Happy Spring NENSA Community ~

We are a little more than 50% through our Annual April Fund Drive, but we are only 20% to our goal of raising $50k. We need your help to reach our goal! As we wrap up an amazing season - we ask our cross country ski community for support in sustaining our organization and all the year-round programing we do to make our XC New England ski community vibrant and inclusive. Please think about what NENSA means to you and your family and consider making a tax-deductible donation to NENSA today. Thank you!

You may or may not have seen the email from our Board of Directors last week ~ I am leaving NENSA at the end of July after 7 wonderful years. I love NENSA and all we do, and I have absolutely loved being NENSA's Executive Director. It was a bittersweet decision, but I am looking forward to creating some space to explore what is next for me, but rest assured, that will include staying very involved in our New England ski community! The Executive Committee has just posted a nationwide job search to find our next ED, and it is in the box below. In the meantime- I remain fully committed to NENSA, our mission, and making plans with the staff for some fun things to come this spring into summer and next fall and winter too!

Here is what we have for you in this week's KickZone:
  • Please donate to our April Fund Drive!!
  • Accepting Nominations for our NENSA Community Awards 2022
  • A Message from the Board of Directors from April 7th on Amie's departure
  • NENSA's Executive Director Job Posting
  • Call for REG Camp Coaches
  • Save the Date: NENSA Regional Coaches Clinic - US Ski & Snowboard L100 - Craftsbury VT - July 7th, 2022
  • For Sale ~ NENSA's custom fabric SKIDA hats & neck warmers
  • From our Partners & In the News:
  • From U.S. Ski & Snowboard ~ two articles ~ Consistency Marked Rosie Brennan's Olympic Cross-Country Ski Season and Winter Athlete Calls for Climate Action Now, Before The Snow Is Gone
  • From FasterSkier ~ article on Ben Ogden: Balancing Olympic and NCAA Skiing Ambitions Alongside a New Wave of Top US Skiers

Be sure to check out all the great summer camp listings at the bottom of this newsletter ~
Best,
Amie

Amie Witten Smith
Executive Director
New England Nordic Ski Association
Amie@nensa.net

GIVING: DONATE to NENSA today, and thank you!

MEMBERSHIP: RENEW or JOIN today, and thank you!
Please take a few minutes to do that and support the organization that supports XC skiing here in New England, and beyond! NENSA is here for you, running programing for you, our ski community ~ we need your support this year, more than ever!

Thank you to all our NENSA Sponsors ~ they are such a HUGE part of our NENSA programming continued success, and we so appreciate all their support. I want to be sure we all acknowledge the businesses who support us and cross country skiing!

Be sure to follow us on fb, Twitter and on Instagram @nensa_nordic
NENSA News from the Field
Highlights and Notes from NENSA and the Nordic World
Please Support NENSA
in our 2022
April Fund Drive!
This past year we were able to keep our XC ski community actively and safely engaged with multi-generational and multi-faceted programming. It was great to be back to a more "normal" winter - even with some restrictions still in place. We are thrilled to be able to have had Popular/Citizen Racing in every state, host all our Eastern Cups/Supertours, Women's Day, Nordic Rocks, BKL practices and the annual BKL Festival, along with U16 & Eastern High School Championships, and taking the New England divisional team of 65 halfway across the country to Minneapolis for U.S. Junior Nationals (and bring back the national title!). Our developmental pipeline is working!

Cross country skiing is a great family activity and a lifelong sport and NENSA's mission is to nurture and promote an active cross country ski community for all ages and levels throughout the East. NENSA is lucky to have awesome clubs and venues as well as YOU, our ski community to support our programming.

We hope you will take a moment to contribute to our 2022 April Fund Driveand support all that we do here at NENSA. Our goal is to raise $50,000 this month ~ please help us continue to create and sustain the top-notch programs and events for you, your family, as well as old & new friends to participate in. Click here to DONATE and to make your donation today - we made it easier than ever to make a contribution! Let's celebrate the NENSA staff's superb work and close out the fiscal year with a bang ~ get your donations in by April 20th. Thank you.
NENSA is looking for Nominations for our 2022 NENSA Awards
These awards are given annually to honor the achievements and contributions of our members who work to support NENSA’s mission of sustaining a vibrant and active Nordic skiing community in New England.

