Phoenix Cross Country Ski Society
February 2021
Hi Nordic Skiers;
First of all I would like to thank everyone who has registered online and manually as club members this season. Thank you also for filling out the volunteer section on the form. I’d also like to acknowledge those of you who made additional unsolicited donations to the club…again THANK YOU !! Our club operation depends largely upon member dues and donations for the day-to-day operational expenses incurred. Parents who registered their children for the Skier Development Program are also to be applauded.
Our season is currently in full swing with conditions ranging from okay to excellent. The number of people using our trail system this season is unprecedented and hopefully will continue to see heavy use. During this cold snap, please remember to dress warmly in layers and bring extra gloves, water and a snack. Conditions at Phoenix Mtn can be much colder and windier than in town. Please check the weather conditions at skiphoenix.com to avoid any surprises.
We continue to encourage snowshoers to use our trail system. We would ask that they walk to one side of the classic groomed section of the trail. We would also ask them to contribute to trail maintenance by buying a membership or dropping a donation into the box at the parking lot.
Covid 19 continues to present a challenge for everyone engaging in group activities. Please be aware of your social distancing and remember to sign in at the trailhead. Also, remember that the Dacha has a limit to the number of people allowed inside at one time.
This past fall we built and launched a new website [phoenixnordic.com] which enabled members to more readily find information about our club as well as to make payment for club membership much easier. Our membership now stands at over 100 thanks in part to ease of registry. The website is a work-in-progress . Any suggestion as to content are welcome. We are also looking for a member who has knowledge of WordPress and is willing to give a few hours of advice. We are also looking to develop a logo for the club. Any suggestions are welcome.
Another step forward was becoming a club member of both [CCBC] Cross Country BC [crosscountrybc.ca]and [NC] Nordiq Canada [nordiqcanada.ca]. These two organizations are the provincial and federal sanctioning bodies for the sport of cross country skiing in Canada . The resources that are available from them are unparalleled in supporting what we are doing as a nordic ski club in BC. They range from; offering training courses for coaches to platforms for member registrations [zone4.ca] to a member data base to receiving grants. The training manuals that are used by our XC ski coaches are all supplied by CCBC and NC.
This new season also brought us the opportunity to begin our junior Skier Development Program [SDP] headed by our coach, Tristan Sjoden. Tristan is a certified Nordic coach who has skied from a very early age both competitively and recreationally. Currently we have 6 children enjoying the program and are hoping to enlarge our enrollment in SDP next season as well as offer an adult program if there is demand. Ski, boot and pole rentals for those children enrolled in the SDPs are now available. If there any potential Nordic coaches out there, please contact myself or Tristan for the details of certification.
As our club continues to grow in both membership and activities it puts additional pressure on the systems we have in place and their associated costs, namely grooming, trail maintenance, coaching, website, SDPs, Dacha and ski gear. At the end of the season we will be analyzing income versus expenses and any projected new initiatives and deciding what if any member fee increases are necessary. You can be assured that your club will continue to provide you, our members with an excellent skiing experience at the Marshall Lake trails at reasonable cost.
I would like to acknowledge the many hours that Rick Bennett, our trail groomer unselfishly spends laying down corduroy on our trail system for everyone’s enjoyment. THANK YOU RICK !!
Some initiatives that we are looking at moving forward are; Dacha upgrade or replacement, impoved liason with Phoenix Mtn Alpine Ski Society, more secure off-season storage for our snowcat and better first-aid and emergency preparedness.
Thanks for reading, have a safe and enjoyable season.
Brian Fletcher
Chair
Phoenix Cross Country Ski Society
Your Current PCCSS Board of Directors;
Brian Fletcher, Chair, bmfletch@telus.net
Larry Hudema, Secretary, larryhudema@yahoo.ca
Dennis Graham, Treasurer
Jamie Stewart, at large
Wayne Hind, at large
Tristan Sjoden, at large
Rick Bennett, at large