The soft powder glides under our skis as we race across the ungroomed snow. I look up and receive the slick football from Taren. Immediately the opposing players close in on the rest of my team as I look for a pass. This is ultimate football, but with a wintery twist: both of the teams are on cross-country skis. However, this is only one of many games we, as the Tripp Middle School nordic ski team, play. Some of our other activities are soccer on skis, limbo, and capture the flag. These games aren’t just for fun, though. Most of the skills needed to participate will help us in skiing, such as endurance, balance, and good sportsmanship. To mix it up a little, we exchange games for relay races, sometimes with limits, sometimes without. These are just as enjoyable as soccer or limbo, however.

For those of you who know nothing or little about nordic skiing, there are two types: classic and skate. The skis and poles are different, as are the boots. However, most of our team’s boots are combi, which means they work with each type of ski. You can also purchase combi skis. Not only are there different types of skis, but there are many waxes that skiers put on them. The color of wax depends on the snow condition and outside temperature. I remember last year, when coach started talking about hot waxing our skis and scraping, I felt like I should be taking notes. After a while, though, you know what it means when we’re told to use a “pink wax and drip purple on top.” Ski talk is like a whole different language!

Liam Cassidy, our coach, has been teaching Tripp students nordic skiing for about eleven years. He leads us in warm-ups and teaches us tactics and tricks about the sport. Liam is a super awesome guy, and he makes being part of the ski team a fun experience. Without him, I don’t know how we would’ve gotten as far along and done as well as we have.

Another factor in our team’s success was the high schoolers who attended our races to cheer us on and be of assistance in preparing skis. I can’t thank them enough. During the state classic race, I can still see a crowd of Leavitt skiers on the sidelines, screaming and yelling us all on. That kind of stuff can make a difference in a competition, as I know it did for me.

This year the team has sixteen members instead of last year’s eight. We also have some great returning skiers, including Taren McGray, Thomas Rabon, Emily Chase, and Walker Perkins. Taren and Thomas placed first in quite a few races, and Taren won both of the girls races at States, while Thomas won the Classic and placed 2nd in skate. Brody Brown and Maddie Wiegman had both skied with the team before as sixth graders, and Maddie had raced last year with us. In fact, most of our skiers were new to the racing part of the sport, but they all did amazingly well. Harrison Knowlton, Mackenzie Varney, and Olivia Mallar are three fifth graders who occasionally join us for races. Even as beginner skiers, they caught on fast. Everyone helps each other out, so the team is more like a huge family.

Whether we’re on the ski bus or waxing our skis before the race, there’s always the team spirit feeling. Seventh grade (last year) was my first year nordic skiing, and I know that constant camaraderie of my fellow Tripp skiers (and even the Leavitt High School skiers) helped a lot. There aren’t any cliques and or snide remarks. Everyone can be themselves and have fun skiing. I have met so many wonderful people and made an incredible amount of friends through the nordic team. It was definitely an incredible and life-changing experience, and I know that the memories and effects will last forever.