Join us for the official book launch event for Brave Enough, the memoir from 2018...
For new and experienced leaders and volunteers to recap the season and prepare for the next....
The 2020 season will be a great year for the kids at Tamarack Youth Ski Club. This is a volunteer led program. Every family is urged to help in some way. Please see below for volunteer information.
Tamarack SkiSparks will meet for 8 Saturdays beginning with our first meeting Saturday, January 4, 2020 from 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM at the Tamarack Nature Center. We will be meeting in the Garden Building. Please park in the parking lot near this building (the lot nearest to Otter Lake Road) and enter through the wooden gate. Bathrooms are located in the main Nature Center building.
We will have our end of season celebration at the Midwest Junior Championships and Festival at Wirth Park on Saturday, March 14.
Announcements
Registration is open! Please go to mysl.org and click "Register Today."
All rental equipment has been claimed for the 2019-2020 season. We encourage you to go to MyXChange (Swap + Expo) on November 16. At the swap you can find great deals on used equipment. Another option is to purchase new equipment at a local Ski Shop:
If renting equipment is what works best for your family, equpment is still available at some clubs. Please go to our Find a Club page and look on the right column for rental equipment availability.
We will not ski if the air temperature is below -2˚ F or the wind chill is below -10˚ F, or at the leader’s discretion. Always check the website or email tamarack@mysl.org with questions. Cancellations will be posted on this web page and notification sent through email.
Children should be dressed in layers. A moisture wicking under layer, an insulating layer, and a wind proof layer are typically appropriate. Please use your discretion noting your child’s activity level and the outside temperature/wind chill. Often a winter jacket and snow pants or a snowsuit are too warm once the child gets skiing unless they are young and in the beginner group.
We have some great equipment for skiers to use for a nominal fee - $35 for the entire season. This equipment can be taken home and used for family outings. Please remember we have a limited number of ski packages and sizes, so register early. If you paid for rental equipment on-line but were not able to be outfitted, you will be reimbursed for the fees.
Our rental skis are classic no-wax skis. We do not have skate ski equipment available on a rental basis. Children skiing in level 5 or above should have their own skate skis, boots, and poles. In addition, for children skiing at level 4 or above, waxable classic skis are highly recommended.
Please register early to insure a spot at Tamarack. Register on the main page for MYSL by selecting "Club Membership."
For children who are new to MYSL, assign the child to the lowest skill level that spans their age as of January 1. If a child has skied at least 10 times, consider advancing them one skill level. It is common for kids to repeat skill levels, so returning families need to choose a skill based on last season’s performance, but still staying within the age ranges. Coaches will assess children at the first meeting, but it is important for parents to accurately assign levels by age during the registration process.
Classic ski lessons: Level I: Ages 4-7 (parents ski along with the child), Level 2: 6-8 (parents check in occasionally), Level 3: 7-10, Level 4: 8-12
Skate ski lessons: Level 5: 9-13, Level 6: 11-14
More about skill levels here: http://mysl.org/skill-levels. Questions about levels? Contact us at tamarack@mysl.org.
We will be communicating with Tamarack SkiSparks families via email. We need valid emails for all. When you register please include a contact e-mail address.
MYSL is on Facebook! You can “like” the MYSL page to get general announcements, photos and videos from each of the MYSL club.
Need to contact us? Email us at tamarack@mysl.org
This is a volunteer run club. The success and affordability of this program comes directly from your contributions of time, energy, and talent. By registering for this club, you are committing to the club’s success and are agreeing to volunteer.
Level 1 skiers will need to be accompanied by an adult. Coaching at level 1 is a great way to accompany your child. We are also in very great need of coaches for all levels 1-6. Please consider coaching as it is our number one need! You do not necessarily need to coach at your child’s level.
We really need your help! This is our biggest need and is one of the most rewarding ways in which you can help the club. Kids get more out of the program when the coach-to-kid ratio is low, and coaches need not be experienced skiers to volunteer. The MYSL program makes it easy for a coach to know what to do. An eight week curriculum has been prepared for every class level and each day's lesson is printed on a card that can be carried in your pocket. The pocket guide also provides many helpful tips and games to keep classes enjoyable and interesting. You do not have to be an elite level skier to be a coach. All you need is a desire to help kids and have fun. Contact us at tamarack@mysl.org to sign up.
High school aged skiers, we need you! We rely heavily on high school volunteers, who are fun, friendly and in far better shape than most of us. Coaching for Tamarack SkiSparks qualifies as a service commitment for NHS. Think about how great this will look on a college application! Contact us at tamarack@mysl.org to sign up.
As an assistant coach, you can support a coach by accompanying the group on the trails and helping skiers. If you feel like your skiing level is at the same level as the level your kids are signed up for, you would be a fantastic assistant coach! You are not in charge of the instruction, rather you are there to make sure the kids are safe, have an adult to bring them to the bathroom, and can assist with activities.
If you are a sub coach, you can fill in when a coach isn’t able to make it to ski club.
Contact us at tamarack@mysl.org to sign up.
Set up sign-up for parents to bring weekly snacks and send reminders. Be available on ski days to help organize and clean up snacks. Contact us at tamarack@mysl.org to sign up.
