PETE 3501
Teaching XC Skiing
Rubric for Cross-country Skiing: Diagonal Stride
Key Parts / Outstanding(4) points / Competent
(3) points / Developing (2) points / Non-mastery (1) point
Body position / Forward, athletic ready position: eyes forward, knees/hips/ankles flexed and forward lean (hips over the feet). / Maintains forward, athletic ready position, two out of three components: eyes forward, knees/hips/ ankles flexed and forward lean / Upright position with knees flexed. / Upright position with little or no flex in legs. Weight often back—leans or falls back.
Arm-pole movement / Forward angle at pole plant; arm comfortably flexed at elbow and wrist when planting; arm fully extends behind skier; arm recovery is a straight relaxed arm swing; arm motion remains at skiers side throughout—does not cross in front of body in plant motion. / Forward angle at pole plant; partial arm extension; arm motion remains at skiers side throughout—does not cross in front of body in plant motion. / Vertical pole plant; arm extends only to hip. Arms may cross over in front of body in plant motion. / Backward angle at pole plant; little or no arm extension; arms cross in front of body in plant motion.
Leg and Body movement / Alternating push-off from one ski onto gliding ski; forward body position; flex in hips, knees and ankles; strong push from the whole foot is down and back; leg is fully extended back (knee and ankle straighten) while forward leg remains flexed for balance and next push. / Movement as described in “Outstanding” without a strong push or full confidence in balance on glide. / Skier exhibits push mechanics or glide position, yet is unable to sequence both motions in succession. / Skier shuffles skis in tracks without a recognizable push and glide.
Timing / Opposite arm and leg movement in diagonally opposite directions; push occurs when feet come together; opposite pole is swung forward and planted. / Opposite arm and leg movement in diagonally opposite directions; push occurs early or late of feet coming together. / Opposite arm and leg movement in diagonally opposite directions without push or glide—essentially a diagonal walk motion. / Same-side arm and leg movement; arms in same side synch with leg shuffle.
Reprinted with permission by Tom Beery, 2005