Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Silver Star Spring Training Camp

On May 5th the new Alberta World Cup Academy team took off to Silver Star, BC for our first training camp of the year.

We arrived to tones of snow and great weather conditions for the entire week. In the morning we would wake up and be skiing by 9am. The trails were in excellent condition with a good 10-15km loop of nicely groomed tracks. There were occasional snowfalls throughout the week, and on the last day we woke up to a good foot of fresh powder!

In the afternoons we would we would change things up by doing several activities such as weights, running, canoeing, or soccer.

All in all, I think everyone put in a solid week of training, while having fun and learning a lot at the same time. Thanks to all the coaches who helped out and a special thanks Glenn Bond for giving us the opportunity to paddle in the outrigger canoes.

Great skiing conditions at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Ski Centre

My teammate Kate Brennan and I ski with coach Chris Jeffries

Going for an afternoon run on the BX trail

Paddling in the Outrigger Canoes

Monday, May 5, 2008

The New Team

"The Alberta World Cup Academy, which was officially announced on March 15, today introduced the athletes and coaching staff who will drive the vision as members of the 2008-09 ski team.

Athletes to the Academy were selected based on their 2007 athletic performance, particularly at the Canadian National Championships, as well as their levels of commitment and personal goals. The 15 athletes who have met the high performance selection criteria for 2008 – 2009 are:

Kate Brennan, Ottawa
Chris Butler, Thunder Bay
Jess Cockney, Canmore
Brooke Gosling, Canmore
Sara Hewitt, Calgary
Rhonda Jewett, Canmore
Gord Jewett, Canmore
Marlis Kromm, Calgary
Alysson Marshall, Salmon Arm
Curtis Merry, Edmonton
Dougal Owen, Calgary
Kevin Sandau, Canmore
Terrell Stephen, Calgary
Shayla Swanson, Calgary
Heidi Widmer, Banff

Mike Cavaliere -Coach
Chris Jeffries - Coach

Cross-country ski racing is a mentally demanding and physically exhausting sport, Cavaliere explains. The challenges associated with travel, weather, snow, health, equipment selection and psyche make this sport one of the most difficult and having a strong and supportive team makes the difference."

What I Live By:

"Belief is the mother of reality. Excellence is a state of mind."

"A Bad day on skis is better then a good day at the office"

"There is NOTHING the body suffers, the soul may not profit by."

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you are right." -Henry Ford

Photos