The NENSA staff is accepting nominations for folks in our New England ski community who fulfill the ideals for our Annual Awards. Click HERE to submit a nomination in any of these Award categories. THANK YOU!

John Caldwell Awards: One of NENSA’s finest traditions is presenting the John Caldwell Award. This award annually recognizes a single individual, or entity, which embodies the spirit, dedication, innovation, and pride of John Caldwell.

Coach of the Year: This award is given annually to honor a NENSA coach for their achievements and contributions in working with athletes, in support of NENSA’s mission to sustain a vibrant and active Nordic skiing community in New England.

Club of the Year: This award is given annually to honor a NENSA club that is making great strides in supporting the NENSA mission to sustain a vital and active nordic skiing community in New England.

Chummy Broomhall Award: This award is named after Chummy, who was the Chisholm Ski Club leader for 70 plus years, 2 time Olympian, and builder of the Olympic race courses for Squaw Valley, Lake Placid and Black Mountain. He embodied the spirit of being a volunteer as he was a man who gave his time to generations. It is in this spirit that this award be in his honor for the unsung heroes of ski racing.

Bill Koch League Youth Leadership Award: The Bill Koch League Leadership Award is for those community members who embody fun, community, and a lifelong love of the sport.

See past receipts here: https://nensa.net/past-award-recipients
THANK YOU TO OUR ASSOCIATE SPONSORS
L.L.Bean and SWIX & Salomon!
Important Message from the NENSA Board of Directors ~ Amie W. Smith, Executive Director,
to leave NENSA this summer
April 7, 2022

To the New England Nordic Ski Association Community,

Amie W. Smith, Executive Director of the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA), has shared with the Board her decision to leave her position to explore other creative pursuits. Amie has been Executive Director since 2016 and through her efforts NENSA has become a leader in North American skiing for its engaging and diverse youth programming, competitive success at all levels, and strong industry partnerships. She leaves NENSA with a strong and talented staff in place, and in good financial stability.

Amie has been connected to NENSA for decades, starting as a “racer parent” and youth coach as her girls grew up in the Eastern Massachusetts Bill Koch League and Cambridge Sports Union and through their years of collegiate racing. She was volunteer Trip Leader for the New England team to Junior Nationals in 2014 and 2015 before officially joining NENSA as the Director of Competitive Programs in June of that year. Her professional leadership and ebullient personality have successfully guided NENSA through challenging times, not the least of which has been two years of the pandemic. NENSA Board Chair Carol Van Dyke says Amie will be greatly missed and “Her attention to detail, dedication to NENSA’s mission, mentorship especially to women, her passion for the sport, and her positive approach to all issues uplifted everyone to do their best and she leaves the organization in a far stronger position than what it was at the start of her tenure.”

We are grateful that Amie will stay on to help with the transition over the next four months.  She will continue to be involved with NENSA as a Technical Delegate and coaching with her local BKL Club at Prospect Mountain. The sport and industry of cross-country skiing are grateful for her years of service.
The Board of Directors of NENSA will open a national search that invites qualified individuals to apply for this position later in April.

With Regards,
The New England Nordic Ski Association Board of Directors
Whether you are a coach, parent, volunteer, or athlete, we all play a role in providing a safe environment for the sports that we love. U.S. Ski & Snowboard  Athlete Safety policies, the SafeSport Code, and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard MAAPP help us support that culture of safety.  
  • If you witness or are aware of inappropriate behavior or misconduct - REPORT IT!
  • Reports may be made anonymously!
  • Child Abuse and Child Sexual Abuse – Report to law enforcement or child protective services in your jurisdiction immediately.
  • Reports to the Center - SafeSport hotline at 833-5US-SAFE (587-7233) or CLICK HERE to complete an online reporting form.
  • Reports to U.S. Ski & Snowboard - CLICK HERE

You may see QR codes posted at events this season. The QR codes open a page on www.usskiandsnowboard.org for quick links to reporting from your smartphone.
Learn more about reporting and try the QR Code:

