One can’t cross country ski without equipment, a fact of life that hampered many would-be high school athletes after the sport made a return to the Superior Secondary School Athletic Associated roster three years ago.
It’s a problem no longer, thanks to a $22,725 grant through the Health Communities Fund, which allowed the city’s three school boards to purchase about 40 sets of skis, poles and boots to outfit students interested in skiing, but without the means.
Marilyn Ailey, who coaches the sport at Superior Collegiate, said she’s enthusiastic about the opportunity the Nordic Ski Outreach program can offer up-and-coming high school skiers.
“There are lots of students who have wanted to join cross-country skiing in the past, but the equipment wasn’t available,” Ailey said.
“What I did as a coach was gather my equipment, lend stuff out, go in the community, ask for donations and sort of had a mismatch of things available to students to get them on skis, because I’m very passionate about getting as many students on skis as possible.”
The program is more than just the equipment, which will be housed at Ecole La Veredrye, where students will also train.
Other components will include healthy eating initiatives, education of youth about healthy body images and physical activity awareness and the removal of barriers to include Aboriginal students in the sport.
SSSAA activities director David Pineau on Monday said the partnership, which also includes Fresh Air Experience and Big Nordic Ski Club, said teachers and coaches noticed a real need in the schools and a lack of equipment.
“This helps us cover that base and now we can get kids out and get them the proper coaching and introduce them to the sport,” Pineau said, adding the competitive schedule will begin in February, with a number of training sessions leading into the event.
Nordic skiing was a staple of the high school sports calendar for years, but in 2002 it was taken off the schedule and didn’t return until 2008.
Pineau called it a natural fit for Thunder Bay schools.
“The school ski program is a great way to introduce new skiers to the sport and hopefully it will become a lifelong sport for many,” he said.
Colin Pendziwol, a Grade 12 student at Westgate Collegiate, agreed.
“It gets kids involved who wouldn’t be able to otherwise,” the 17-year-old said.
“Equipment is fairly costly, which some people can’t afford. So it’s just great to get it.”
