Upcoming Events

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...

Trail Kids Ski X (Skiwerx Series)

03/05/2020

Timed Skate Ski X (obstacle race course) at Wirth Park for U14, U12 and U10 age groups. Bring...

K COUNTER TOP 10

Skier	Club	KM
Heidi S	Willow River	299.32
Selah B	Woodland Wapiti	260.57
Soren W	Wirth Saturdays	235
Eddie S	Battle Creek	205.32
Ethan C	Lake Elmo	133
Alexander A	Hyland Lake	133
Hans S	Willow River	131.36
Helen C	Hyland Lake	128.5
Jack K	Willow River	113.53
Liam L	Lake Elmo	110

Wirth Youth Ski Club SUNDAYS

Primary tabs

Location

1301 Theodore Wirth Pkwy Trailhead Building

55422-4584 Minneapolis , MN

Phone: 612-604-5330

See map: Google Maps

Minnesota

SundayWirth

Venue Name:

Theodore Wirth Park

Attachment	Size
Wirth Club Skier Guide.pdf	66.51 KB

Registration:

Full

Meets:

Sunday

3:00-4:30pm

Starts:

January 5, 2020 - 3:00pm

Dates:

January 5, 2020 - March 8, 2020

Rentals:

Skiers must have equipment

Membership:

$50

Ski Pass:

Mpls Parks Ski Pass for all skiers

Leader:

Sandy Zinn ,

612-655-1072

Email:

wirth@mysl.org

Welcome to the MYSL at THEODORE WIRTH PARK in MINNEAPOLIS

We are excited to have you join us for the 2020 ski season! The MYSL Sunday Wirth Club is an all-volunteer club that teaches cross-country skiing to children at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis. Children ages 4-15 and their parents are welcome, as are other volunteers who share in our goal of generating a love for Nordic skiing in youth and having fun in the snow. Our club welcomes families brand new to skiing as well as dedicated ski families.

The Wirth Club is scheduled to meet on nine Sundays from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., beginning Sunday, January 5th and ending Saturday, March 14 with the Midwest Junior Classics, which will have events and activities appropriate for all ages and levels. Wirth is one of the few sites in the metro that has snowmaking, so parking can be tight! Please plan on arriving early to find parking and to get your skier dressed, equipped and with their group. Your coach would like to start skiing right at 3 p.m.! (The parking lot in front of the Trailhead can fill up on nice days; if it does, you can park just north on the the Parkway in the Chalet lot or across from the Chalet in the overflow lot.)

After skiing, the kids gather for a snack. Please plan on volunteering to bring a snack once throughout the season. We assign families to snacks in alphabetical order each weekend based on the last name of the skier at the beginning of the season. Ideas for snacks are granola bars, oranges, bananas, cheese, crackers, juice. Each family should bring enough snacks so that there is one snack per child. (Note that early in the season and on pleasant days more kids will turn out.) If you are in the mood for a larger snack, we encourage everyone to buy food at the snack bar. Thank you!

We typically hold an awards ceremony on the last session of skiing. We will need volunteers for this too.

1/23/20

Hi Everyone,

i Everyone,

We are having a bit of warm up outside, which can make skiing pretty fun and I have to say, it makes watching ski races even better. Last night was the Wednesday night Team Sprints (see more below). It was a warm night and really fun to watch the kids race and at the end of the event there were delicious pies to share! It was great to see Acadia and Payson out there racing!

It looks like it will be warmish on Sunday - layers are great in the warm weather too - easy to shed, but also to lose!

Speaking of lost stuff - we have a pair of mittens and a hat that got left behind last week. Check in at the table on Sunday if you are missing things and consider writing names inside coats, mittens, hats, etc.

Attendance round two! We are going to try taking attendance at the snack table at the start and end (and in between) of our session again this week. I admit it was not perfect and we are looking into other options, but haven't figured out one that feels great. Please stop by and let us know that your skiers are here. This year MYSL needs to take attendance as part of our agreement with some of our sponsors. This is a brand policy and we just got word about needing to take it. I admit, it feels a little overwhelming, so I request that you bear with us as we try to figure out the best way to do this. I'm looking at different options and how we do it may change a couple of times before we settle on a good process. I will have them split up by level. Thanks for your help in this. Please let me know if you can help with this.

VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED: As we are a club, we expect one parent from each family to participate in some aspect of the club; many of you are coaching, and that is very much appreciated. The last day we will meet as a club at our normal club time is Sunday, March 8th. A few years ago, we had our own winter olympics on the last day, complete with synchronized skiing, a soccer game, our own version of a biathlon, etc. Many people have suggested we do something like that again and I'm game, but I need your help. We first need people to help plan it and then once we have a plan, we need parents to help make the magic happen. Please contact me if you can help us plan the event.

Speaking of volunteers, I believe this is the 4th winter that Ramdev and I have led the club. I know that my son started 6 years ago (thank you social media for the reminder) and with ski races multiple weekends a winter, it has gotten a bit harder for me to keep up with everything, so sadly, this is my last year with MYSL in this function. It is also Ramdev's last year. We are very lucky to have Elizabeth Lind and Michael Heller willing to take over some of the things Ramdev and I are doing, but really, it would be even better if we had a few more people step up to share in the fun of keeping this club going. Please consider it - we want to use this year to hand things off so next year things run smoothly.

Snacks this Week: Please bring snacks for about 15 kids each, we don’t want to be short if we can avoid it - it is a total bummer for the kids to come back and not have a snack. MYSL is trying to be more green this year and will encourage families to bring snacks in bulk whenever possible to help cut down on packaging and waste. When we cannot avoid packaging and waste, we will work with the kids to have them put their waste in the appropriate disposal container, including compost, recycling and hopefully the smallest container will be the landfill one. I will have a copy of the snacks calendar at Wirth on Sunday and did also send this list out in a separate email so you know when your week is. Please drop off the snacks at the beginning of the session in the Trailhead - we will be at a table in the large room. Also, if you missed bringing your snacks last week, we would be happy to have them this week.

Garry home
Gebhard
Graham House
Grant
Grotans-Tone
Samuel Hanson Willis
Heller family
Heckers
Henderson-King
Hirschman
Holdsworth/Oppmann
Holdsworth/Oppmann
John Holtan
Hughes2515

DRESS FOR THE WEATHER: Even though the weather will be warmer this upcoming Sunday, here are some good clothing tips for cold weather, but many of them apply to the temps we will have on Sunday. Cold feet and hands are the most common issue. 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.
Wool socks: No poly blends, no cotton. Really. I mean it.
Dry socks: A dry pair of socks needs to be put on right before you put on your boots. This makes a big difference.
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 gaiter): 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. I’m not sure how we used to survive without neck gaiters (buffs, muffs, neck warmers), because they seem like a necessity now.
Good gloves: Good ski gloves/mittens are an investment and can only be found at ski retailers, but they are worth it. Keeping track of these should be in your job description. These should not be your child's school playground mittens.
Hand/Foot warmers: I only use these when I have to, but I’m usually very glad I have a few in my pocket for emergencies. These are oxygen activated and you can “turn them off” by putting them in an airtight container (such as a jam jar). I get about three uses out of each pack.
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.

Skate Waxing Clinic - Please send me an email ASAP if you are interested, I need a ballpark number so they can figure out some options for days they can hold it.

Lost and found: most lost and found stuff will end up in the Trailhead’s lost and found bins, but if you have lost anything, feel free to let me know and I can post it. Sometimes people go home with the wrong ski poles or gloves and don’t even realize it right away. In fact, we had that happen on the first day! If you have a set of poles for one of your skiers that suddenly don’t look all that familiar as you look at them, please let us know.

K Counter

The K Counter is a great way to track your skiers kilometers and keep them motivated to ski - instructions for filling out the K Counter are here: https://mysl.org/node/127079
We already have some skiers working hard on piling up those kilometers!

