Kade Shideman was the highest placing HP male athlete, finishing 31st—a big accomplishment for his first Junior Nationals. Despite the warm temperatures, the athletes stayed focused, raced smart, and delivered outstanding performances.

Wednesday featured classic sprints, a fast-paced, knockout-format race still new to many Wyoming athletes. While no HP skiers advanced, this event gave them valuable experience for sprint-style racing—a skill our coaches have been emphasizing this season. The athletes continue to make progress, knowing that big improvements take more than a year to achieve, even as they raced alongside some of the fastest skiers in the nation.

Snow finally arrived Thursday night into Friday, transforming the week into a “Snowmania adventure,” as Coach Alicke described it. Over eight inches of fresh powder fell overnight and snowfall continued throughout the race day, creating exciting conditions for Day 3: a classic mass-start race. The U18 athletes skied 11.2K, the U20 skied a grueling 14.5K in near-blizzard conditions, and the U16 finished 7.9K with less wind and snow. Watching athletes compete head-to-head on the famous Birkie trails was a highlight of the week.

Saturday concluded with mixed relays, a favorite event for athletes as they raced alongside teammates. Sheridan athletes had prepared strategically all year for Junior Nationals—hours of summer roller skiing, VO2 max and lactate threshold testing, early morning strength training, and long skierg sessions—followed by weeknight and weekend snow training when conditions allowed. Their dedication paid off, and Sheridan athletes shined among their High Plains teammates.

Senior and three-time Junior National qualifier Kayley Alicke expressed her enthusiasm after the final race: “I wish it wasn’t over—I just want to keep skiing!” This reflects the original goal of Coach Alicke when he took over the SHS program four years ago: to create a passion for the sport that athletes carry with them for life.

On behalf of all Sheridan athletes and families, a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who contributed financially to the trip. The Sheridan Nordic community played a key role in creating these memorable experiences. As the week wound down, athletes were all smiles—proud of their performances, motivated for off-season training, and ready for next season to showcase their hard work once again.

— Libby Alicke, wife, mom & Nordic ski supporter