Another season over

It's been way over freezing here this week and the weekend looks even warmer with rain. That means the end of the ski season for us nordic buffs. I didn't have much to say this year except for posting about the team that I helped coach this year. What great fun! How incredibly humbling! I've never tried to pass myself off as an elite athlete, but the geek in me has always loved the sport and it's balance between technique, intense fitness, outdoor life, and nordic culture. Joining the coaching ranks is really my first experience with competition that mattered. I was surprised that it mattered to me as much as it did. It mattered to the kids on the team a lot and it mattered to the other parents and the head coach.  Since it mattered, it counted whether or not the coaching was effective. It counted if the preparations were good enough and helped overcome our fairly limited time on snow.  It counts when we try to motivate kids and keep them going when there are so many other things they could be doing on any given day. To be honest though, this group of kids was easy to coach. That's a good thing because now that the season is over, I can't believe how fast it went. There are many things to improve on for next year, but the season was still a success overall. Next year can be even better with some strong returning skiers, some very promising young skiers and some potential new skiers on the line. Can't wait!

For all of you that took part in our team this year, thank you for the chance to let me help out. I really look forward to being part of it again next year.