Local youth cross country skiers tearing up area's Nordic trails
<p>Pictured, from left to right are Will Lange, Sharon Rowe, Erin Meek, Emerson Kanning, Catherine Brenner, Ben Lange, Hattie Larson and Connor Matlosz, at the recent Cougar Gulch race at Schweitzer. (Courtesy photo)</p>
SANDPOINT — Local 10 year-old Hattie Larson crossed the finish line of her first-ever 5K cross country ski race at Schweitzer recently and collapsed on her back from exhaustion. She wasn’t alone.
Eight members of the Sandpoint Nordic Club Youth Ski League were competing in the Cougar Gulch race at Schweitzer, and head coach Vicki Longhini was beaming with pride from their collective effort.
“They come across the finish line and collapse. I’m so proud of them giving it all and working so hard for something,” said Longhini, the director/head coach of the team. “It’s a physically demanding sport. The Schweitzer trails are not easy, not for the faint of heart.”
The youth ski team is in its second year of existence, growing from eight skiers last year to 24 this season. Longhini spearheads a host of volunteer coaches, and through grants and fundraising, has made the endeavor more affordable for any youth that want to learn the lifetime sport.
“It’s rapidly growing because we make it social, too,” explained Longhini, whose team carpools up to the mountain twice a week for practices and holds occasional pot lucks. “We’re gelling as a team.”
Many of the kids are taking an interest in the Winter Olympics this year, where cross country skiing is one of the oldest sports in the games. The U.S. women’s team could be a force in the Olympics, and members of the Sandpoint youth team are paying close attention.
The Cougar Gulch race was a first for most of the kids, and with another youth team from Mt. Spokane on hand, the competitive juices were understandably flowing. The kids basically skate on skis in what is called the freestyle racing, and suffice it to say, the heart rate gets high in the cardio-intensive sport.
Longhini says the best part for her is seeing how proud the kids are after working out during practices.
“The harder the workout, the more super-charged they get,” she said. “They get the feeling of giving it all out there on the course.”
The ages in the Youth Ski League range from 7-14 years-old, and many of the coaches are members of the Sandpoint Nordic Club, happy to share their knowledge of the Nordic sport with those eager to learn.
The team has a race at Mt. Spokane on Feb. 1, and another in West Yellowstone in March.
For more information on the team, go online to www.sandpointnordic.com.