WEDNESDAY NIGHT SOCIAL SKI OUTINGS RESUME

Now that we have a little new snow and warm weather, we will resume the Wednesday Night Ski. We will ski from the Goldbar Pavilion at 7 pm. All areas have been renovated by ENSC and are rated either "poor" or "fair". Goldbar is suitable for classic or skating. Goldstick and Capilano are groomed for skating only at this time.

On Sunday January 29th the recreatinal ski group will ski at Islet Lake (Blackfoot) for about 20 km at an easy pace. We will ski to the Meadow Shelter, stop for a quick lunch and then ski back to Islet Lake. Please bring a light lunch and drinks as desired. This will be classic style as the Blackfoot trails are not suitable for skating. Please let Bill Kenny know by email if you plan to come (in case there is a change of plan) (jwk070669 at yahoo.com) . We will meet at the SE corner of the Bonnydoon Shopping Centre parking lot at 9am on Sunday morning to carpool to Islet Lake.

All skiers are welcome (you don't have to be a member of ENSC to participate in the Wednesday night or Sunday ski trips).

MATT SAURETTE AT THE YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES

ENSC athlete Matt Saurette represented Canada at the Youth Olympic Games in Austria earlier this month. Photos of Matt in action can be seen here; for more coverage about the Games, check out these stories on the Canada.com and Cross Country Canada websites.

FACEBOOK PHOTO CONTEST - CROSS COUNTRY CANADA

Get your cameras and skis ready...'Tis the season to xc ski with CCC! We want to see your goofiest smiles on skis wearing CCC clothing!

Send your photos in by "tagging" them with CCC and get a chance to win fantastic e-store prizes twice a month!

Visit CCC's Facebook Photo Contest album to view full contest details and the participating photos!

The contest is on until February 29, 2012!

Let the snow...smiles...and skiing begin! Good luck!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Feb. 12-15:
Parents, friends, walking wounded:
February 12 - 15, Alberta Winter Games: We need every volunteer we can get to run this event. If you can volunteer you just need to register on the AWG website. It is easy - takes about 2 minutes. Put biathlon for both your first and second choice.

All volunteers get an AB Winter Games Jacket which is a light winter jacket that the sleeves can zip off to make a vest.

If you know of a specific job during the race and have a preference you can email Bryan Singleton (bksing at telus.net). We are very short for the Friday because many people have to work so if you know someone who is off that day, retired etc. please encourage them to volunteer for Friday.

Feb. 17-20:
Athletes and Parents:
Feb 17 - 20, Silver Skate Festival: We are going to man a booth at the festival in Hawrelak Park and we need help marketing ENSC.
Email Alan to volunteer: aball at aball-ypi.com

ALBERTA WINTER GAMES

If you or your child(ren) are interested in participating in the Alberta Winter Games this year, please click here for more information.

ON SKIS AND ON TARGET

November 22 - a great article from today's Edmonton Journal about the Edmonton Nordic Ski Club biathlon program.

JACKRABBIT LEADERS AND ASSISTANTS NEEDED

The Jackrabbit program needs your help. We require volunteer leaders and assistants to run the program. Each class we offer requires a leader and an assistant (except for the beginner level Bunnies, where every parent helps their own child).

Edmonton Nordic Ski Club will pay for you to have a formal coach training workshop (offered on-site the first weekend of Jackrabbits, Jan 7-8, 2012). Training is not a requirement for assistants, but is available if you would like it. You will also get a free Edmonton Nordic Ski Club vest/jacket.

The program runs Saturdays and Sundays from Jan 7/8 to March 10/11, 2012.  There is no lesson on Saturday Feb 11.

If you can only be present for a portion of the season, contact us anyway, we might be able to work you into the schedule. Please help out: your club and your kids need you!

For the Saturday Program, contact Ken Bond: saturday.jackrabbits at edmontonnordic.ca

For the Sunday Program, contact Colin Young: sunday.jackrabbits at edmontonnordic.ca

JACKRABBITS AND KIDS -- TIME FOR SKIING!

Look outside your window: that white stuff? It is our favourite thing about this time of year! I know you are as eager as I am to get skiing!

Jackrabbit lessons don't start until after New Years, but that is no reason why we shouldn't all get together for some fun and games in the snow sooner so you can play with all your friends

NEXT TWO EVENTS:

Kickoff on Snow
WHEN: DECEMBER 4th SUNDAY 1pm-3pm
WHERE: Goldbar Park (where we meet for Jackrabbits)
WHAT: Bring skis, a picnic lunch, and a great attitude. We will have some fun and games and go skiing!!!!!

Pre-Christmas Frolic on Snow
WHEN: DECEMBER 18th SUNDAY 1pm-3pm
WHERE: Goldbar Park (where we meet for Jackrabbits)
WHAT: Bring skis, a picnic lunch, and a great attitude. We will have some fun and games and go skiing!!!!!

ADULT CROSS COUNTRY SKI LESSONS STARTING SOON!

All Adult Cross Country Ski Lessons will start the first week of December.

Please check the adult lessons page and register for beginner lessons, intermediate lessons as well ask skate ski lessons. Currently there are still some spots available for Classic Beginners, Classic Intermediate and Skate Skis. If classes are full, please contact Euna Kang e.kang@me.com. Edmonton Nordic Ski Club will try to open up more classes when there are more demand than what we're currently offering.

• Please note:
  All lessons are only offered to ENSC members with valid current membership. Please go to the registration page to become a member and register for classes.
  
• Registration will be closed 3 days prior to the start date posted on the website. The session will not commence if there are fewer than four people registered for the session.
  

NEW HEAD COACH

The Edmonton Nordic Ski Club is pleased to announce the hiring of Ulf Kleppe as the new full time Head Coach of the Club. Ulf was born in Norway but his family moved to Sudbury ON, where he finished school, and worked as a school teacher and coach. He's coached skiing, rowing, volleyball and other sports. His passion is cross country skiing though, and he excelled in it as an athlete himself (even winning Nationals as a Masters skier). Ulf is a tremendous technical coach and Cross Country Alberta thought so much of his expertise that they brought him out to Alberta for its week-long summer Swift Camp four separate years. All of our Edmonton Nordic athletes who have had Ulf as a coach at one of these camps have raved about him and we are thrilled to have him join our club as its new Head Coach.

Ulf's job will consist of organizing team practices and training camp programs and coaching our high performance athletes in training and competitions. He will also help train and mentor our less experienced coaches to increase the overall capacity of our club. Ulf will start work with the club just in time for our annual Lake Louise Early Snow Camp the November long weekend. With 55 athletes and 10 coaches registered for the camp as well as a dozen or more parent drivers and cooks, he will definitely get an active introduction to our competitive ski and biathlon people and programs. When you meet him, please take the time to welcome Ulf to Edmonton Nordic.

Glenda Hanna, President
Edmonton Nordic Ski Club

CONGRATULATIONS TO KEVIN MOORE!

At the Cross Country Alberta Annual General Meeting on June 4, ENSC's Kevin Moore was named Facility Operator of the Year.

This award recognises the extraordinary work that Kevin and our trail maintenance volunteers do throughout the year to prepare and groom the trails at Gold Bar Park.

Many congratulations to Kevin and all the volunteers.