Update 6: Friday, Sept 27, 2019

Winter approaches.  Our pre-season preparation continues with ski swaps this weekend, the opening of our MAST apparel sale, and our MAST Information Meeting on October 8th.  
 
MAST Equipment Swap and Tuning Clinic

• Saturday, September 28, 9:00AM-Noon (equipment check-in at 8:30am).
• Location: 4800 Harriet Ave South
• Tuning Clinics at 9:30 and 10:45.  
• Pick-Up: Noon-1PM. For those selling equipment, please return any time before 1pm to collect your proceeds or gear.  If you are unavailable during this time period, please call Mark to make other arrangements.
• Attached is a sales form you can use to sell your gear.

All athletes need to learn how to sharpen and wax your own skis.  Parents are encouraged to learn how to do this as well.    We will be offering two clinics on Saturday to teach parents and athletes how to tune skis properly.    If your skis are not tuned regularly, you will not progress in the sport.  Your skis will become dull quickly and you will slip and slide your turns in the courses.  Your skis will dry out and your skis will drag instead of glide over the snow.   Learn to keep your edges sharp and your bases waxed so you can enjoy every moment of your racing experience and advance in the sport as quickly as possible.  
 
MAST Apparel and Swag Store Is OPEN!
A big thank you to our captains and to Gail Arnold and Susan Peterson for putting together a wonderful collection of apparel and other useful MAST memorabilia. Many of the items they have designed celebrate our 20 years of existence as THE alpine ski team of Minneapolis Public Schools.  All apparel can be purchased online.  The apparel sale will close on October 18th, so please don’t procrastinate.  
Here is a link: MAST Apparel Sale.
 
The captains will also be selling MAST ski straps, coffee mugs, stickers, and patches at MAST gatherings throughout the Fall.   Bring a checkbook or cash to the Swap tomorrow or to the information meeting on October 8th --just in case you like what you see.    I think you will.  I’ve attached a photo of the stickers, patches and mugs we are selling offline.
 
Registration Is OPEN!
We have 87 athletes registered for MAST.  Of these registrants, 25 are new to the team and 17 are in the 7th grade and 4 are in 8th.  Welcome to all – both our veterans and our rookies.  
If you have not yet registered and know for certain that you will be racing with us this Winter, I encourage you to register in the next week or two.  If you are still undecided, feel free to give me a call if I can answer any questions or twist your arm in any way.   Here is a link to the MAST Registration Page. 
 
MAST Team Fundraiser: Pierce Oktoberfest Hot Dog Stand

• Friday, October 4-Sunday, October 6.

Thank you to everyone who has signed up to date to grill hot dogs and help us with this easy fundraiser.   No nostril stinging noxious smells.  Just a fun, easy going atmosphere celebrating the joys of skiing.  Shifts remain open.  Please consider helping out.  
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)

If you are new to MAST, please join us for this very important orientation meeting. Both athletes and parents will find it beneficial.    We will cover an array of topics that will answer most, if not all, of the questions you currently have and many that you never knew to ask.  
 
Reminders:

• The Buck Hill Ski Swap opens tonight.  Follow this link for more information: Buck Hill Ski Swap: September 27-29.  If you are going to Buck, bring my phone number along and feel free to call me if you want to discuss a particular item you are considering for purchase.
• Hyland Season Pass Payment is due by October 15.  If you have not purchased your season pass to Hyland Hills and wish to order your pass through MAST, please send a $424 check made payable to Mpls Alpine Ski Team: 4800 Harriet Ave. S., 55419.   Attached is a list of athletes who have already purchased a pass through MAST, either in the Spring or in the last couple of weeks.   I know some of you are securing a pass directly from Hyland, so you can disregard this message if that is your situation.

And don’t forget to explore our website.  www.mplsalpineski.org
 
Mark Conway
612-275-8392