Hello Team!
I cannot believe that this is my 20th year coaching the Wapiti Nordic Race Team! 🤯 Welcome to a new season!!
How to read the blog: Usually I will give a brief rundown of the week to come in the first paragraph. Official practice starts this week and for those athletes/families that are not entirely sure about this whole dryland/onsnow sport, you do not need to make any decisions/commitments until September 19th. At this point, we will expect paperwork and payments to be completed by then.
**Last minute communication/team training space changes: we use the app TeamSnap. I have emailed the newcomers that we've met, with links to the team app. It's relatively easy to access and is used mostly for last minute changes, urgent messages, and race weekends. Please add this app to your repertoire and if you have not received an invitation, please email clairerichter@me.com.
IMPORTANT: We are not to be working-out, outdoors if the AQHI (air quality health index) is a 5 or higher. We will do less intensity on a 4 as well. With the smoke forecasted to be bad this week we will be trying to find free indoor spaces. If you have any suggestions please email clairerichter@me.com to let us know.
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I will then highlight anything important coming up for Athletes AND Parents to pay attention to such as the mandatory team meeting for parents. 1 parent from each athlete family will need to be in attendance and this is where we answer as many questions as we can and give you as much information about the upcoming year as we can. The meeting will be either outside (if the weather is nice and not smoky) at Muskoseepi pavilion (unless we cannot workout outside due to the smoke, I will update the blog next week). Tuesday, September 12 from 5-6pm.
Saturday, September 16th will be the team mountain excursion. Details to come- but it's usually leaving GP around 6am (try to carpool) and returning late in the evening. We ask you send athletes with food for suppers, a picnic lunch, water bottles, appropriate footwear and clothing and no, it's not mandatory for parents to come. 😀 Please add this date to your calendar and we will post details in next week's blog.
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Then I will post the training date and where to meet the team and any gear that needs to be brought to the practice here. Tuesday and Thursday practices are 5-6:30pm (until time change/snow arrival) and Saturday 10-12.
Tuesday: Meet at St. Kateri Mission School. Bring indoor runners and water bottles and I'm guessing tank tops and shorts as the kids got hot in there the other day. A huge thank you to Lynda and St. Kateri school for allowing us to use this space during this sadly very smoky time.
Thursday: Meet at Muskoseepi Park depending on the AQHI, but I will send out a TeamSnap to alert everyone otherwise of any changes.
Saturday: LOCATION CHANGE: Meet at Maple Ridge- by the pond . Evergreen Park parking lot of the Tech Centre. For those of you who have roller skied- bring your boots, helmets, poles, vests and be prepared for skate. For those of you who don't know what I've just said... bring your helmets and a bike in working condition. If you don't have one, then bring runners- we're ready for it all. Everyone please bring water bottles.
Welcome to a new season! We're excited to get this year started!