Ski club brings youth to the snow

MAT-SU — Skiing in the Mat-Su Valley has long been a pastime of its many residents. But the area has been without a program that teaches kids the proper mechanics and etiquette of skiing. Fixing that problem is the goal of the new Mat-Su Junior Nordic program.

The program was founded in November with a goal to teach kids ages 6-14 how to ski properly.

Program director Dave Musgrave said the idea for the program came from the lack of junior skiing in the Valley.

“There is junior Nordic programs in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Eagle River, but not in the Valley at all,” Musgrave said. “So I contacted Mat-Su Ski Club and said we should have a program. They said, ‘sure, why don’t you do it?’ So I said OK, sounds easy enough.”

Musgrave said about 20-30 local kids meet three days a week for various skiing endeavors.

“We’ll meet up and do a little bit of warm-ups, then some skills and drills, then some skiing, and then some games on skis for the little kids,” Musgrave said.

The group practices at John Shaw Elementary School during the week, but on Saturdays the group will go to locations such as Hatcher Pass or Crevasse Marine.

Helping Musgrave with the program is a list of coaches, including 2008 Palmer High grad Jessica Odegard. Working primarily with the older kids of the group, Odegard said getting everyone to the same playing field has been the early goal.

“I’m just trying to get everyone brought up to speed,” Odegard said. “Some kind of know what they’re doing, others don’t. So I’ve been working on everyone’s technique making sure everyone is skiing correctly and everything.”

Odegard said another goal of hers is to make sure the skiing stays fun for the kids.

“Since I’m with the older kids I usually try to make sure we’re not just skating back and forth in a straight line. I try to get them out on the trails,” she said.

The non-competition-based group is a wing of the Mat-Su Ski Club. Potential members must first sign up with the ski cub before they can join the junior program. The junior program also recently received a grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation to purchase 20 pairs of skis to be available to new skiers.

Musgrave said above all else, the program is a cheap, fun way for kids to learn to ski.

“The main thing is for kids to learn how to ski along with ski etiquette,” Musgrave said. “And the kids are having a great time. I’m pretty amazed. Kids just like the skiing.”