With two weeks of skiing under our belts before December we are already ready to try out our first time trial! It's nice to check the kid's speed early in the season and again near the end to see the improvement over the season!
Everyone should be on classic skis this week and be prepared for a serious snow dance! Our trails need more snow!
We have had overwhelming interest in the Jackrabbits program this year and with only two coaches we have had to close registration for now. We need more parent volunteers to help us out in order to open new spots. Coaching for the Bunnyrabbits level (age 3-5ish) is our highest need. Being an expert skier is not required for coaching at this level… you just need a willingness to be on skis and the ability to encourage the kids and help to run some games / obstacle courses near the parking area while the bigger kids venture out onto the trails. As parents must ski with their Bunnyrabbits you will have many other adults around to help. There is a small amount of online training that you will need to do for Bunnyrabbits coaching but it can be done over a period of time through the ski season. Please reach out if you are interested in being a coach / parent volunteer.
Wildwoodjackrabbits@gmail.com
Coach Sarah and Coach Chad
Jackrabbits and Bunnyrabbits registration for the 2021-2022
ski year is now open at:
https://zone4.ca/register.asp?id=27333&lan=1&cartlevel=1
Registration will be open until December 31 but with only two coaches this year, registration will be limited to approximately 20 kids. New coaches are welcome and would allow us to increase our numbers.
We've seen the first few flakes of snow fall from the sky already but it does feel
like putting the skis onto snow will still have to wait quite a bit longer! We plan to have our first (likely dry land) session Saturday November 20th 10:30am outside the Wildwood community centre. Assuming there is no snow the following Saturday November 27th we plan to do a family hike at a local park. The dry land training is good opportunity to get our heart rates up outdoors and to get to know the kids and parents before we are all bundled up for skiing.
Hope to see you soon!
Coach Sarah and Coach Chad
Hello Jackrabbit Families!
It is a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon, and as we are basking in the last warm days of summer I know what is on all our minds: when can we get back on snow and get skiing!
As we all are preparing for the year and are doing all the scheduling for the kids activities, we wanted to send out this reminder about how the jackrabbits season generally works. We also wanted to update you on the coaching team and send out an ask for help (so prepare for the pitch!).
We will open registration in late October and hold our first session at the beginning of November. We'll send out notices as that gets closer. We'll meet Saturday Mornings at 10:30 - 11:30 on the soccer field to the north of Wildwood CC or across the road on the golf course, as we have in past years. We haven't had to limit registration before and are hoping not to this year, but having more coaches would help ensure that [...foreshadowing].
We are thrilled that Coach Sarah and Coach Chad are returning this year and will be taking on the leadership of the club. Coach Adam and Coach Ted, who have been running things for the past 7 or so years, are stepping back. As families grow, our needs change - so it is with coaches too. Adam and Ted will be helping plan the year with Chad and Sarah, and will be around to support them as they take on leading the group and coaching the weekly sessions.
Which brings us to the ask for help. Last year we had 5 coaches and it was fantastic. This year, we'll have 2 - which is certainly doable (and we had run the program like that for several years), but more is better. Coaching in general -- and coaching skiing for kids particularly -- is remarkably rewarding. You don't need to be an expert skier by any stretch of the imagination. Like, not at all. And there is huge support from the community, including excellent training (for which the club will cover the costs). You also get to work with a great team (if we do say so ourselves) who will take the lead on the majority of the planning and organizing. If this seems at all interesting to you, we would love to talk to you about it. It is a fairly low commitment (as coaching goes) and you would be joining a an experienced coaching team, as part of a well established group, that is part of a well supported sport organization, in family-friendly life-long sport. It is an amazing way to make a real impact in your community and in kids' lives.
/end sales pitch.
So stay tuned. Think about whether coaching may be for you. Reach out if you have questions about skiing or coaching, and we'll see you in November!
Snow Snow Snow!!
(Too soon? It may be too soon. But soon!)
Adam, Ted
Coaches Emeritus, Wildwood Jackrabbits
Sarah, Chad
Coaches, Wildwood Jackrabbits.
Well, even by our standards, we can no longer deny that the season has come to an end. Thanks to those families who came out for a ski at Birds Hill. It was really icy, but a good last ski.
