About the Bill Koch League

Many of you have seen the Bill Koch XC ski lessons grow over the past five years and witnessed the energy that comes with getting 50 kids out skiing on a clear, crisp Sunday.

During 2014-2015 we had over 60 young skiers enrolled in the Bill Koch lessons and hope to continue our success. The group grew for the 2015-2016 season. We anticipate continued growth and need to be sure we have the volunteer coaches to make it all happen! Therefore, we, the Bill Koch organizers, are inviting any ANSA folks to come volunteer and help inspire the next generation of skiers. We are looking for XC skiers, from shufflers to experts, tojoin us on Sundays from 2 - 3:30 PMto help assist the "coaches." (Or even be a coach.)

The Bill Koch/YMCA cross country ski lesson program runs for 6 weeks, starting January 11th until February 15th and while it would be ideal to have the same volunteers for the entire 6 week period, a commitment of most of those weeks would be great. Bill Koch lessons are all about fun and games and while the "coaches" will do the game/activity planning for each week, the more adults we have, the better we can assure that lessons are fun and we can better accommodate more specific skill levels within the age groups.

If you are interested or just want to learn a bit more about what is involved, please contact Bruce and Whitney Condit - 782-8882. Please alsocheck out our Facebook page.

Thanks SO much!

Information for Parents about the 2016 Bill Koch Season

LA Bill Koch League YMCA Parent Information Packet

Winter 2016

(to be updated for the 2017 season soon)

Welcome to your local youth cross-country ski program! This program was started by Dan Campbell, Edward Little ski coach, in conjunction with the YMCA, to introduce young people to the lifelong sport of cross-country (aka ‘Nordic’) skiing with all of its recreational, social, fitness and even competitive opportunities. If you’re going to live in Maine, why not doing something really fun in the snow?

The program runs in the model of the Bill Koch League, which was founded by Olympic medalist Bill Koch, to foster a lifelong love of skiing and the outdoors. The goal is to teach the skills and techniques of skiing through games and fun rather than lectures and repetitive drills. With the right activities and games, your child will learn what they need without even realizing they’re in a lesson!

Our program has grown and developed since it began in 2011.We are run by volunteers, thus parental involvement is key to our long term success. We welcome returning families and new faces, and invite your input and feedback to help us continue to make this a valuable part of your child’s winter fun.

General Information

Lessons run for 7 weeks, Sunday, January 3rd through Sunday February 14<sup>th</sup>, 2016 .

Lessons start at 2:00 PM.Please plan to arrive at 1:40(or earlier) to allow time to unload and put on ski gear, and give your child some time to play around a bit before lessons. Lessons begin with a group warm up, then break into smaller groups by levels. Lessons will run for an hour for the youngest kids (4-6), and to 3:30 for older kids.

Skiers are divided into groups by age, and then within each age group we will try to divide by ability as well. We may move children around as needed to make sure they are learning at their appropriate level.

There will be one or two parents available to check in skiers as you arrive. At check in, we will confirm your child’s group assignment and provide a name tag to clip on their hat (where it is out of harm’s way and is most visible to instructors). We now have reusable name tags to use for all seven weeks. After the lesson is over, during snack time, each skier can replace their name tag on the name tag stand located near the snack tables.

One port-a-potty is located by the parking area.A BIG thank you to G.A. Downing for donating part of the cost of this necessary luxury.

The trails we use are wonderfully maintained and groomed by the volunteers of theAuburn Nordic Ski Association(ANSA). If you wish to ski on the trails at times other than the Sunday afternoon lessons, we suggest that you become a member of ANSA to support its efforts. A family membership is only $80 a year, and can be mailed to ANSA, P.O. Box 1062, Auburn 04211-1062.Questions about ANSA? Check out the website ( and/or .

On the final lesson day, Sunday, February 14th, we will have a fun ‘race’ that awards all kids for participation and effort, and starting around 3:30 pm we will gather for a potluck at the Condit’s House, across from the XC trails. Details will be given in early February.

Coaching

In 2011, Dan Campbell, the Edward Little Nordic Ski Coach, re-started the Bill Koch lesson program in this area. Since then, we have been fortunate to recruit a number of enthusiastic adults and parents from the community to help. Still, we heartily thank Dan Campbell for having the vision and motivation to bring youth XC skiing back to L/A!

Our goal is to have smaller groups of young skiers matched with one or two “coaches.” While we try to keep the coaches consistent for each small group of skiers, there may be some weeks when one or more of the coaches are different, but they will be continuing with the same (fun) lesson curriculum.

