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Dear MAST Families:
A couple of quick follow up notes to Update #5.
Enjoy this beautiful day. Mark MAST Update #5
Monday, September 16, 2019 Dear Athletes, Parents, and Coaches: Registration Is OPEN! Registration for the alpine ski team of the Mpls Public Schools is a two-step process. The first step is to become a member of the Mpls Alpine Ski Team. The second step is to register with your high school’s athletic department. Here is a link to the MAST Registration Page to become a member of the Mpls Alpine Ski Team and complete the first step in the registration process. Be sure to read through the entire set of instructions before registering. Letter to MAST Families From Pierce Skate and Ski and MAST Equipment Night at Pierce Skate and Ski Wednesday, September 18, 5:00-9:00PM Please read the attached letter from Bart Pierce. Pierce is offering deeper discounts to MAST athletes through mid-October. And if you are free on Wednesday evening, you are encouraged to attend the MAST Equipment Night at Pierce. This is a great opportunity to get properly matched with boots and skis and whatever else you need for the upcoming season. Several MAST coaches will be on hand to lend a hand. You don’t have to do this, but it would be helpful if you can let us know you will be attending and what your equipment needs are. Here is a link: https://www.mplsalpineski.org/pierce-equipment-night-september-18-2019.html Don’t Forget: MAST Ice Cream Social Sunday, September 22, 4:30-6:00PM MAST Equipment Swap and Tuning Clinic Saturday, September 28, 9:00AM-Noon (equipment check-in at 8:30am). Tuning Clinics at 9:30 and 10:45. MAST Team Fundraiser: Pierce Oktoberfest Hot Dog Stand Friday, October 4-Sunday, October 6. To sign up to work a shift, please click HERE: Pierce Oktoberfest Grilling Sign UP. MAST Information Meeting Tuesday, October 8, 7-8:30PM Fuller Park Rec Center (48th and Grand Ave S) And don’t forget to explore our website. It’s a good week to look at the pages under the EQUIPMENT header. www.mplsalpineski.org Look forward to seeing you on the 22nd. Mark Conway 612-275-8392 Dear Athletes, Parents, and Coaches:
Hoigaards Tent Sale Team Fundraiser Friday, September 13-16 MAST athletes and parents have already started working at the Hoigaards Tent Sale with set up. Just a quick reminder that the sale begins tomorrow (Friday, September 13). It looks like there are still a few open shifts if people want to still sign up to work. Here is a link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084eafaf2ba1fd0-hoigaards2 For those who have already signed up to work, please check to confirm when you are working. It looks like MAST parents and athletes filled the vast majority of slots (which is wonderful), so please be sure to show up or find a replacement if you have an emergency that requires missing a shift. MAST Equipment Night at Pierce Skate and Ski Wednesday, September 18, 5:00-9:00PM If you need equipment, this is a great opportunity to get properly matched with boots and skis and whatever else you need for the upcoming season. Several MAST coaches will be on hand to lend a hand. You don’t have to do this, but it would be helpful if you can let us know you will be attending and what your equipment needs are. Here is a link that you can follow to tell us you will be coming to Pierce on Sept 18th: https://www.mplsalpineski.org/pierce-equipment-night-september-18-2019.html MAST Ice Cream Social Sunday, September 22, 4:30-6:00PM All MAST families and coaches are invited to attend the MAST Ice Cream Social on Sunday, September 22 at Beard’s Plaisance. See the attached flyer for more details. It is worth printing. You’ll see why when you open it. It will look great on your fridge. MAST Equipment Swap and Tuning Clinic Saturday, September 28, 9:00AM-Noon (equipment check-in at 8:30am). If you want to sell or purchase used equipment, MAST will be holding its own Equipment Swap on Saturday, September 28 at 4800 Harriet Ave. S. For those parents and athletes who need to learn how to tune skis (sharpen edges and wax bases), there will be two tuning sessions that morning as well—9:30 and 10:45. MAST Team Fundraiser: Pierce Oktoberfest Hot Dog Stand Friday, October 4-Sunday, October 6. MAST is once again serving hot dogs (after grilling them first) at the Pierce Skate and Ski Oktoberfest event. We need 2-3 people to work each shift. This is a very easy job. You will grill and serve hot dogs to shoppers who stop by the store that weekend. Our Pierce