JDHS Nordic Ski team on the trails and in the snow
- Klas Stolpe
- 20 hours ago
- 3 min read
Athletes to celebrate solstice Sunday at Mendenhall Campground
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Nordic Ski Team are ready to kick (and glide) off their season with a community solstice gathering and team fundraiser on Sunday from 4-8 p.m. at the Mendenhall Campground.
The Crimson Bears have been practicing since early November, which was nearly impossible last season due to limited or a lack of snow. Sunday will be the first introduction of the 13 returning skiers to the public aside from chance encounters in practice sessions on many of Juneau’s trails.
“Practices have been good,” coach Abby McAllister said. “We had a solid month of dryland training beginning in November — strength training on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Aux Gym, and trail running and hill bounding on Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays — and then December delivered the goods and we have been skiing since right after Thanksgiving. So far, the team couldn't be happier with the conditions. We are tickled, really grateful.”
Team captains are Zoë Lessard, Lua Mangaccat and Siena Farr. Their Nordic technique (supported by practice drills and strong core/leg strength honed in dryland workouts) has developed into efficient skiing — finding the optimal balance between power and relaxation to conserve energy — via push-and-glide in classic style or rhythmic poling/skating in skate style.
“Last season we did a lot of skiing in non-ideal conditions, and going through a season like that I definitely learned how to have fun and challenge myself in all types of snow,” Lessard said. “I think being a captain means being yourself, enjoying the skiing and the team. My co-captains each bring different aspects of the sport to life, and together we make a strong team that shows our teammates all the aspects we can enjoy of Nordic skiing and its amazing community.”
The JDHS Nordic Ski team are senior girls Lessard, L. Mangaccat and Farr, junior girls Raegan Adams, Riley Soboleff, Kaia Mangaccat and Eva Meyer, sophomore girls Gracie Snyder, Sunna Schane and Sigrid Eller, sophomore boys Finnan Gahl Kelly, Caleb Schane, Craig Thorsteinson, Anderson Murray and Emmett Hightower, freshmen girls Eliza Albrecht, Cora Soboleff, Clara Van Kirk and Emmalynn LaPlante, and freshmen boys Ethan Buchheit, Tymur Tkachenko, Oscar Lamb and Brooks Pinney.
Sunday’s event is titled “Light the Night — A Solstice Celebration” and the Crimson Bears are inviting the community to bring their skis, snowshoes, fat-tire bikes, moon boots, kick sleds, fat skis — or whatever else they choose to slide, walk or run on snow with — and help celebrate the return of the light on the darkest night of the year.
McAllister said the campground will be illuminated with thousands of LED lights and burning bonfires. The JDHS Nordic ski team will be selling s'mores, hot chocolate and light sticks. The public is asked to leave the family dogs at home. Parking is available at the West Glacier trailhead and a Discovery Southeast shuttle will bring attendees to Skaters Cabin.
Said McAllister, “The good cheer is free! Bring the family, your friends, bundle up, bring a warm mug of your favorite beverage and enjoy the twinkling evening among the trees and snow!”
The Nordic Ski team is supported by the Juneau Nordic Ski Club. Proceeds from the event go directly toward offsetting expenses for team travel to races in other parts of Alaska, including regionals in Fairbanks and the Alaska School Activities Association (ASAA) state championships.
The team will compete Dec. 27, in a local race organized by past team members home for Christmas break and again on Jan. 3 for the Alumni Costume relay. The Crimson Bears will also go to Palmer for the Government Peak Invitational Jan. 9-10 and hold local races Jan. 17 and Jan. 24 if snow conditions hold.
As the only team in the Region V Southeast Conference JDHS can compete at any regional tournament they are invited to and were accepted to the Region III in Kenai and Region VI in Fairbanks last season. The team will return to the Fairbanks regionals at Birch Hill on Feb. 6-7 and then take seven girls and seven boys to the state championships at Government Peak/Matsu in Palmer, Feb. 19-21, where every high school Nordic Ski team will be represented.
Helping McAllister are assistant coach Ricky Worl and many school district-sanctioned volunteer coaches, including Mike Hekkers, Merry Ellefson, Tristan Knutson-Lombardo, Jesse Miller, Tim Blust, Aaron Blust, Shawn Eisele and Marc Wheeler.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