Thank you for your diligence in maintaining sport safety and protecting our athletes. 
NENSA is looking for it’s next Leader ~ Executive Director Job Posting
The New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) is looking for its next Executive Director to lead this vibrant and thriving XC Ski Non-Profit Organization.  Founded in 1995, NENSA is a member-supported service organization that promotes the culture of cross-country skiing by creating opportunities for youth, athletes, coaches, officials and skiers of all levels. NENSA also provides the support structure necessary to bring cross-country skiers to their highest potential at regional, national and international events.
FOR SALE!
NENSA's custom fabric SKIDA Hats & Neck Warmers will be for sale on www.NENSA.net
This custom fabric was designed by Kait Miller, NENSA's Youth & Introductory Program Director. Each snowflake contains one of 5 Northeastern states that NENSA had our programing ~ Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and New York! We are excited to offer these great new custom NENSA hats and neck warmer to our ski community!
Link to purchase HERE. Thanks for supporting NENSA this way ~ $40 for the fleece lined alpine hat and $30 for the fleece lined neck warmer ~ this includes shipping & handing.
Field tested and NENSA Staff approved!
Call for Eastern Regional Camp Coaches
NENSA along with U.S. Ski Team staff will be hosting the 2022 Eastern Regional Camp (REG) at Craftsbury from July 2 through July 7. Athlete invitations will be sent out after the posting of U.S. Ski & Snowboard List 10 (listed as valid April 7th).
Coaches who are interested in being a part of this development opportunity should email justin@nensa.net
THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS:
First L100 Coach Developer Date Set ~
NENSA Regional Coaches Clinic – US Ski & Snowboard L100 ~ Craftsbury, Vermont. July 7th, 2022
Please note: Coaches can register at any time as long as they have a current coach membership and those basic membership requirements have been met. The U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership season runs from July 1 through June 30 annually. However, we open registration for the upcoming season the first week of May. Memberships become valid July 1. 
For more information on how to sign up for the first scheduled practicum follow this link: http://usskiandsnowboard.org/sport-development/coaches-development/welcome-cross-country-level-100-coach-certification
THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA SUPPORTING SPONSORS:
From our NENSA Partners:

IN THE NEWS:
April 8:
Consistency Marked Rosie Brennan's Olympic Cross-Country Ski Season
If there were an Olympic medal for overall consistency in cross-country skiing, Rosie Brennan would have received a silver. One of the few women to compete in all six cross-country ski events at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, Brennan finished consistently better than everyone except her teammate Jessie Diggins. And Brennan narrowly missed the podium in three races: freestyle sprint (fourth), team sprint with Diggins (fifth), and the 30-kilometer freestyle race on the final day of the Games (sixth). ...Read More at TeamUSA.org

Winter Athlete Calls For Climate Action Now, Before The Snow Is Gone
April 6 is the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, and athletes from Olympic winter sports, soccer, rugby and more are speaking on a United Nations panel, urging action on climate change. The effects of climate change have already been seen on winter sports courses, with melting snow and warmer temperatures posing risks to athletes. U.S. cross country skier Jessie Diggins joined LX News’ Tabitha Lipkin to talk about the day of action. ...Watch More at NBCLosAngeles.com

From FasterSkier ~ by Benjamin Theyer l April 12, 2022:

Ben Ogden: Balancing Olympic and NCAA Skiing Ambitions
Alongside a New Wave of Top US Skiers

“So after the World Cup, Olympics, and NCAAs, is that it for you this season?”

“Well…I think I’m going to race the Rikert Grand Prix this weekend.” (He won).

I couldn’t have stumbled upon a more apt soundbite to describe Ben Ogden, and he offered it up ten seconds into our interview.

Skiing for the US Ski Team and University of Vermont (UVM), Ogden is primed to write the next chapter in American men’s skiing – a Vermonter who can’t help but love Vermont skiing, a racer who races for the sake of racing. He’s also an author that you get a sense doesn’t want to quite yet claim that he is holding the pen...read full story HERE
Ben Ogden celebrates after sweeping the 2022 NCAA Championships in Midway, Utah. Ogden became 1 of only 4 skiers (alongside US Ski Team teammates Novie McCabe and Sophia Laukli) to win an NCAA Championship and represent the US at the Olympics in the same season.
(Photo: Tobias Albrigtsen / @untraceableg)
THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS:
Upcoming Events
A Look Ahead at the NENSA Calendar
Upcoming NENSA Events:
If you already shop Amazon ~ please link to Amazon Smile
with NENSA as your beneficiary!
Did you know that NENSA could benefit from the Amazon purchases you are already making??! Please link your Amazon account to Amazon SMILE (with /smile) and choose NENSA as your non-profit beneficiary! All the purchases everyone is already making, all add up, and we would love to be able to benefit from that! Thank you!!