Oktoberfest Fundraising Chairperson is Alicia Vap, mother of Eleanor and Elliot. Thank you Alicia for your help on this. To sign up to work a shift, please click HERE: Pierce Oktoberfest Grilling Sign UP. Please note that we need to carefully follow some simple health safety rules when working this fundraiser. You will need to wear a hat or hair netting at all times. You will also need to wear plastic disposable gloves whenever you serve a customer or handle the food. Please leave your pets at home. The health inspector does not want to see a dog hanging around the food tent. The health inspector will show up, possibly multiple times, so please follow these rules and any others that I might be missing. I believe there will be some instructions posted at the grilling tent so please read these when you arrive for your shift. I would ask that you wear a MAST shirt or sweatshirt if you have one. Thank you in advance for working. The money we raise by working this event helps us keep the team fee low and cover some of our operational expenses (i.e. race entry fees, flex gates for training, etc). MAST Information Meeting Tuesday, October 8, 7-8:30PM Fuller Park Rec Center (48th and Grand Ave S) All new parents and athletes are invited and encouraged to attend the MAST Information Meeting on Tuesday, Oct 8. Returning families are invited as well, especially if you missed last year’s information meeting. This is an important opportunity to learn about ski racing, equipment, MAST training and race schedules, camp, expectations, Sprongo, and so much more. You will go away intellectually stimulated and spiritually inspired. You will want to start skiing that night. You will want to tell all your friends and neighbors about MAST. Parents will wish they had pursued a career in ski coaching. Okay, maybe I am overselling it a bit, but you should attend so you are informed. Warning: it will feel a little bit like “drinking from a firehose” as the saying goes. Our website continues to get updated. Please take some time to poke around on the many headers and pages so you are familiar with our site and can find the information you need quickly once the season gets going. www.mplsalpineski.org Finally, attached is a letter that Coach Willie wrote to all of you. Willie joined MAST last year as a coach. He was an excellent addition to our staff and our athletes benefitted greatly from his enthusiasm, knowledge, and support. As you will see, Willie has decided that he needs to follow his long time dream to live and work in the mountains as a ski patrol while he is still young. Consequently, Willie will not be returning to coach this season, although he promises me that he will be back in a couple of years and will pick up where he left off. Please be sure to read Willie’s letter to you. Please join me in thanking Willie for becoming part of the MAST community. We hope to see you on the hill again with us soon. Be safe and bring some of that Minnesota MAST goodness to Utah. I look forward to seeing everyone soon. Mark Conway 612-275-8392 Dear Athletes, Parents, and Coaches:
The smell of GOAT is finally exiting my olfactory sensory neurons (okay, I had to look that up). What a great night of team building and fundraising. I want to give a heartfelt thank you to all the parents, athletes, coaches and even non-racer siblings who came out to the Fair and helped clean up after the lively goat population of Minnesota. The place once again looked great once you worked your magic. Now that school has started, things are heating up at MAST headquarters. Please read, absorb, and mark up your calendar accordingly. Equipment This is URGENT ISSUE #1. All MAST athletes need SLALOM RACE EQUIPMENT. This means slalom race skis (as opposed to GS skis or all mountain skis or park skis). All athletes also need race boots that fit properly and have the appropriate FLEX number for your strength and experience level. You will also require appropriate clothing for skiing in very cold conditions and protective gear like a race helmet, pole guards, shin guards and possibly a mouth guard. You can find a lot of information about the equipment you need online at our website. Here is a link: MAST Equipment. Be sure to download the MAST Guide to Buying Skis and Boots. If you are new to ski racing, you will likely want to first consider finding as much USED equipment as you can. It is steeply discounted in price over buying new. There are a number of ski swaps coming up in September and October where you can find used race equipment.