Snacks

After each lesson, snacks are provided by parents on a rotating (and volunteer) basis. During the first two weeks of lessons, families can sign up to help bring in the snack for a specific week, and the snack schedule will be finalized and emailed. We may also continue using Volunteer Spot, which is an on-line way to keep track of snacks. Stay tuned for an email with more information about using Volunteer Spot ().At least three families will share the responsibility for each week, and can set up the snacks on the picnic tables on site.Drinks are provided by the program.

Families are welcome to bring any healthy snack, but here are a few examples:

Cut up fruit (any type):bananas, melon, apple slices, grapes, pineapple, watermelon, orange wedges

Dried fruit: raisins, dried cranberries, apricots, dates

Cut up veggies: carrot or celery sticks, green peppers, cucumbers, with or without hummus for dipping

Other ideas: Pretzels, popcorn, crackers, mini-bagels, cheese sticks, whole grain goldfish, yogurt covered raisins, fig newtons, fruit bars, granola bars, cereal bars, graham crackers

Of course, who doesn’t love something sweet….A sweet treat is also fine to bring, but please bring it in conjunction with another healthier option to balance. J

On the lesson days when the temps are really frigid… you might even want to bring snack in a cooler to keep it from freezing!

Please let us know if your child has any food allergies! We will try to accommodate everyone.

Communication

Email

Please make sure that we have a correct and updated email address for you. This is one major way we get out communications about lessons and reminders. We promise to not use it for any other reason! We will email snack reminders, weather and condition updates as needed, and other announcements as they arise.

Website

Thanks to the Auburn Ski Association Website, we have a link from there which will have a bunch of useful information.

We hope to also have information available linked from the ANSA page:

Facebook Page

Yes, we have a Facebook page! Thank you to Daryn Slover, who created and maintains the page for us. We will use it as place to share useful information as well as provide updates from week to week.

Cancellations

Lessons will rarely be cancelled. However, when the temps are frigid or we are lucky enough to have a blizzard, each family can make the decision whether or not to come based on your own child’s tolerance to weather, and what the driving in your area is like.

Contact Us
For any questions or for general information please contact:

Bruce & Whitney Condit: 782-8882 (home) or 576-9820 (Whitney’s cell) (try the home # first)

Email:

Adult XC Ski Equipment

Skiing is a great family activity, and you may find yourself wanting to give it a try.Cross country equipment is available used at Play It Again sports, and new at places like Akers in Andover, Carters in Oxford, or LL Bean. You might also ask friends and even check Craig’s list to see what might be lying around. We will have some used equipment to sell that came from the Maine Winter Sports Center – contact Bruce or Whitney Condit if you’re interested. Most of all, we would love to see more parents taking advantage of the “free exercise” time during lessons, so let us know if you would like to borrow some equipment!

Another possible option is the Auburn Ski Swap which happens every year during the second weekend in November. It is happening this year on Sunday, November 15<sup>th</sup> at Auburn Middle School. You can also watch for Ski Swaps happening in neighboring communities.

Dressing for Warmth and Fun

“There’s no such thing as bad weather – just bad clothing.”

Dressing wisely can make the difference between a fun day and a miserable one. A few key tips will help you prepare your child for an excellent winter experience:

  • Dress your child inlayersto allow adjustment based on the activity level.
  • Avoid cotton– when wet it does not insulate. Wool, fleece, or polypropylene are good choices.
  • Please, please… no cotton socks!!!Invest in a pair of Smartwool type socks or any type of synthetic/polyester/wool socks.
  • Mittensare warmer than gloves for the coldest weather.
  • A goodhat, buff, or neckwarmercan make all the difference on a cold day.
  • Labelyour child’s clothing, to help identify stray items at the end of the lesson.

Most children will do well with a thin non-cotton layer (like polypro or microfleece) covered by their snow pants and jacket. On colder days, add a fleece or wool layer underneath, and a neck warmer to minimize losses from the top of the jacket. On warmer days, a thick parka makes for a sweaty then chilly child - try a lighter jacket or nylon shell with a fleece. Flexibility with the weather is the key to comfort and fun!

The youngest skiers may not get quite as hot during lessons as the older skiers, and are less likely to take off layers during lessons due to overheating, but still be aware of the temperature and adjust layers appropriately.

For parents helping with the youngest kid’s lessons, please dress very warmly. Even though you are actively helping, and we aim to keep the young skiers moving, the adults don’t get quite the workout as the young skiers! Just add a layer that you can take off if you do start to overheat!

