Update 8: Monday, November 19, 2018

Mpls Alpine Ski Team
Update 8: Week Two--Monday, November 19, 2018
 
What a wonderful first week.  Season pass pick up went very smoothly. Chipotle was packed and delicious.   Two good days of dryland.   Two excellent on-snow practices.   Due to the early start on the slopes, this was the best first week of the season we have ever had.  I want to encourage everyone to take advantage of this unique situation of early season skiing.  We will have seven days of skiing under our feet by the end of this second week of the season.  If you are in town, please come out to practice.   Working on the fundamentals of the sport is the key to ski racing success.  The more fundamentals you build now, the bigger your improvements in the latter half of the season.  By the way, the other coaches and I were very impressed with everyone's work ethic and focus on Friday and Saturday.  Great job.  That is how you improve quickly.  
 
One racer who understands and preaches the importance of drills is Mikeala Shiffrin.  Below is a link to a series of drills that she narrates and that you will be learning over the season.  I would like you to take some time to watch these drills several times over the next week.   Put these images into your head so that when we teach you these drills, you will already have an idea of how to do them.  They are really fun.  Click HERE for Mikeala’s Drills.
 
Mikaela Shiffrin won the season opening World Cup Slalom in Levi, Finland, by a large margin.  Study her winning run.  We are working on the fundamental skills of STANCE AND BALANCE, EARLY LOWER LEG ENGAGEMENT, AND OUTSIDE SKI PRESSURE in our own MAST practices this week.  Use the pause button on the screen to stop the video and check out these technical points in her skiing:

• Shins pressing forward into the front of her boots to create ankle flex.
• Flex at the knee.
• Hands up, forward and outside her shoulders.  
• The angle of her upper torso matches the angle of her shins.
• High edge angles on her skis created by driving her ankles, lower legs, and knees into the center of the turn.
• Strong outside ski pressure by her outside leg (like pushing on a bike pedal) when the ski is in the fall line.
• Upper body and lower body work separately.  The upper body stays quiet and the upper torso faces down the fall line or at least downhill of the outside ski. 

Here is a link to her second run: 
https://www.nbcsports.com/video/mikaela-shiffrin-takes-home-33rd-career-slalom-victory
 
We are practicing this week: 
Monday and Tuesday: 6:30-8:45PM.
Wednesday: 5-7PM
Friday: 5-7:30PM.  
Saturday: 8:45-11:30AM
 
Practice times are always posted on the home page of the website: www.mplsalpineski.org. 
Meet in front of the Center Chair at the posted start time.   
 
Individual Fundraiser Reminder
Just 1 week remains to raise money for your ski season.  City Kid Java coffee is locally roasted in small batches in NE Minneapolis and is good coffee (coming from a coffee drinker).
The coffee, cocoa and chocolate covered espresso beans make perfect gifts for the holiday season!  Product information and order forms are available on the website.  Order forms and money will be collected at practice Monday, November 26th, and orders will be available for pick-up and delivery Saturday, December 1st, at Fuller Park Rec Center.  Questions?  Contact Kirsten Arbeiter at 612.839.6363 or [email protected].
 
See you tonight at 6:30.   
Mark Conway
612-275-8392