A special thanks this year to our new coaches - Sarah, Chad and Emily, who came on board in this bizarre time and helped make the program possible. And a very special shout out to Emily, who is finishing her Masters, studying Architecture at U of M this year. We don't know what the future holds for her or where she will be off to, but we wish her well! We have really enjoyed her enthusiasm and passion for skiing. And if she happens to find herself in Winnipeg next year we would be thrilled to have her back!
Watch for emails in the fall as we hopefully get back to some normal programming!
Until then have a great spring and summer!
Adam, Ted, Sarah, Chad and Emily
Coaches, Wildwood Jackrabbits
Wildwood ski trails are done. Windsor park has closed official use for the year, but the trails (what is left of them) are technically open. The season is drawing to a close. Some would say it is over. They are probably right.
We have been watching the trail reports and it looks like Birds Hill might, potentially, be somewhat skiable... on some of the trails... with minor portages necessary. Basically it is pretty sketchy.
But, ever the optimists, and with nothing else on our agenda for Saturday morning, here is the plan: the coaches are going to Birds Hill tomorrow. We may ski. We may hike. If anyone wants to come along and take what nature gives us, we'd be happy to have you! (zero pressure!) Bring your skis, bring your hiking gear, and bring a snack and water. We will be there at 10:30 and will organize... something. It is also a good chance for families to do some exploring on their own too. There are lots of great hiking trails there!
We'll meet at the Chikadee parking lot. Watch for the Jackrabbits sign!
A reminder that Park Passes are required for provincial parks.
If you'd like to join us please indicate in teamsnap and we'll watch for you.
We are canceling all the remaining sessions. If we can go out again we will, but it looks like the season has come to an end.
Thanks for a great (though shortened) season. We really enjoyed skiing with you all this year, even (or perhaps especially) in these strange times. We may have one or two more notes this year, but watch for news in the fall about next year.
We still have snow! And it is warm enough that we can do another one of our traditions - the snowball biathlon! This is often one of our end of season days since we need enough snow to ski, but it needs to be warm enough for snowballs. Group 1 is going to lay out the course and the rest of us follow, staggering the groups. Several of the coaches have been out over the past little while, and if the tracks maintain their consistency, it will be great for double pole work.
A reminder that we are still observing all provincial health restrictions, including:
We have 4 coaches this week, so there is a small change in the groups. Look to your email for the details.
It was great to get out last weekend. The weather hasn't been kind to the trails, but we can certainly ski! This weekend we are going to do our wild (stuffie) animal hunt! This will mostly be a ski around the course to find various animal friends hidden in trees and other places along the path. We'll also do some warmup in our groups and maybe some skills work on the grid or time on the hill (it will depend a bit on conditions Saturday).
In terms of COVID safety, please remember:
Please indicate your attendance on TeamSnap (you'll get a reminder). It is how we are recording for contact tracing.
Parents/Guardians are encouraged to ski with their children for the hunt. It will let us spread out a bit more and we can be a bit more independent in terms of time to complete the course. It is also a fun family activity!
We also have Jackrabbit Toques and Books, If you haven't received your toque or booklet, please see coach Chad. Speaking of toques, the 2022 Toque Design Contest is open! Deadline is March 11 and it is open to all skiers 5-9 years old.
We are thrilled to be able to gather for skiing practices starting Saturday!
As you can imagine, there are lots of things we need to put in place to be safe. We have had lots of conversations about how to make this work and good support from our provincial and national bodies. That said, if you see things that you are not comfortable with, or suggestions to make this better, please let us know. Fundamentally, you need to be comfortable with all this and you need to make the choice that is right for you and your family about attending.
There is lots to cover, so here we go!
General precautions:
If you are sick, self isolating or have been in contact with someone who is sick or self isolating, stay home. This is one of the most important things we can do to limit the spread of COVID.
All participants (adults and children) should self-screen before attending using the Government of Manitoba Screening tool (https://sharedhealthmb.ca/covid19/screening-tool/). If you are in doubt, stay home.
Physical distancing. At all times stay 2m apart. Luckily for us our sport has built in devices we refer to as POLES (Personal Offset Length Evaluators): if you can touch someone or their skis or poles with your skis or poles, you are too close. Now, we don't want kids waving their poles around to see who is too close, but it is a good visual. Parents/Guardians, please help remind your kids of this before and during the sessions. Kids have a terrible time with physical distancing (as you are likely all very well aware).