After lessons, during snack time is when the cold might start to set in, especially if they get a little sweaty. An extra layer, or putting on those that were shed, can help keep them warm.

Other XC events to check out

  • Quarry Road Opener

December 13, 2016

Quarry Road Recreation Area, Waterville, ME

Event info: Sunday, December 7th, Quarry Road and Cental Maine Ski Club will play host to the first event in the 2014-15 NENSA Zak Cup Series. The event will feature races from skiers of all ages with lollipop, 1, 2, and 3k races for kids, a 5k for U16’s and 10k for all other ages. All events will be freestyle and are likely to take place on artificial snow produced by Quarry Road’s system.

Website:

  • Bill Koch Festival at Great Glen

Saturday and Sunday March 5 & 6, 2016

Pinkham Notch, NH

Event Info: The 2016 New England BKL Festival, the largest youth cross country event for 8th graders and younger, will be held March 5 & 6 here at Great Glen! Club members are encouraged to sign up and attend this wonderful children’s event of the winter, which includes both races and non-competitive activities. The theme for this year’s Festival is: White Mountain Magic!

For all the details visit the website:Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.

  • Mountain Top Paintball Biathlon

Mountain Top Inn & Resort, Chittenden, VT

Check out their website for more details and the 2016 dates.

For a more complete listing of XC ski events for kids (and adults) go to the NENSA (New England Nordic Ski Association) website:

Other places to XC Ski in the area

If you are interested in branching out and trying other XC ski areas, here are a few suggestions.

Carter’s XC Ski Center (in Bethel or Oxford)

420 Main Street, Oxford, ME

(207) 539-4848

Oxford ME: Enjoy 30 km of beautifully-groomed Maine Cross Country Ski trails. Our Oxford, Maine location has one of the best beginner to intermediate trails in New England.

Bethel ME: 786 Intervale Road: 55 km of beginner to expert Cross Country skiing which affords tremendous views of Sunday River Resort across the valley, and the Mahoosuc & Presidential Ranges.

Pineland Farms, New Gloucester, ME

Outdoor Center, 15 Farm View Drive, New Gloucester ME

688-6599

The Pineland Farms Outdoor Center has thirty kilometers of ski trails that are seasonally groomed nightly for both skate and classic disciplines, as weather permits. There are also eighteen kilometers of snowshoe trails to enjoy, as well as a sledding hill and two ponds that are cleared after each storm. Day passes and Season passes for both winter and summer activities can be purchased at The Market/Welcome Center or at the Outdoor Center.

Titcomb Mountain

180 Ski Slope Rd., West Farmington, ME 04992

778-9031

14 km of groomed Nordic trails for both classic and skate skiing

The Bethel Nordic Ski Center at The Bethel Inn, Bethel, ME

21 Broad Street, Bethel, ME

824-6276

Facebook: Bethel Nordic Ski Center

Website:

The Bethel Nordic Ski Center is a classic New England cross-country ski area in the village of Bethel, Maine. 30km of classic and skate tracks wind though forests and fields, past stonewalls and old mill dams under the shadow of the Mahoosuc Mountains. The Ski Center is located in the village center. Options for a healthy lunch, coffee, and dinner, as well as several galleries, bookstores, and boutiques, are all within walking distance of the ski trails.

The Outdoor Center at the Sunday River Inn

​​23 Skiway Road​, Newry

824-0348​​

Located on the Sunday River access road, just half a mile from the downhill slopes, the Outdoor Center offers 35km of expertly groomed trails for skiers of all ages and abilities. A favorite with families is the gentle 5km trip to the Artists' Covered Bridge over the Sunday River.

Beech Hill Cross Country Ski and Snowshoe Center

296 Tucker Road - Wayne, Maine 04284

Website:

The center offers 11 kilometers of wide, groomed trails on 80 acres of varied terrain for intermediate x-country skiing and snowshoeing for all ages.A warming hut with wood stove and also comfort stations are available.Hot cocoa and tea is always complimentary.Bring a lunch and enjoy the peaceful Wayne woods!

Robert’s Farm Preserve

64 Roberts Rd - Norway, Maine

Roberts Farm Preserve offers 12 kilometers of non-motorized, multi-use Nordic trails overlooking Norway Lake. The system includes a 1.1 kilometer universally accessible trail to a scenic outlook and a 3.5 kilometer hiking/dog walking snowshoe trail.