Wednesday, September 18, 5-9PM MAST Equipment Night at Pierce Skate and Ski If you are a returning skier and you are ready to buy new, I strongly encourage you to visit Pierce Skate and Ski in Bloomington. The Pierce Staff will NOT mislead you. During the months of September through mid-October, Pierce offers discounted pricing (25-40% off the suggested retail price) on skis, boots, bindings, poles and other race equipment. Warning: it is still very expensive, as it is anywhere. Pierce is once again setting aside the evening of Wednesday, September 18 for MAST athletes to get properly sized and matched with equipment by the Pierce sales staff. Extra staff will be on hand to serve our athletes. They will not be accepting appointments from anyone else that evening. I will be there as well to assist and possibly a few other MAST coaches will be there to help as well. If you think you will be attending the Pierce Equipment Night on September 18, please complete the Pierce Equipment Night RSVP Form. This will help the store with staffing and preparation for the night. Be sure to arrive no later than 8PM so that the staff has time to assist you fully before the store closes at 9PM. If you cannot attend the MAST Equipment Night at Pierce, you can either call ahead to make an appointment for another night with one of their sales staff (I recommend asking for Tyler, Dave Hinz, or Dave Anderson, but all are knowledgeable and well trained). Be sure to bring a video clip of yourself skiing. This helps the salesperson determine which make and model best fits your skill sets and aggressiveness. Sunday, September 22, 4:30-6PM MAST Ice Cream Social at Beards’ Plaisance We are changing things up a bit for our annual fall picnic. Instead of holding a bbq and potluck, we are serving ice cream in conjunction with a meet and greet between athletes, coaches, board members, new families and returning families. All MAST families are invited. Bring your whole family. Yup, we are going to spoil your appetite for dinner. Please mark the date and time in your family calendar. We will have a very informal and short meeting during the social to highlight a few notes of importance. Saturday, September 28, 9AM-Noon MAST Equipment Swap and Tuning Clinic at 4800 Harriet Ave. (Mark’s house). Once again, we are giving our families an opportunity to sell their used gear and to help athletes find equipment that might serve their needs for the season. We are also adding a tuning clinic for anyone who wants to learn how to tune skis properly. We will open up equipment check-in at 8:30AM. Please bring any used equipment or apparel that you would like to sell at this time. MAST coaches will be on hand to help athletes find the appropriate size, make, and model. This is also a great way to learn about what to look for in equipment so that if you go to a SWAP at a local ski area you will be better informed. The tuning clinic will start at 9:30AM. If there is enough interest, a second one will be held at 10:45AM. If you do not know how to tune your skis (sharpen the edges, wax the bases), or if you need a refresher, this is your opportunity to learn. So, even if you are all set with equipment, you might want to keep the morning of September 28th open to learn how to tune skis. MAST Team Fundraiser: Pierce Skate and Ski Oktoberfest-- October 4-6, 2019. Once again, MAST will be grilling and serving hot dogs at the Pierce Skate and Ski Oktoberfest from Friday, October 4 through Sunday, October 6, 2019. Shifts are a little over two hours in length and require a minimum of two people per shift. One adult is required per shift to supervise the work. Note that shifts are available during the school day on Friday. Parents, we will need your help to fill these spots since the athletes are in school. Look for information about signing up to work a shift in the next email. Tuesday, October 8, 7:00-8:30PM MAST Parent-Athlete Information Session at Fuller Park. If you are new to MAST, please plan on attending. If you are a returning MAST athlete or parent who did not attend one of these sessions in the past, you might want to attend as well. This evening is designed to educate parents and athletes about our sport and our team: fees and expenses, practices and camps, races, equipment, philosophy and policies, tuning, Sprongo, etc. Please set aside the evening of Oct 8th and spread the word to anyone who is interested. At least one parent from each family should plan to attend. If you have a conflict that evening, please CALL Mark Conway to get brought up to speed. Website Don’t forget to check our website regularly: www.mplsalpineski.org Athletes: if you are not in a Fall sport, the coaches STRONGLY encourage you to get outside a minimum of 4-7 days a week to exercise. Run, bike, skate, lift weights, sprint hills or stairs, exercise your core. If you need ideas for getting strong and fit for the upcoming season, please get ahold of me. Have a great weekend. Mark Conway Head Coach, MAST 612-275-8392 [email protected] Good Evening MAST Families:
Winter Is Coming! Let's clean the barn on Monday to celebrate. State Fair Admission Tickets for those planning to work the MAST State Fair Barn Cleaning Fundraiser will be available for pick up starting at 7AM Wednesday, August 28. Tickets will be available on from my front stoop from 6:30AM-10PM Wednesday through Sunday and from 6:30AM-Noon on Monday (Labor Day). Ticket Pick Up Wednesday through Monday, September 2, Noon Tickets will be available at the home of Coach Mark. 4800 Harriet Ave. South (Across from Fuller Park)
Please pick up your tickets no later Noon on Monday (Labor Day, Sept 2). Thank you to all who will be helping to clean the goat barn. This is the first fundraiser of the year and a great team builder as well. New athletes and families are welcome. If you have any questions, please call me at 612-275-8392. See you Monday. Mark Conway Dear MAST Families:
Below is a link to sign up for the Hoigaard’s tent sale individual fundraiser. For those of you new to MAST and this individual fundraiser, there is more information below the link. This has been sent out to other ski teams too, so sign up ASAP if you want to participate! Sign Up Hoigaard’s Tent Sale Information: The Hoigaard’s Tent Sale is right around the corner: Friday-Sunday, September 13-15! Again this year, we will NOT be staffing the concession stand, but Hoigaard’s is again inviting MAST athletes and parents to work the tent sale, either with SET-UP on Sunday-Wednesday (Sept. 8-11) or with the sale itself, Friday-Sunday (Sept. 13-15), see link above. Hoigaard’s will pay MAST $10 an hour for each volunteer who works. MAST will then apply that money to your personal fees (team fee, camp fee, supplemental training fee, etc.). The individual sales role includes restocking inventory, organizing equipment and clothing, greeting customers or bagging their purchases and in some cases actually selling items after some brief training on sizing and the difference between certain products. A few notes about working the tent sale:
We consistently get compliments from fundraising partners about our team’s enthusiasm and work ethic…let’s keep it up! If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to call or email: Matt McConville: 612.802.9560, email: [email protected] Matt Arbeiter: 612.802.2614, email: [email protected] Thank you, Matt McConville and Matt Arbeiter Dear Athletes, Parents, and Coaches:
The MAST Board of Directors and Coaches are working behind the scenes to prepare for the upcoming Alpine season. I want to give you a quick update. Hoigaards INDIVIDUAL Fundraiser The LINK to sign up to work the Hoigaards Tent Sale Individual Fundraiser just arrived and I just sent it to you via a separate email two minutes ago. Here is that link again: Hoigaards Tent Sale Volunteer Sign UP. If you are thinking about signing up, make a decision sooner than later. These slots fill. MAST Information Meeting: Tuesday, October 8, 2019 from 7-8:30PM at Fuller Park Rec Center The MAST Information Meeting scheduled for October 8th is for new parents and athletes to learn more about our sport and our team: fees and expenses, practices and camps, races, equipment, philosophy and policies, etc. Please set aside the evening of Oct 8th and spread the word to anyone who is interested. At least one parent from each family should plan to attend. If you have a conflict that evening, please CALL Mark Conway to get brought up to speed. MAST TEAM Fundraiser: State Fair Barn Cleaning Fundraiser on Labor Day Thank you to everyone who has already signed up to work the State Fair Fundraiser. Attached is a roster of everyone who is signed up. We still need and want volunteers so please sign up n the next week. As soon as the Fair releases the admission tickets, I will let you know. You will be able to pick them up from my house. Here is the announcement again: Once again, we are returning to the State