Racing, Cookies, Toques and a Jamboree

Lots of skiing stuff happening in the next few weeks as we try to cram all we can into the last part of the season.

TOMORROW! TUESDAY Feb 27. Dash For Cash. This is a fun racing event that is open to everyone. It is basically the time trials that we have already done, but in race format. Registration starts at 5:30 at Windsor Park. If you don't see any of us coaches in the clubhouse, look for the Wildwood sign out on the ski grid - we'll meet up there and prep before the races. Let us know if you are coming so we can watch for you!
https://www.ccsam.ca/event/the-dash-for-cash/

SATURDAY March 3. Cookie Party! This will be a regular jackrabbits session with some extra features. We'll do the time trials again to see how we have improved over the year. We'll end with hot chocolate provided by Tim Horton's. We are asking families to bring come cookies to share.

TUESDAY March 6. Deadline for toque design submissions. If your jackrabbits are budding artists, then enter the contest for the design for the next jackrabbit toque. Did you know that 10,500 jackrabbits get toques every year!! If you enter, let us know so we can get the vote out!
http://www.cccski.com/Programs/Athlete-Development/Skill-Development-Programs/Jackrabbits/Jackrabbit-Colouring-Contest-2018.aspx

SATURDAY March 10. Jackrabbit Jamboree at Windsor Park. This is a fun event for jackrabbits across the city. Stay tuned for registration information. We will be doing this instead of a Jackrabbits session at Wildwood.

February 24

This Saturday is looking pretty nice, though still -17 with the windchill. We are going to have the Jackrabbit Olympics tomorrow! If you have a noise maker you can bring it to cheer on your team as you compete in lots of different skiing events.

Don't forget that next Tuesday is Dash For Cash. This is a really fun race night for kids. Let us know if you are planning on going so we can be watching for you.
https://www.ccsam.ca/event/the-dash-for-cash/

Also, it is toque design contest time again! Every year Jackrabbits from across Canada submit designs for next years Jackrabbit toque. If you wan to give it a shot this year, the deadline is March 6. The contest is open to all registered Jackrabbits from ages 5 to 9.
http://www.cccski.com/Programs/Athlete-Development/Skill-Development-Programs/Jackrabbits/Jackrabbit-Colouring-Contest-2018.aspx

February 17 and Beyond

First, we are very excited to officially welcome Tom Sutton to the coaching team. Tom is an avid skier and former Jackrabbit himself. He has been helping out for a few weeks now, but we want to officially welcome him. He will be operating as an assistant or "sous" coach until he gets his official coach creds. We are thrilled to have more coaching support, particularly since we have quite a few more kids this year! If you are interested in coaching - talk to us! There is lots of support and training available.

Second, Plans! We have them!
The coaching team met this week to figure out the schedule for the rest of the year. Our general approach is we ski until we can't. That means that the end of the year is always weather dependent. Here are the plans:

Feb 17 (tomorrow)
Normal session. A focus on skills and then some fun on the hill.

Feb 24
Jackrabbit Olympics! We are planning some races and fun competition including another time trial to see how we have improved. More info to come (and we may need some parent help!)

Feb 27 (TUESDAY) Dash for Cash
This is a fun night of racing with other jackrabbits. Downtown Nordic and Assiniboine Park Jackrabbits host at Windsor park. This is geared to younger skiers with little or no racing experience. All the kids get something (chocolate dollars usually). And race winners at the various age levels get medals. We'll keep you posted about registering and attending. We had a good contingent last year and won a few races!

March 3
Cookie party!
Games and skiing fun followed by hot chocolate (generously supplied by Tim Horton's) and Cookies (generously supplied by you - thanks!)

March 10
Jackrabbit Jamboree. This annual event brings together all the Jackrabbits in the city. We will be moving our base to Windsor Park Nordic Centre to attend. Separate registration is required and space is somewhat limited.

After the 10th it will be regular sessions until (theoretically) we run out of snow.

Tomorrow is looking nice, but not really warm. As always, layers are important, and don't underestimate the windchill!
Remember that if you are skiing with the family, the kids can earn Snow Goal stickers! (there are some details of that here http://skiwildwood.blogspot.ca/2017/11/saturday-november-18-and-notes-for-year.html)
If you are taking in Festival  this weekend, have a great time! HE HO!

Adam, Ted, James, Tom
Coaches.

January 20

Well it certainly isn't to cold. The model is showing about -4 (-7 with the windchill). This is a warm wax day for sure. Waxless skis love this temperature - they tend not to do as well when it gets really cold, but tomorrow you should be great.

Coach James is away tomorrow. Ted and Adam will be coaching. We've got some games planned and some snow-plow work on the hills. If the trails are in good shape the older kids may work on skating - we'll play that by ear depending on how the snow is. This kind of weather is terrible for ski trails (though it is nice for humans who have been dealing with -40).

Saturday January 13 - Indoors

It is too cold to be outside for skiing, so we'll be meeting in the clubhouse for some games and work on waxing. Please bring your skis, wax, cork and scraper.

January 6 Session

Happy New Year Jackrabbit Families!

We are snapping out of this deep freeze just in time for skiing. Looking at our local weather model it is right on the edge of our cutoff. The model says -28 (with the windchill) at 10 and -26 by 11. Our cutoff is -27 with the windchill. The air temperature is about -17 and we should be out of the wind for the most part, so we are making the call to go. Still, it will be a nippy one. Layers is key. If you have little ones who don't do so well in the cold then you may want to take a pass for tomorrow. You know your kids. And while it is important to encourage (cajole, insist, drag) them to get out, we also need to set them (and us) up for success.

We'll do some skills drills, probably some work on the hill, and games.

A reminder to please label your polls and to check to make sure you have the right ones. There are still some mis-matched sets.

December 30 Session Cancelled

The session on the 30th is canceled, because polar vortex.
We have high hopes for the 6th - think warm thoughts!