{"id":598,"date":"2009-03-17T21:36:12","date_gmt":"2009-03-18T02:36:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nyssranordic.com\/word_press\/?p=598"},"modified":"2009-03-17T21:36:12","modified_gmt":"2009-03-18T02:36:12","slug":"2009-jo-trip-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nyssranordic.org\/?p=598","title":{"rendered":"2009 JO Trip Review"},"content":{"rendered":"
Early in april the planning began for the 2009 junior olympics in Truckee, California.\u00a0 We would be skiing at great altitude….7200′\u00a0 the FIS limit is at 6000′.\u00a0 At a meeting in the end of April 2008, the Mid-A Junior committee decided to up the bar for the juniors who wanted to make the JO team for 2009.\u00a0 We figured the number of skiers that would qualify under the new standards would be around 24.\u00a0 Thus the trip was based on 24 athletes and 6 coaches to go.<\/span><\/div>\n

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All winter long a dedicated list of coaches worked on the points lists to help select the team.\u00a0 Many hours of work were put in by Rob Hinsdil and Margaret Maher to check the accuracy of them as the time drew near to selecting the team.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Jana Gardner volunteered to get the airline tickets for the trip.\u00a0 This proved to be no easy feat!\u00a0 The cost of jet fuel skyrocketed and luggage fees for second bags and ski bags appeared.\u00a0 After analysis of the demographics of the ski community, we planned on 10 tickets from Buffalo and 20 tickets from Albany.\u00a0 United had the best deal at first.\u00a0 (when flying a group you have to get your tickets from group sales not cheaptickets.com )\u00a0 The tickets required a deposit of $60 each.\u00a0 This deposit is returned to you (Mid-A) 4 weeks after the trip is over.\u00a0 The ever cost consious Jana kept her eye on the cost of tickets on other airlines and in December found a better deal on Southwest Airlines.\u00a0 No second bag charge and less fare. \u00a0This required another deposit however, so I personally fronted the money for the new deposit.\u00a0 Not so easy to do at Christmas and the end of the year at my store, but hey this is Mid-A and we get it done!\u00a0 One of the last things Jana did in late Feburary was make sure all tickets had the proper spelling and all changes were made….about two hours on the phone!\u00a0 I must say there were no problems…Thanks Jana!!\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
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The paper work for the event organizers was a large undertaking handled well by Margaret Maher (Head Coach Mid-A Team)\u00a0 Multiple forms needed to be filled out and checked for spelling.\u00a0 She would even go in to USSA to find your number and make sure it\u00a0was correct.\u00a0\u00a0Then she got all this information to the race organizers so they could register you and put your names in the programs and such.\u00a0 All in all about 20 hours of chasing down the forms from the athletes and submitting them to the organizers.\u00a0 Well\u00a0done Margie!!\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
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With the tickets secured, we needed to find lodging and food service.\u00a0 This we left to long time hospitality and food service veteran, Duffy.\u00a0 In the end of Janurary, Duffy flew out to find a place for the team to stay and eat.\u00a0 (once again I fronted the money for this trip\u00a0knowing the importance of this element to the team.)\u00a0 After extensive searching and multiple interviews\u00a0of the lodge and motel owners.\u00a0 Duffy selected a great lodge on Donner\u00a0Lake.\u00a0 He and his\u00a0friend Susan, along with the staff of the lodge went about setting up a dining facility that would feed 35-40 people\u00a0three meals a day.\u00a0 ( more on the number of people later…)\u00a0 Two weber grills and two\u00a0extra\u00a0refrigerators were brought in along with five tables and 36 chairs.\u00a0 These created the two story dining area off the main condo room kitchen for the athletes to eat at.\u00a0 The dining area had unbelieveable views of the mountains and the Donner Summit Railway.\u00a0 In the morning as the kids ate, as well as in the evening, the lake reflected the Sierra mountains setting a scene for relaxation for the coaches and the athletes, away from the hustle of the race venue.\u00a0 As a bonus this was 1500′ less elevation than the race venue for recovery for the athletes and we were closer to the race venue than most teams.\u00a0 ( 4 miles versus 20 for other teams)\u00a0 Duffy and Susan provided three meals a day to the group.\u00a0 They catered to the athletes with allergies and\u00a0special dietary needs.\u00a0\u00a0On the long race days (Mondays sprint and Saturdays\u00a0relays) they transported a table and all the lunch food to the venue, providing the group with a buffet for lunch.\u00a0 This allowed the coaches to get food and attend to the duties of race day.\u00a0 At other times the athletes were fed at the lodge.\u00a0 There was always food available to them for snacking thru\u00a0the day.\u00a0 Duffy and Susan also catered to the coaches who returned to the lodge\u00a0after meal hours from\u00a0meetings and waxing skis.\u00a0 The food was delicious and no one went hungry!\u00a0 <\/span><\/div>\n
