Michigan to host Inaugural National J2 Ski Camp in July

Tue, May  4, 2010 - By Mike Muha

The top 20 J2 girls and top 20 J2 boys from the 2010 US Junior Cross Country Ski Championships have been invited to attend the first ever USSA National J2 Talent Camp in Houghton, Michigan, from July 31 through August 8, 2010. This training camp will provide top Junior 2 age class cross country ski racers (age 14-15) with a great opportunity to work with other top J2’s from across the USA for a week of intensive training and education. The camp is meant to supplement the already successful efforts that are occurring at the club level.

Rick Kapala, Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, spearheaded the idea for a National J2 training camp last spring, and it will now come to fruition at the end of July.

The camp will be based from the campus of Michigan Technological University. Located in Houghton, Michigan. MTU was chosen as the inaugural site because of the excellent dryland training opportunities, state of the art gym and athletic facilities, convenient and affordable dorm lodging and meals and central location.

The National Cross Country Ski Education Foundation has provided a grant to help underwrite the costs of the camp, keeping the costs down to $435 per skier, excluding airfare. Affordable lodging and meals were secured through MTU. The cost of the camp includes include meals, lodging, local transport and facility fees.

The goals of the camp are two fold:

1. Provide camp participants with an excellent week of dryland training with other top US Juniors that serves to help motivate participants in their efforts in ski racing.
2. Provide participants with up to date information on nutrition and health management, current international ski technique and training planning and execution.

Four coaches to staff camp

Four coaches from around the US will provide skier coaching at the camp:

Rick Kapala: Head Coach, Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation
Rick has been the Head Coach in Sun Valley since 1987. During that time he’s worked with numerous top US skiers and has coached internationally at World Junior/U23 Championships and World Champs and has been coaching at the National level for over 25 years.

Alison Deines: Head Coach, Jackson Hole Ski Team
After a successful racing career that included NCAA Championships as a member of the University of Colorado program, Ali’s coaching experience includes Winterpark CO, The Sun Valley SEF, and is currently at the successful Jackson Hole program. She has served as team leader for the Scandinavian Series and also as staff for World Junior Championships.

Janice Sibilia: Competitive Program Director, New England Nordic Ski Association.
Under Janice’s leadership, NENSA has continued to develop as the leading junior ski racing divisional program in the US. Janice, a former national level cycling competitor in her youth, brings a strong background in training and fitness to her role as a coach.

Josh Smullin: Nordic Coach, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
Josh has now been with the SSWSC for two years and in that time the program has continued to grow into one of the top Junior cross country ski programs in the US. Another former CU Buff, Josh brings a high level of energy and commitment to skiing.

Two coaching intern positions available

Applications are also being accepted for two coaching intern positions. ideally one male and one female, for the camp. All travel and on site expense will be covered for interns. They will help us supervise daily scheduling for the skiers, help manage workouts and gain valuable experience in what may the beginning of a post college coaching career. Please spread the word to college age skiers who you think might be viable candidates for these coaching intern positions. They need to have strong skiing backgrounds, be good communicators, blend enthusiasm with maturity and be willing to work as a part of team of a staff. Coaching interns will need to be USSA licensed coaches.

National J2 Talent Camp Selection*

AK - Alaska Division FW - Far West Division IM - Intermountain Division MW - Central Division,      Midwest District NE - New England Division RM - Rocky Mountain Division

Best 2 of 3 results from JN's World Cup Scoring: Sprint Prelim, Classic and Free Distance

*In addition to the selection list, each division also has the opportunity to submit additionally up to 1 boy and 1 girl for consideration, on the basis of merit to the camp.

 

J2 Girls
	First Name	Last Name	Age	Number	Affiliation	Division	Best 2/3
1	Corey	Stock	15	6262384	Cambridge Sports Union	NE	200
2	Heather	Mooney	15	6231450	Stratton Mtn School	NE	180
3	Marion	Woods	14	6175749	Alaska Winter Stars	AK	120
4	Sloan	Storey	15	5969704	Sun Valley SEF	IM	120
5	Maggie	Williams	14	6062095	Sun Valley SEF	IM	100
6	Anika	Miller	14	6244133	Payette Lakes Ski Team	IM	96
7	Madalyn	Pfeifer	15	6315426	Proctor Academy	NE	90
8	Celia	Haering	15	6187637	APUNSC	AK	90
9	Hannah	Miller	15	6294896	Craftsbury NSC	NE	74
10	Kelsey	PHINNEY	15	6233725	Boulder Nordic	RM	60
11	Tristin	Lowe	15	6260731	Team Soldier Hollow	IM	58
12	Stephanie	Kirk	15	6295782	Alaska Nordic Racing	AK	50
13	Mary	O `CONNELL	15	5816830	Steamboart Springs WSC	RM	49
14	Rachel	HAMPTON	15	5792973	Durango Nordic	RM	48
15	Heidi	Halvorsen	14	5847330	Green Mtn Valley School	NE	42
16	Emily	HANNAH	15	5812805	Steamboart Springs WSC	RM	37
17	Maranda	Stopol	15	6062277	Sun Valley SEF	IM	32
18	Katrin	Larusson	14	6262571	Auburn Ski Club	FW	31
19	Lucy	NEWMAN	15	5681515	Steamboart Springs WSC	RM	27
20	Nicole	Bathe	14	6278522	CXC JDP	MW	27
J2 Boys
	First Name	Last Name	Age	Number	Affiliation	Division	Best 2/3
1	Cole	Morgan	15	6253993	Bridger SF	IM	200
2	Patrick	Caldwell	15	6221469	Ford Sayre	NE	145
3	John (Jack)	Hegman	15	6262073	Mansfield Nordic	NE	130
4	Eli	Hoenig	15	6261852	Cambridge Sports Union	NE	90
5	Aren	Burkemo	15	6260764	Team Soldier Hollow	IM	90
6	Matthew	Nichols	15	6313697	Knicker Nordic	MW	89
7	Eric	Slater	15	5533328	Minneapolis Ski Club	MW	89
8	Marc	Jackson	14	6315125	Team Soldier Hollow	IM	82
9	Haakon	SIGURSLID	14	6276777	Durango Nordic	RM	70
10	Gino	PASTORE	15	6216519	Durango Nordic	RM	64
11	Austin	Hess	15	6155865	Alaska Winter Stars	AK	62
12	Christian	SHANLEY	15	6221164	S&SC Vail	RM	62
13	John	Glen	15	6180566	Alaska Winter Stars	AK	56
14	Max	SCRIMGEOUR	15	5846639	Steamboart Springs WSC	RM	54
15	Zachary	Lindahl	15	6062483	Sun Valley SEF	IM	50
16	Bridger	Dunnagan	15	6314077	Bridger SF	IM	48
17	Jackson	HILL	15	6260331	Summit Nordic	RM	41
18	Hamish	McEwen	14	6292121	Cambridge Sports Union	NE	40
19	Kyle	Hanson	15	6289558	Lathrop HS	AK	38
20	Adam	Martin	15	6313249	Knicker Nordic	MW	29