Upcoming Events

Birchwood-MYSL Team Sprint Series

01/22/2020

Age Group Classic technique tonight for Skiwerx Points. Medals awarded! The Minnesota Youth Ski...

Loppet Sprints (Skiwerx Series)

01/31/2020

Skate Sprints; age group heats. Youth races begin at 6pm.

Registration closes Jan 29th!...

MYSL SuperCarnival - Loppet Weekend

02/01/2020

Loppet Weekend is full of events for the whole family. Details at www.loppet.org

Summary...

Skiwerx, late winter session

02/03/2020

Join us for the best six weeks of winter. For kids with prior Skiwerx experience. February 3 -...

Mayors XC Challenge (Skiwerx Series)

02/16/2020

Classic races on Sunday and Skate Sprints on MONDAY. Youth races will be midday. This is also a...

K COUNTER TOP 10

Skier	Club	KM
Heidi S	Willow River	246.01
Selah B	Woodland Wapiti	202.57
Soren W	Wirth Saturdays	188
Alexander A	Hyland Lake	133
Helen C	Hyland Lake	128.5
Hans S	Willow River	118.8
Jack K	Willow River	113.53
Finnian A	Carver SkiSparks	110
Ethan C	Lake Elmo	110
Ryan K	Willow River	105.13

Como Youth Ski Club

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Location

1431 North Lexington Pkwy

55102 Saint Paul , MN

Phone: 651-488-9673

See map: Google Maps

Minnesota

como

Venue Name:

Como Park Golf Course

Registration:

Full

Meets:

Sunday

2pm-3:30pm

Starts:

January 5, 2020 - 2:00pm

Dates:

1/5, 1/12, 1/26, 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23, 3/1, makeup date (if needed) is 3/8, and 3/14 and 3/15 is the MyXC Festival and Championship at Wirth

Rentals:

Club Rentals - closed

Membership:

$50

Ski Pass:

None

Other (Equipment Options):

Club online rentals: Classic $45

Other (Ski Pass Requirements):

Ski pass is required for adults at our back up facility (Elm Creek Park Reserve)

Leader:

Katherine Swanson, Erica Bentley, Katie Koessler, Torrey Swanson & David Melvin ,

907-242-4064

Email:

como@mysl.org

Welcome to St. Paul Como Park | MYSL Ski Sparks

1/13/2020 UPDATE: No Meeting Sunday, January 19th. Meeting 3 is scheduled for Sunday, January 26th at 2:00 pm at Como

More About Como SkiSparks

We've been helping kids learn the life-long sport of Nordic skiing at Como for over 25 years. We welcome kids ages 4 to 14 and their families. The club is a 100% volunteer effort. We look forward to spending another season with happy skiers having fun in the snow!

Registration for Como SkiSparks is through MYSL. Please go to mysl.org and click "Register Today" to complete the registration for your child and sign up for volunteer opportunities. Our club is expected to fill, so register soon.

Need-based scholarships are available for the registration fee. Please email como@mysl.org to request a scholarship.

12/19/19 Announcement

Como SkiSparks is at capacity. If you would like to be on our waiting list, please fill out this form. Priority is given to families that can help coach.

We encourage you to register for an alternative SkiSparks club. If your name comes up on our waiting list, we will contact you and you can transfer your membership. Alternative clubs to Como:

St. Anthony Park SkiSparks
Battle Creek SkiSparks
Bunker Hills SkiSparks (Rental Skis Available!)
Tamarack SkiSparks
Lake Elmo Saturday SkiSparks
Hiawatha Saturday SkiSparks

2020 Schedule and Location

Meet at Como Park Golf Course from 2:00pm - 3:30pm, starting Sunday, January 5, 2020. We will have 8 lessons. We will NOT meet January 19th over the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday weekend. Our last lesson is scheduled for March 1, 2020, but a makeup lesson (if needed) will be March 8, 2020. Please also plan on attending the annual MyXC Festival and Championship on March 14th and 15th at Theodore Wirth Park. More information on the Festival will be forthcoming.

In the case of no snow at Como we will move to a snowmaking loop. Our backup facility is Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove, and we will shift our meeting time to 3:30-5:00 at this location. We will give you as much notice as possible when we move to Elm Creek.

Curriculum/Levels

MYSL’s curriculum teaches skiing with games using an orderly progression through six distinct levels, Levels 1 through 6. Each level is designed to be done twice. Generally, the levels and age groups for classic skiing are: Level 1 Ages 4-7 (parents ski along with the child); Level 2 Ages 6-8 (parents check in occasionally); Level 3 Ages 7-10; and Level 4 Ages 8-12. The levels for skate ski lessons are: Level 5 Ages 9-13 and Level 6 Ages 11-14. If you are new to MYSL, please use the age guide when you register. If your child has never skied before, however, please register them for Level 1 regardless of their age. We work hard to place children in the best group for their skill level and age, but may have to move children after the first few lessons as coaches assess skill levels. Additionally, level, age, and coach/skier ratio considerations will take precedence over buddy requests. Skill levels are selected or edited in the Household Information section of the club membership process.