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Getting the kids the gear to wear is an eight month long process.\u00a0 The\u00a0Toko hats are purchased in July and held for monograming.\u00a0 The vests were selected by the trip committee in\u00a0January and sized at the last race.\u00a0 The patches the athletes recieved were ordered in\u00a0April\u00a02008.\u00a0 Margaret (Marge) assisted in the monogramming\u00a0process on all gear as well as the purchasing of the vests.\u00a0 This is no\u00a0easy\u00a0task, as monogramming<\/span>\u00a0has alot of options and non-options for it to look and function well.\u00a0 Marge spent extra time making sure the sizing was right for all the vests, so all athletes would be happy.\u00a0 Seems simple until you try it!\u00a0 <\/span><\/div>\n
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Transportation was arranged by Duffy according to the needs of the team.\u00a0 A large U-haul truck was rented to move all luggage and ski bags from the Reno Airport to the lodge and then on to the race venue.\u00a0 Three vans were in use as well as a suburban.\u00a0 Laurie Humbert (Grover) Mid-A Olympian (1994 Biathlon) loaned her car for the week, so the Uhaul didn’t have to be driven by the coaches who left the lodge early and returned late to wax.\u00a0 All vehicles had to be picked up and returned from different places, which the coaches and support staff did very well.<\/span><\/div>\n
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We are changing the Mid-A suits in 2010, so we (Mid-A committee) decided to see if the 2009 athletes could borrow them from previous team members.\u00a0 Marge and I worked about 5 hours each on contacting people to get the uniforms.\u00a0 We arranged places for them to meet, and if that failed, I had them send them to me and I mailed them to the kids who needed them.\u00a0 Suits came from as far away as Oregon (Berkley and Taylor Leach)\u00a0 Even kids who had tried to make this years teams sent me their uniforms to use!\u00a0( Damon Kull)\u00a0 The end result was all athletes had a Mid-A uniform to wear.\u00a0 I am now in the process of mailing them back.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Waxing is another challenge at the Junior Olympics.\u00a0 Each division is given an empty trailer and has to turn it into a functional wax room for the event, able to crank out race ready skis in volume thruout the week.\u00a0 Three months before the race all the equipment is gathered and boxed, inventory taken and decisions made on what waxes will be needed in three months time in the Sierras.\u00a0 Having raced at this venue before, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect.\u00a0 I ordered klisters from Akers in Maine.\u00a0 I made a visit to Hugh in Osceola for a large Swix wax purchase.\u00a0 I purchased more wax at Wild Rose in SLC, from Tim.\u00a0 At the venue I purchased fill in waxes from Kevin Sweeney the “Swix Guy”, including some new stuff not on the market yet!!<\/span><\/div>\n
All the gear was shipped by WrapCity and Glue in Old Forge to the lodging facility.\u00a0 Five hundred pounds of wax and wax tables and all the gear you would find in an Olympic wax room.\u00a0 I drove over two days before with Laurie\u00a0( 8 hours across Nevada) to set up the room for the team.\u00a0 Laurie is volunteering her time to help, she purchased her own plane ticket to fly from Reno to SLC Sunday to Wednesday to take time out for her girls and work.\u00a0 You have to see the kids reaction to having an Olympian help them.\u00a0 It is quite the motivator!\u00a0 Especially when she told them her best finish at Junior Olympics was a 29th place.\u00a0 After the wax room was ready, it was time to greet the team at the airport.\u00a0 Duffy provided apples, granola bars and bottled water to the weary team.\u00a0 They were loaded in the vans and made the 50 minute drive to the lodge.\u00a0 Two hours later they were at a team meeting, after a grilled steak dinner with all the fixings, listening to what was to be expected of them thru the week of racing.\u00a0 This is not a speach about results, it is about who they represent at these Junior Olympics and how they will behave.\u00a0 They are reminded about the many faces at home that have enabled them to get here for this event.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
