Training COVID-19 Update (4/27)

Happy first day of the training year MNC!

With the “training year” beginning with the week that contains May 1, we are officially on our way into the 2020/2021 season. Given the Coronavirus, this ski season is certainly off to an auspicious start, but that doesn’t mean we will let it hinder us as we prepare for another great year.

There are a lot of questions floating around…

• When can we start training together again?
• When does “Spring” training start, and what about “Summer” training? What’s the difference in today’s world?
• Are we still going to have Mountain Camp and Mini Mountain Camp?

To answer these in the most concrete way possible (at the moment), here are some updates.

When can we start training together again?

This is both easy and difficult to answer at the same time. Until we get a directive from Vermont and Governor Scott, we will continue to maintain more of a “virtual” model with Junior training suggestions posted online. During this time we encourage everyone to remain vigilant with good social-distancing…it will make training

as a group again that much more rewarding and motivating!

As of this writing (4/27/20) Vermont is doing very well at containing the virus and meeting or exceeding benchmarks for the gradual re-opening of the economy and loosening of social restrictions. We are fortunate to participate in an outdoor sport, which means we are more likely to have early-access to gatherings…athletics that are gym- or indoor-based may not be so lucky.

Regardless, when we begin training again we can predict a few changes both in the form of government oversight as well as our own club’s efforts to remain safe.

1. It’s likely group size will be limited. Be prepared for multiple training options per day, with a sign-up sheet of sorts to help make sure we are not gathering as too large of a group at one time.
2. Expect to operate sans-MNC Van for a bit, as putting so many people in a confined space is risky. With the lease still ongoing, we want to be able to utilize this resource as much as anybody else, but safety comes first.
3. At training, be prepared for coaches to expect good habits: maintaining distance, courtesy on any roads, trails, or paths we may be training on, and likely face coverings (buffs, if not more) during training sessions. Bright clothing and helmets are no longer the only pieces of safety to remember at training this spring and summer.

When does “Spring” training start, and what about “Summer” training?

With schools moving to online models and no spring sports seasons, we find ourselves in a unique situation. In some ways we have never had fewer conflicts to prevent the kind of ski training that’s best for April and May…and at the same time we’ve never had a bigger conflict than the virus.

The likely course of action is to open signups once we are confident of a starting date, with the “end” date still coinciding with the start of “Summer” programming the third week of June. This keeps continuity in our pricing/timeframe/scheduling for summer training.

Are we still going to have Mountain Camp and Mini Mountain Camp?

Given their start-dates in July, both Mountain Camps are still “on” for the time being. Our lodging reservations can be held until June 6th before cancellation would need to be decided upon. As we get closer to that date, we will continue to evaluate the safety and feasibility of holding the camps in their traditional NH location.

Crossing state lines, particularly with a group, may be prohibited or at the very least an unwise decision. That leaves Mountain Camp and Mini Mountain Camp with 4 possible scenarios:

Scenario 1) Mountain Camps continue as usual, in NH

Scenario 2) Mountain Camps are altered to take place in VT, with potential locations in either Southern or Northern areas of the state

Scenario 3) Mountain Camps are adjusted to take place later in the summer/early fall, depending on COVID-19 progression

Scenario 4) Mountain Caps are cancelled

What can we do right now?

As of today (4/27/20) it is recommended that we continue to follow distancing guidelines. The MNC community has been incredible in its response to this virus, from motivating and getting out the door to train and share their activities online rather than in-person, to the willingness to participate in video challenges, virtual meetings, and other ever-present new methods of community engagement in today’s current environment.

Remember, the end of this weeks marks the Quarantine Uphill Challenge, now picked-up as a NENSA event!