Fair on Monday, September 2, 2019 to clean the Goat Barn. All athletes, parents, alums, coaches, and friends of MAST are encouraged to assist. Last year we had over 100 volunteers who gained free admission to the Fair and then spent 2.5 – 3 hours cleaning out the barn. It was a little stinky but still a great team building and fundraising opportunity. Click HERE for more information and to SIGN UP. Website Don’t forget to check our website regularly: www.mplsalpineski.org Save the Dates Sunday, September 22: MAST Picnic at Beards’ Plaisance Saturday, September 28: MAST Equipment Swap, 9AM-Noon at 4800 Harriet Ave. Sell, donate, and/or purchase used equipment and apparel. Knowledgeable coaches, parents and athletes will be on hand to help fit and match you with the most appropriate equipment. Other Equipment Swaps Buck Hill Ski Swap: September 27-29 Afton Alps Ski Swap: Oct 4-6 Team Gilboa (Hyland Hills): October 25-26 Monday, November 11, 2019: High School Alpine Season Opens Monday, December 30, 6AM-Thursday, January 2, 2020, 10PM: Giants Ridge Camp Ski Tuning Workshop: Saturday, September 28, Time: TBD We are adding one more activity to the MAST Equipment Swap on September 28: A ski tuning clinic for parents and athletes. If you do not know how to tune your skis (sharpen the edges, wax the bases), or if you need a refresher, this is your opportunity to learn. Look for more details in the next Update. So, even if you are all set with equipment, you might want to keep the morning of September 28th open to learn how to tune skis. Sorry, not as brief as I thought it would be. Mark Conway Head Coach, MAST 612-275-8392 [email protected] Dear Athletes, Parents, and Coaches:
Welcome to a new season of high school ski racing. Although it is pleasant 83 degrees outside, it is now time to start getting organized for 20th season of operation for the Minneapolis Alpine Ski Team. I know, it sounds crazy. But our sport is quite a bit more complicated to administer than other sports. If you are new, you will only fully understand this statement in February and March. You will also know by then that it is the best sport to play. Welcome NEW Parents and Athletes If you are receiving your first MAST Update, WELCOME! I encourage you to read these updates carefully because each one is filled with detailed information about such matters as team fundraisers, equipment, training, racing, parent involvement and, of course, registration. Also, I would ask you to fill out a short form that will allow me to add your athlete to our roster as well as any contact information you would be willing to share. This will help the MAST Board and coaches plan for the upcoming season. Filling out the form does not in any way commit your athlete to joining MAST. We simply want to know who is interested so we can plan well for the upcoming season. Here is a link to that Athlete Contact Information Form: MAST ATHLETE CONTACT INFORMATION FORM. If in the end you decide not to join MAST, just let me know and I will remove you from our distribution list and provisional roster. Welcome Returning Athletes and Families Daniel and I have had the good fortune of working with many of you these last eight weeks in our summer strength and conditioning program. How fun it is to watch you improve your speed, agility, endurance, balance and strength. I look forward to seeing the rest of you in the weeks and months ahead as we commence our fundraising, social, and “getting organized” events. If you are NOT planning on returning to MAST, please call me or send me an email. I hope everyone is returning, but I know that every year a handful of people decide to pursue other interests, move, or even transfer schools. On some rare occasions, some athlets decide they just don’t want to ever be cold again. 2019-2020 MAST Fact Sheet Attached is an updated MAST Fact Sheet. I especially encourage the new families to read this over carefully and then to call or email if you have any questions. MAST Information Meeting Date(s) are not yet set, but know that we will be holding one or two MAST information meetings this fall for new parents and athletes to learn more about our sport and our team: practices and camps, races, equipment, philosophy and policies, etc. Website A few of us are in the process of updating the MAST website. The home page is finished, and we will steadily update the other pages over the next three weeks and then as needed through the end of the season. I encourage