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On the off days (ones without a race) the cooks are up at 6 am to get the breakfast ready.\u00a0 The wax coaches are out at 7 am to get the wax room ready for the 23 kids who need to scrape skis and preview the courses for the race tomorrow.\u00a0 They are brought up to the venue at 8:30 am.\u00a0 Most are on course with coaches by 9:00 am.\u00a0 I am in the wax trailer attending to broken grips, unwaxed skis, and such.\u00a0 Jason Hettenbaugh is out on the trail controlling the urge of the skiers to go too hard at altitude.\u00a0\u00a0Laurie,\u00a0Sarah and Doug\u00a0Bencze and Nick Mancuso are doing the same.\u00a0 Marge is attending to last minute technical things with the organizers and Duffy and Susan are just done with the breakfast dishes in time to set up the lunch buffet.\u00a0\u00a0They will then make a quick run to the grocery store for more provisions and the dinner menu.\u00a0 Upon return from the trail the athletes are asked to apply the first layer of wax to their skies and place them in the wall ski holders. (provided to\u00a0Mid-A by Leslie\u00a0Leach in 1995).\u00a0 They are then returned to the lodge by noon for lunch.\u00a0\u00a0After lunch there is time for school work and maybe a short team trip.\u00a0 One day we went to the top of Squaw Valley Tram.\u00a0\u00a0It was beautiful.\u00a0 Around\u00a03:00 pm Marge, Jason\u00a0and I head back to the venue for some waxing and a race meeting at 4:00 pm.\u00a0 Marge attends the meeting to keep abreast of current race situations, while\u00a0Jason and\u00a0I apply the race wax to the skis.\u00a0 Marge usually shows up about 6:00 pm and we all make a push to finish scraping the skis and brushing them.\u00a0 We finish around 7:30 and head to the lodging.\u00a0 Meanwhile back at the lodging\u00a0Duffy and Susan, with the help of\u00a0Sarah,\u00a0Doug and Nick, have fed the team a gourmet meal and are all finishing up the dishes.\u00a0 The waxers quickly eat and then a team meeting is held.\u00a0 We go over the race day schedule with the kids and any\u00a0particulars there may be.\u00a0 They go to bed at 9:30 pm.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Race day starts with the cooks up at 5:00 am.\u00a0 Then the coaches not driving kids up gather at 6:00 am eat and leave at 6:15 am. (in the dark)\u00a0 At the venue the waxing begins again.\u00a0 Covers are applied and ironed on the skis.\u00a0\u00a0Then brushed and more covers appleid and brushed.\u00a0 These are the fastest skis the kids have ever been on\u00a0in their carreers so far.\u00a0 They better be as we are applying many expensive layers of wax.\u00a0\u00a0The athletes arrive according to their race start times.\u00a0 Races start at 9 am and go to 12 noon.\u00a0 Nick goes out on course and won’t return until the last skier has passed some 4 hours.\u00a0\u00a0He will log some vertical as he chases the kids around the course always encouraging them!\u00a0 Sarah will be on her feet in the start area, helping the kids with their coats and warmups, digging the snow from their boots to get their bindings on.\u00a0 Marge will be handing out bibs and testing glide or kick.\u00a0 She will also be greating the many parents that have come to see their children race.\u00a0\u00a0If there is a problem with the race officials, Marge takes care of it.\u00a0 Jason and I are in the wax trailer\u00a0putting the finishing touches on the race skis and testing for faster waxes as the day wanes on.\u00a0 Laurie is helping with the kids warm ups and last minute stuff like\u00a0” I forgot my boots!”\u00a0 Doug is monitoring the transportation\u00a0of the athletes to the venue and does it on schedule.\u00a0 Everyone is doing what they need to do and it\u00a0is like a concert with all the little pieces in place.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