Team Sprints- a fun way to experience racing

I would like to encourage skiers in levels 4-6 to attend the MYSL Team Sprints at Wirth Park on Wednesdays.
- The format is flexible, but Jan 15th and Jan 22nd are classic technique focus nights.
- Registration 5:30-6:25 in the Trailhead
- Races at 6:30 at Trail 18
A $5 donation is requested per youth/junior racer; kids 7 and under or have a Skiwerx membership are free.
Check out the pies: https://mysl.org/events/teamsprints

Registration for the MyXC Festival and Championship is Open!

The Festival on Saturday, March 14 from 10:00-1:30 is perfect for all SkiSparks skiers. At the festival your skier can try out many activities such as biathlon, giant skis, skijoring (with a real dog!) and top it off with the Fish Scale frenzy, a non-competitive race for all skiers. Registration for the festival is $5 when you pre-register online by February 5. $10 to register after that date. Click here to register.

Competitive races for kids on waxable classic and skate skis are throughout the day on Saturday (3/14) and Sunday (3/15) and require a separate registration. You must register for the competitive races ahead of time, there is no day-of registration. These races are perfect for all skiers in level 4 (classic races) and level 5-6 (skate races). Click here to register.

MEET YOUR COACHES: The coaches will meet with the skiers on the south side of the Trailhead building or up on the snow just south of the circle drive in front of the Trailhead. The coaches will have bibs on that match the color of the name card in your skier's bib (i.e. Level 1 is red). There will also be yellow level marker signs out that the groups will gather at. The marker will correspond to the level your child is in. After you get your child’s bib, proceed directly to the yellow marker showing the number of your child's level to meet your coaches.

LEVEL 1 skiers DO NOT bring poles until your coaches direct you to. We like to start the kids out without poles to help them focus on being on the skis first. We will use poles week 6.

SMALL CHILDREN: As per MYSL policy, any child not yet in first grade (these are most children in Level 1) MUST have a parent alongside during the entire session (on skis). Thank you. We encourage parents to ski along with your child in the other levels.

BIBS: If you were unable to attend our first session last week, we have your bib - please come in the Trailhead and head back to the large open space where we will be set up at a table with the bibs. I will also have new name cards for any skiers that have switched levels since their first day.

PARKING: There are two lots near the Trailhead and they fill up fast. You may need to park just north of the Trailhead in the Chalet parking lot. We will have an MYSL greeter in the circle drive of the Trailhead if you need to drop off kids and gear and go park in the Chalet lot. I highly recommend you avoid parking on the medians in the Chalet lot and in the circle at the Trailhead - the Minneapolis Park Police have been known to ticket people.

SKI PASSES: A MPRB (Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board) Ski Pass is required on groomed trails in the MPRB system (Chain of Lakes, Columbia, Hiawatha, and Theodore Wirth Regional Trails). This must be visible at all times. Volunteers and SkiSparks/Skiwerx Wirth members qualify for a discount on one adult All-Access Ski Pass. Everyone that uses the MYSL group discount code must be a registered volunteer or skier at a SkiSparks or Skiwerx program at Wirth Park.

The All-Access Ski Pass has two age categories:
Adult (Age 12 and older)
Child (Age 11 and younger)

The discount is only for the initial pass purchased for an adult (skier age 12 and over). There is no discount for additional adult passes or for the child pass. With the discount code all adult passes are $50 and all child passes remain $30.

To purchase the pass please follow these steps:
Go to: https://www.tempotickets.com/event/vvQnid

Enter the discount code: MYSLInd1920

Click apply.

Select the appropriate MPRB All-Access Ski Passes for skiers in your family.

Check out.

After you have paid for the passes online, print your check-in pass. Bring the check-in pass to The Trailhead (main building at Wirth) where you can pick up the physical pass which needs to be with you when you are skiing.

HATS: We will have hats for our brand new members - they will be available where we hand out the bibs and snacks. Replacement hats for returning members are available as well for $15.