Masks are required except while actually out on the trails skiing. Neck warmers (alone) don't count as masks.
We will be doing contract tracing using TeamSnap. You have probably seen an invitation to that already, please register for your child and record their attendance. You'll get reminders. It is pretty cool and easy actually. Email us if you have problems. Using this will also let us plan for the kids who will be coming instead of needing to adjust the day-of based on who attends (which is more challenging given all the COVID restrictions).
The clubhouse is closed. We always meet outdoors anyway, but the clubhouse has been opened for 'bathroom emergencies'. It isn't now.
Groups
We are going to have 4 groups that will stay completely separate for the session. We will meet at different places as indicated by the map below. It is important to arrive on time and be ready to go at 10:30 as the groups will be splitting up and heading out quickly to limit contact.
If you have concerns about any of the group assignments or would like siblings to be together (or not) let us know. These can be adjusted. Track Attack 2 is the most advanced, experienced skiers. Jackrabbits 1 are the most junior (and often youngest) skiers. Kids are mostly grouped by age, with some adjustments for skill.
Parents/guardians are free to ski with their kids. Jackrabbits 1, this is more important as you need to be able to help your kids. For the other groups it is less critical and you are also free to go enjoy a ski on your own if you like.
As this is the first session for many, we should note that we meet on the golf course across the road from the soccer field that is north of the Clubhouse. There is a parking area right off the road. If you are coming down Oakenwald, turn left at the stop sign at North drive and the parking is right there. We will have a sign. It is generally fairly obvious. Don't go to the clubhouse.
[Please contact us for group information]
Arrival and Departure
Please be at your spot and ready to go at 10:30. The groups need to head out promptly so we don't have a lot of congestion.
When you arrive, please go directly to your group's meeting spot. There will be coaches around to help.
Departure will be from your groups. We will try to stagger this a bit. Please proceed directly back to your car. We have in the past had chocolates after the sessions. Unfortunately that isn't something we can do during covid. For new kids that won't be a big deal (just don't tell them!). For some of our returning skiers, parents may need to prepare them for serious disappointment, or take chocolate dispensing matters into your own hands.
The entrance area onto the golf course and soccer field are a bit narrow, so please wait by your car if there is congestion. Please also take your gear into the field or golf course to put on (don't linger in the entrance area). Only take what you need so there isn't too much scattered around.
Jackrabbits 1
A special note for our youngest skiers. Poles will not be needed during this lesson. You can leave them in the car.
A few last notes.
There are lots of rules and constraints, but mostly the basics of physical distancing and mask wearing will keep us on the right track. While we are excited to have everyone out and skiing, we are also very aware that we need to do everything we can to run a program that is safe given our current reality. Above all patience and kindness will win the day.
Please email us with any questions or concerns.
Good news and bad news.
Good news! :)
We have curved the cases down and the health restrictions are loosening up. It looks like we will be able to get back to skiing! The new changes that will take affect Friday say this:
"allowing outdoor sports facilities to reopen for casual sports as well as organized practices and games, with multi-team tournaments not permitted;"
This seems to fit us, and doesn't speak to any limit on people. We are working with the CCSAM to see if there is any more specific guidance. There will of course be instructions on social distancing and whatnot, but it looks promising. Lucky for us we have our POLES (Personal Offset Length Evaluators) - if you can touch someone with your pole you are too close. And also, don't touch people with your poles. So stay tuned, but we are hopeful.
Bad News :(
The forecast shows the coldest time in the next 10 days is... you guessed it...10am Saturday morning, with a face-freezing -47. So even if we could ski, we probably wouldn't... probably. We are watching the forecast closely. Think warm thoughts.
So if it isn't a global pandemic, it is a polar vortex conspiring against our skiing. But! The long term forecast shows a very respectable -21 the following Saturday.
We'll keep you posted on pandemic protocols, and a safe return to skiing.
For now, do a little snow dance to encourage some fresh snow and gear up for the 20th.
More to come.
Snow Snow Snow!
We are coming out of the deep freeze now and the weekend is looking awesome. We are offering another virtual coaching session Friday for anyone would would like. We'll take your lead on what to chat about. We can talk dressing for the weather, games to play, waxing, gear, you name it, we are ready! We'd love to here where you have been and what some of your successes are.