you to check our website regularly. www.mplsalpineski.org MAST TEAM Fundraiser: State Fair Barn Cleaning Fundraiser on Labor Day Once again, we are returning to the State Fair on Monday, September 2, 2019 to clean the Goat Barn. All athletes, parents, alums, coaches, and friends of MAST are encouraged to assist. Last year we had over 100 volunteers who gained free admission to the Fair and then spent 2.5 – 3 hours cleaning out the barn. It was a little stinky but still a great team building and fundraising opportunity. Click HERE for more information and to SIGN UP. Hoigaards INDIVIDUAL Fundraiser The Hoigaards Tent Sale will be held on September 13, 14, 15. Athletes 14 years of age and older along with parents are invited to volunteer to work one or more Tent Sale shifts (4 hours, and earn $10/hour for MAST. MAST will credit your account for the amount you earn for MAST and then you can use that money to fund such things are your team fee, Giants Ridge Camp fee, supplemental training costs, apparel purchases and banquet tickets. Hoigaards Tent Sale Volunteer Sign Up will open on Friday, August 9. I will send a link out to the team as soon as Hoigaards releases the link. Note that these shifts fill quickly. Other high school ski teams are also signing up. One caution: sign up only if you are certain you can fill the spot. It is not cool to sign up and then cancel on Hoigaards later. We know emergencies happen, but that should be the only reason for cancelling. Thanks. Save the Dates Sunday, September 22: MAST Picnic at Beards’ Plaisance Saturday, September 28: MAST Equipment Swap, 9AM-Noon at 4800 Harriet Ave. Sell, donate, and/or purchase used equipment and apparel. Knowledgeable coaches, parents and athletes will be on hand to help fit and match you with the most appropriate equipment. Other Equipment Swaps Buck Hill Ski Swap: September 27-29 Afton Alps Ski Swap: Oct 4-6 Team Gilboa (Hyland Hills): October 25-26 Monday, November 11, 2019: High School Alpine Season Opens Monday, December 30, 6AM-Thursday, January 2, 2020, 10PM: Giants Ridge Camp Registration Registration for MAST is a two-step process. You will take the first step of registering with MAST, the non-profit that manages the day to day operations of the team, in September. You will take the second step in October when you register with your high school athletic department. I will give you more information about how and when to register in a subsequent email update. However, if you are new to MAST and to high school athletics, download the attached MPS Physical Examination Form and print it out. You will need your son’s or daughter’s physician to complete and sign this form as part of the second step of the registration process. If your child has a doctor appointment coming up yet this summer or fall, be sure to bring this form along. Eventually, it will need to be turned in with your other registration forms to your high school (not middle school) athletic director. If your child is not scheduled to visit his or her physician before these forms are due in October, check with your health care provider about how to get these forms completed and signed. Make sure your physician uses the Physical Examination Form specific to MPS. As you can see, much ground was covered. We are now officially rolling. Enjoy the rest of your summer. Mark Conway Head Coach, MAST 612-275-8392 [email protected] Hello Athletes and Parents:
Below are some additional details regarding summer strength and conditioning. Summer strength and conditioning is scheduled to begin Monday, June 10th, and will continue all summer until the fall sports season begins. Where: Southwest Track and Field (49th and Zenith) When: Monday, Wednesday,Thursday from 4:30-5:45 Cost: $75 Donation to MAST What: Improve your endurance, strength, agility, and speed. Learn proper lifting technique using free weights. Below are athletes who have stated they are interested in summer training. If you are interested and your name is not below please send an email to Daniel Polland ([email protected]). More information about how to register will be emailed next week. Addie Streble Anne McConville Braeden Dahmes Devin Svedahl Eleanor Vap Eli Showalter-Loch Ella Horgan Elliot Vap Erik Arnold Gabby Harritt Jack Moore Jack Bajack Jonas Geere Josie Spanier Kai Lamb Kate Moore Leo Spanier Makeen Makouri Maximus Davis Meghan Abel Nahlah Makouri Quinn Jurek Ryan Arnold Simon Showalter-Loch Sonia Svedahl Good Morning MAST!