CHALET ATTENDANTS: Even though we aren't using the Chalet any more, we need generally need a couple of parents to volunteer as Chalet attendants each week, but we have it covered this week. For future reference if you can volunteer as a chalet attendant, all you need to do is come in when ski club starts and check in with me at the Trailhead and I (Sandy) will get you set for the day. Basically you will hang out in the Trailhead in case any kids need to come back early (because they are cold, not feeling well, etc. and they don’t have parents around to meet them yet), set up the snacks, and after the skiers head out for their lessons go grab the yellow level markers and put them away. The kids start coming in between 4 and 4:30, sometimes a little later from skiing, so you just want to have the snacks ready around 4 pm. For this first session, I will be your Chalet Attendant. Please let me know what weekend you can help do this - we really need your help.

WATER BOTTLES: Consider whether your older children skiing farther (Levels 5 and 6) should carry a fanny pack with a water bottle.

Volunteers: We need you! The Wirth Club is an all-volunteer club. We depend on parents and other volunteers to coach, encourage and help organize our children, and we expect at least one adult volunteer from each family registered. With your participation, we can create a great winter experience for our kids. We need these volunteers:

Club Leaders: - After several years of leading this amazing club, the largest youth club in MYSL, it is time for Ramdev, Katherine and I to move on at the end of the season. Over the years, long before we were leading the club, this club has produced some of the top skiers in the region and transformed families into lifelong skiers. This is your chance to be part of that. MYSL looks for a 3 year commitment and it takes just a few hours each week, including coming out on Sundays. We would love to use this year as a transition year to make the change easier.
Coaches: – Coaching is one of the most important and enjoyable ways you can volunteer. While the Club is fortunate to have some of its coaches returning this year, we need more adult coaches to keep our coach-to-skier ratio high. Anyone can coach – you don’t need to be an expert skier to volunteer. MYSL has an excellent week-by-week curriculum, which includes many games on skis. Also, MYSL typically holds training opportunities for new coaches in December. Please contact our Coach Coordinator if you can make this valuable contribution.
Junior Coaches: - In addition, junior coaches have made a real contribution to the Club. If you are a high school skier and would be willing to serve as a junior coach, we need you! The skiers LOVE the junior coaches!
Chalet Attendent - We like to have a parent or two available in the Trailhead in case any skiers need to come in early, as well as to set up snacks - contact the club leader to volunteer.
End of Season Party Coordinator: – Would you like to help plan the end of season party? Please contact the club leader.
Parent skiers: – The Club encourages parents to ski with their kids – they love to see you doing the same thing and being able to show you what they can do! We encourage you to ski with your child's level and to help with games and exercises. You may learn how to coach!
Activity Leader - Help prepare a fun (crazy?) activity for the kids to enjoy during the class, such as a treasure hunt, face painting, a destination ski to find a special treat, ski acrobatics, or anything you can think of. A fun activity is a great way to teach skiing without the kids knowing they are being taught. We have built snow forts, served S'Mores on the trail, had costumed mascots make appearances. We are always open to new ways to make skiing fun.
Photographer - We'd like to capture pictures of our skiers for sharing at our end-of-year potluck. Are you tech-savvy and able to organize a slideshow?

Weather:

The Club will cancel skiing if the temperature is forecast to be below -2 degrees F or if the wind chill is forecast to be less than -10 degrees F. The Club may also cancel or change locations if snow conditions are poor. With Snowmaking and access to shelter we typically have our sessions in almost any conditions. A cancellation will be sent by e-mail (to the address provided when you registered).

Curriculum:

The MYSL curriculum teaches skiing with games using an orderly progression through six distinct levels, Levels 1 through 6. Most all skiers (especially at the lower levels) WILL spend two years in each level, e.g., a beginning skier will spend two years in Level 1 at ages 5 and 6. To progress to the next level a skier must reach specific goals at each level. The curriculum is not designed so that a skier spends only one year in each level. Please familiarize yourself with these levels and goals (posted on the MYSL site) so that you can be aware of what your skier is working on and so that you can offer encouragement. Your coach can always explain the curriculum and goals to you and offer a recommendation for a suitable level.

We look forward to another fun season!

Sandy Zinn, zinneous@gmail.com (612)-655-1072 (Club Leader)

Ramdev Wudali, agastya71@gmail.com (Coach Coordinator)