Coaching Volunteers Needed

When you sign up your child, please consider being a volunteer coach or assistant coach. If you have already signed up, you can still volunteer by emailing como@mysl.org. You don't have to be an expert skier. We provide each week's curriculum, there is a December coaches training that you can attend, and we provide a one-hour training for coaching levels 1 and 2 (but any volunteer may attend). If you are unable to make a weekly commitment, but are still interested in being involved, please consider signing up to be a SUBSTITUTE COACH that fills in when needed, or a SWEEPER that skis the trails during lessions to ensure a safe and successful environment for all MYSL participants.

Equipment

It is important for skiers to have equipment that fits well. Please note that Level 1 skiers ages 4 and 5 do not need poles. Level 1 skiers that are 6 or older (or are in their second year of Level 1) may use poles.

10/31/19 update: We have no more equipment for rent.

If you need equipment, you may purchase new and used equipment at the MyXChange SkiSwap on November 16, 2020. We plan to have a table at the Swap and Expo so please come say hello!

You may also purchase new or used equipment at the following locations:

Boulder Nordic Sports (BNS) -- Bloomington
FinnSisu -- St. Paul
Gear West -- Long Lake
Hoigaards -- St. Louis Park
Joe's Sporting Goods -- St. Paul
Pioneer Midwest -- Osseo
Play it Again Sports -- various locations

You may also rent equipment from the Como Chalet before each lesson (about $12 in prior years). In the past, however, the Chalet has closed due to poor snow conditions and we have still had lessons. Additionally, the Chalet often closes its rental shop after President's Day weekend.

Clothing

Make sure to dress in layers. Polypropylene or lightweight wool will keep the moisture off the skin, wear a number of insulating layers for warmth that can be shed as games and skiers heat up. Add something non-absorbent on the outside to cut the wind and minimize sticking snow when we're rolling around. Use this checklist for success:

Dry boots: Boots need to be dried out near a heat source between uses. They can’t stay in the car or garage.
Dry, wool socks: No poly blends, no cotton. A dry pair of socks needs to be put on right before you put on your boots.
No updrafts: Cold hands can often mean your body is too cool. Make sure jackets are not too big and billowy. To stop drafts, stuff jackets into pants, tighten drawstrings or wear a drink belt.
Put on a hat and a neck gator (buffs, muffs, neck warmers): We all know we lose a lot of heat through our heads. But making sure your ears and neck are covered is just as important.
Good gloves: Good ski gloves/mittens are an investment and can only be found at ski retailers, but they are worth it.
Hand/Foot warmers: For when it is really cold, hand and foot warmers are helpful. These are oxygen activated and you can “turn them off” by putting them in an airtight container (such as a jam jar) to get multiple uses.
Calories: A skier that is low on calories will have a hard time staying warm. Bringing back up snacks and drinks is always a good idea.

Important to Know

Parking – parking can be a challenge at Como Ski Chalet, so be sure to plan your trip and arrive with enough time to grab bibs. Coaches start skiing at 2pm, promptly. Alternate parking is across the street, if needed. (Como Park Map)
First Day – when you arrive the first time, please assist your children in finding their coaches outside on the golf course (to the West of the parking lot). There will be level-signs to guide you to the right coach. Each coach will have a ski bib and card for your child. We will collect the bibs at the last lesson.
Subsequent Lessons – Meet your coach by the level-signs like you did on the first day.
Volunteers and Coaches – Will be wearing MYSL coach bibs in the level color they coach, with coach names on hats - so you can tell us apart in our snow gear.
Weather – If the forecast is very cold or cold with wind chill (-2 degrees air temperature or -10 degrees windchill), we’ll cancel. We also may shorten lessons on very cold days (below 5 degrees air temperature or 10 degrees windchill). Cancellations as well as a move to our back-up location in Elm Creek for lack of snow will be noted on this web page, via email to all members, and on Facebook by 8 am Sunday. If we are scheduled to meet at our back-up location in Elm Creek, we are unlikely to have shortened lessons during very cold weather and will instead cancel.

Communications
We communicate with Como MYSL families via email and Facebook. We need valid emails for all. When you register please include a contact e-mail address and phone number.

Messages will be sent:

If we cancel because of weather.
If we have to move to another MYSL location (due to snow conditions).
Clarifying questions we may have about your registration.
Providing updates with news and information about the Como ski club.
Regarding pickup of rental equipment.

Please contact us with questions or feedback at como@mysl.org.

Adult Lessons

We will again offer adult lessons in cooperation with Endurance United! Sessions are designed for new skiers. Join the experienced EU staff for five sessions to quickly improve your skiing. At the end of the 5 sessions, we invite you to ski along with your kids in their group and support the lead coaches. Each session will have a coach dedicated to skate skiing and classic skiing. These sessions take place at the same place and time the kids are skiing (what could be more convenient than that?). Register through Endurance United.

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Como Youth Ski Club

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