There are many questions swirling around this season. While I (Coach Adam) don’t have all the answers, I want to share what I know in an accessible place. Keep in mind that things are changing by the week, or even day, as guidelines become established or altered. Without any delay…here are some of the most pressing questions for Juniors this year.
1) Will there be Eastern Cups?
As of right now, October 26, 2020, there WILL be Eastern Cups in the upcoming season. The schedule is in a constant state of flux so please continue visiting the NENSA homepage as a key resource, and thoroughly read every edition of the Kickzone newsletter when information is shared.
These Eastern Cups will be individual start, and to compete in them you will be required to purchase your bib and timing chip for the season well in advance. Find more info on that here.
2) Will MNC have Team Trips (van, lodging, etc) to Eastern Cups?
This is TBD. But we are unlikely to use the van for Eastern Cup transport of athletes (though it may carry coaches and equipment). The first Eastern Cup is scheduled for Rikert and that will be a day-trip for all. We will wait to see how other race venues, COVID outcomes, and travel guidelines play out for races outside of VT.
3) Will there be Junior Nationals? What about Eastern HS Champs? What about U16 Champs?
Junior Nationals is tentatively moved to a “Regional Championship” event. This is slated to take place in Lake Placid the first weekend in March. The qualification for this event is two-fold:
-Skiers can qualify via traditional JN pathway: points at Eastern Cups lead to a “JN Team” named consisting of the same quotas as a typical year
-An additional group of skiers from each state can qualify, in addition to the traditional “JN Team” quota, based on State criteria. For Vermont, these “State Quota” skiers for the Regional Championship are likely to be selected via the VT EHS/U16 Qualifier races.
Eastern HS Champs and U16s has moved to a State-based model with limited information here from NENSA.
4) What licenses do I need to get?
If you are competing in Eastern Cups, you WILL NEED A USSA LICENSE. If you are under 18, you may purchase a General Membership ($20) and if races end up needing to be scored to the National Ranking List for points, you can upgrade to a Competitor membership at any point during the season. The points you scored as a General member will carry over and be updated. If doing this, you will need to upgrade before the end of the season.
For those over 18, you will need a competitor membership regardless because Safesport training is a mandatory prerequisite for all. The Safesport course takes a bit to complete and even longer for processing, so please sign up for this membership well in advance of the season. Prices go up Nov 1.
It is not likely that many MNC athletes will need a FIS license. While Craftsbury is hosting a series of FIS races on multiple Saturdays this winter, there are corresponding non-FIS races on those Sundays. Unless you are looking to compete at the international level, there should be ample competition at the Sunday races from college and regional athletes/teams.
5) Will there be High School racing?
It seems likely that HS racing will happen, given the success of safe events for XC runners. We are fortunate to compete in an outdoor sport, but expect plenty of restrictions and guidelines for those events much like all other competitions currently. There is a VT high school coaches meeting on Nov 4th when more will be finalized.
6) Where will Juniors train this winter?
Our Juniors will train at both Bolton and Sleepy Hollow, primarily. With a $75 season pass and a newly-negotiated Bolton pass of $65-85 we achieved an early goal of access at both areas for under $200 for our Juniors. We have put a lot of work into Picnic Loop at Bolton which will have critical lighted skiing infrastructure and low-snow grooming possibility. We will also lean on Sleepy Hollow for its snowmaking capability. Tues/Thurs training will be at Bolton unless snow conditions dictate otherwise. Training on Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun will depend on conditions, races, individual schedules, and more. Flexibility is key.
7) When does Winter training start?
Junior winter training begins Dec 1. You can find registration now open here.
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