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The race starts and I don’t know who is more nervous the kids racing or the coaches supporting them.\u00a0 Soon radio reports from the course confirm that\u00a0our skis are fast or faster than all others.\u00a0 The coaches sigh relief.\u00a0 All athletes race and finish.\u00a0 At this competition to finish in the top half of the field is fantastic, to medal\u00a0in the top ten is magical.\u00a0 All the stars have to\u00a0alighn.\u00a0 During the week we medal twice!\u00a0 Steve Mangan in the 15 km skate and Charlie Bencze in the 5 km classical!!\u00a0 First time a Mid-Atlantic skier has medaled at\u00a0this high altitude venue!\u00a0 Congrats to all involved!\u00a0 All other racers post some type of personal bests.\u00a0 Near the end of the week Alumni from our program show up.\u00a0 Leah Ricci (multiple sprint meadalist) has driven the 6 hours from southern California with three friends.\u00a0 They volunteer to clean and wax the 23 pairs of skis for the relays the next day.\u00a0(That’s right the last two days are back to back racing!!\u00a0Just in case you weren’t exhausted already!\u00a0) \u00a0They remove the klister binders and hot wax clean the skis.\u00a0 They eat dinner and then go back up to wax the race wax.\u00a0 They finish around 10 pm.\u00a0 The coaches are greatful for the help and relief.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Alas the last day arrives.\u00a0 The J2 boys just miss a medal and finish sixth 2 seconds behind the New England team.\u00a0 This shows the kids they can do it.\u00a0 When the relays end the task of breaking down the wax room is on.\u00a0 Many hands make light work and all packed up by 3pm.\u00a0 Back to the lodge and pack for the plane rides home.\u00a0\u00a0All ski bags loaded into the U-Haul before the banquet and dance.\u00a0\u00a0Load up the vans and head to the banquet at 6:00 pm.\u00a0 The banquet is good.\u00a0 Followed by\u00a0a speech\u00a0by Olympian Marcus Nash on how it takes a team and alot of\u00a0support people for you (athletes) to make it to your goals.\u00a0 To be thankful and grateful along the way for your sucesses and to learn from your less than sucessful outings.\u00a0\u00a0The awards are given and we get to cheer Charlie!\u00a0 Then off to the dance till 11pm.\u00a0\u00a0We are all back at the lodge by 11:30 pm and having the last team meeting.\u00a0 The week is reviewed and all coaches and some athletes talk.\u00a0 The most important thing that is said is that “Your sucess at the JO’s starts the 364 days before you arrive here!”\u00a0 To get together and train with others in the off season, working on your weaknesses as you found them thru the week.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
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After\u00a0a few hours rest the vans and U-Haul are loaded up\u00a0at 6:30 am and head to the airport.\u00a0 The team is dropped off and the cargo van returned.\u00a0 They are all checked in and most are asleep as the planes take off to fly them home.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
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Laurie and I drive the 8 hours back to SLC with a packed car.\u00a0 We unload all the gear and the next day spend a few hours organizing it for the next JO’s.\u00a0 Marge has been given a goodie bag of wax for the Eastern HighSchool Championships that she is going to this weekend.\u00a0 I think of how tired i am and think of her and the others that are going.\u00a0\u00a0Before you go out and complain about what’s going on in Mid-Atlantic skiing you should really get the complete picture of what all these coaches and volunteers are doing!!<\/span><\/div>\n
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All the coaches and organizers have volunteered their time.\u00a0 They have used up precious vacation time to go.\u00a0 All to make sure ALL our Mid-A kids get the best shot\u00a0possible for good results.\u00a0 We all love ski racing,\u00a0that’s why we do it!\u00a0 <\/span><\/div>\n
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Thanks to all for making this year such a success!<\/span><\/div>\n
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Bill Brooker<\/span><\/div>\n
Team leader 2009<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Early in april the planning began for the 2009 junior olympics in Truckee, California.\u00a0 We would be skiing at great altitude….7200′\u00a0 the FIS limit is at 6000′.\u00a0 At a meeting in the end of April 2008, the Mid-A Junior committee decided to up the bar for the juniors who wanted to make the JO team (read more)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-anouncments","category-13-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nyssranordic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nyssranordic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nyssranordic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nyssranordic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nyssranordic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=598"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nyssranordic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nyssranordic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nyssranordic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nyssranordic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}