We are going to have another zoom meeting this Friday for those unable to attend last week, or, after another week of skiing, have new questions.
As with last time, this is a fairly informal conversation to chat about anything ski related that would make skiing better and more enjoyable for you and your family. We'll have some cool websites on tap to show you. These can help with where to ski, trail conditions and weather. We can also go over some of the more popular destinations and what to expect. We'd also love to hear where you have been! We've got a bit of a waxing demo prepped if people want to dive into that. Whatever works. And if this isn't something that is helpful for you, there is no requirement or pressure to attend. Us coaches like hanging out talking about skiing, so we'll have a good time regardless!
A link and calendar invite has been emailed to everyone who is registered. If you haven't yet and would still like to attend, please email the coaches. wildwoodjackrabbits@gmail.com.
Friday will be having one of our (hopefully) recurring meetings to help you with you skiing while we are not able to be together. We have a few things planned, including a waxing clinic to go into some more details about how to wax effectively. But we are really open to what you want to discuss. What is helpful for you and your kids, hints and tips, where to ski - whatever help you need.
A link has been emailed to everyone who is registered. If you haven't yet and would still like to attend, please email the coaches. wildwoodjackrabbits@gmail.com
We hope many of you have already had a chance to get out and enjoy this fantastic weather and the great conditions at many of the trails in and around the city. Usually by now we would be well into our season, but not this year. With the current restrictions, gathering is still not possible. That may be changing (fingers crossed!), but for now, we are all on our own. Getting out for physical activity is important and encouraged under provincial health restrictions, and skiing is a great way to enjoy the winter.
Here is how the program is going to work until we can actually meet. Basically you are going to go skiing, and we are going to wrap some ideas, tools and support around that.
Starting next Friday (January 15th) we are going to offer a weekly parents meeting to talk about skiing - the weather, how to prep, where people may want to go, what to expect at different places, and some skills to work on. Depending on the interest we can break that into different meetings for different levels. We are also more than happy to have one-on-one meetings with families (including kids if you like!). This first Friday meeting will be some general stuff, with conversation about what you would find helpful. We'll also have a more detailed waxing clinic and talk about the Jackrabbit booklets, stickers and skill progression that families can use for motivation (if that is helpful). From there we'll build these sessions to meet what you need. We are also working on some 'on your own" activities that you can choose to do as well. All of this is to help you get out skiing with your family. None of it is required, use what works for you.
In terms of places to go, here are some ideas.
Wildwood is tracked and in great shape. Our usual ski playground area is a bit of a mess because of all the people sledding, but once you get on the trails they are great.
Windsor Park Nordic Centre is excellent. Well tracked. And lit for evening/night skiing, which is super fun. Look up the map online because there are lots of ways to go. Adam's kids like to follow the main drag out to the blue oval and then do the black diamond loop and all the little 'loops' (dog tooth, deer leg, fox hole, coyote run) back to the clubhouse. An easy 45 minute ski. (the black diamond isn't bad and you can easily skip it). You do need a pass to ski here. They can be bought online. We haven't ever seen them check for passes, but a good idea to get one to support them.
Beaudry Park is also great. Chad's family skied the Wild Grape - Elm loop, which is a great place start. You can always skip Elm with littler kids. The path across the river to the Basswood trails is open now, and that is a nice loop to add on if you want a longer ski.
And Birds Hill is always great for a fairly close adventure. Page 2 of the trails map shows the ski trails. You can start at the Chickadee parking lot (first parking on the map) or further along at the ranch just off Nimowin road. There are lots of trails here, so take a map for sure. Lots of great loops for whatever distance you want to tackle. The viewing tower is a fun stop, and Chickadee will take you straight there.
You need a park pass for provincial parks (that applies to Beaudry and Birds Hill). Remember that no warming shacks or club houses are open - so go prepared!
Let us know what your favourite place to go is and any tips you may have!
In the meantime if you have any questions about skiing at all - how to get started with your kids, or anything, shoot us an email.
And one last thing. If you haven't registered, this is the last mass email. We will be sending all further emails just to the registered folk, and posting on our website.
Registration is via ZONE4: https://zone4.ca/reg.asp?id=24872
We are looking forward to connecting next week!