I am happy to report that our athletes had a very good day yesterday at Giants Ridge competing in the Minnesota State High School Alpine Championships. Not everyone had the result they had hoped to achieve, but everyone gave it everything they had. For many, things came together well. For a few others, bad luck prevailed and thwarted their good efforts. The Washburn Boys placed 2nd in the team competition, only one point ahead of 3rd place Minnetonka and seven behind first place Edina. The Southwest Girls also landed on the podium, tying Minnetonka for 3rd place. Both teams earned big trophies to add to their school’s trophy case. Here are some highlights.
Congratulations to all of our athletes. You worked very hard to earn a spot on your school’s section team. When one of your teammates struggled at Sections or State, others stepped up to score points. You sacrificed individual success for team success. Skiing as a team is what makes high school racing so unique and so fun. Great job everyone. Even those of you who did not have your best day yesterday. The logistics of taking fourteen racers and three alternates to State on a limited budget proved a bit complicated but with the help of our awesome coaches and parents, we got it done. Thank you to Kelly and Christine for driving up in the snow storm with all our food and getting the kids fed on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Not sure how we could have managed without you two. Thanks to Doug and his crew for working the tent and organizing the awesome lunch for everyone. I will get video posted today so you can see all of our athletes’ performances and get a sense of the wonderful atmosphere at State. Needless to say, our coaches were awesome... Daniel and Matthew and Joel (driving the trailer) and Gary all transported athletes to and from Mpls/Lodging/GR, slept on cots and air mattresses, worked tirelessly on the hill and off, and kept things positive and supportive. Willie took a day off of work to drive up with Charlie and brought his usual enthusiasm and energy. And, of course, Charlie put himself on course crew to help keep the track clean for our racers in the back of the pack. Christine filmed all the girls and Kelly offered support at the start and finish line all day. I also want to thank the alternates for their support these last two days: Wilson Psotka, Ella Horgan, and Mae Niebuhr. They were able to train with the team on Tuesday and were well prepared to race in case they were called on to do so. They were great support to their teammates all day yesterday. We also had a big group of parents and fans at the finish line to cheer on our athletes. It was wonderful to have Emmet Sutton, Charlie Smith and last year’s co-captain Peyton Smith all in attendance to offer their support. It was truly a community effort. We need to savor this success. It doesn't come easy. There are simply too many unforgiving dangers in skiing to thwart a team's goals. Caught tips. Binding pre-releasing. Hip checks. Missed placed pole plant between the legs. Finally, I want to thank all of you who could not make it up to The Ridge yesterday. Even though you couldn’t attend, your efforts this season made this day possible. To the athletes, you pushed your teammates to work hard every day in practice and at races. You made your teammates better and prepared them to face the best competition in the state this week. Thank you to our MAST Board of Directors for all your work over the past twelve months. You made yesterday possible through your hard work behind the scenes. Thank you to Sally and Becca and the volunteer coaches for your tireless work all season long. We have a wonderful group of young athletes well prepared to step up to varsity next year as our seniors move onto college. And thank you parents for entrusting your students to our program. You offered endless support and encouragement all season long, and you endured all of my emails that never seem to end. As you know, we are having the best Winter ever. Don’t start wishing for Spring. Go ski and enjoy this lifetime sport. Athletes: if your parents don’t ski, offer to teach them how. And if they do, gently teach them some of the skills you learned this year. And be sure to thank your parents for all of their financial, logistical, and emotional support. Not everyone is so fortunate to have parents as supportive as yours. See you at the Banquet on Sunday, March 17. Details to come. Mark |
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