Greetings NENSA Community ~

A huge THANK YOU to all our NENSA members and supporters who have donated during our annual Fund Drive this past month. I am very happy to report that we met our challenge of getting 100 donors last week, to unlock the Board's Matching Gift Challenge of $10,000. With two days left in April, it is not too late to still donate! All donations of $25 or more will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win some great prizes ~ see the box below for more information. Thank you to everyone who has already supported NENSA this past month (and year!)

Here's what we have in store for you in this week's KickZone ~
  • Our April Fund Drive ends at midnight on Friday 4/30 ~ there is still time to give!
  • #25KinMay is back ~ 2.0 version for 2021 ~ check out the box below for all the virtual fun ~ it is free to join and we have a lot of fun categories to pick from!
  • NENSA has named our Elite & Development Teams for 2021 ~ see article below for a full list of the athletes, and to also read about our summer programing updates!
  • From our Partners:
  • Craftsbury Outdoor Center accepting applications for a Junior/BKL Coach Intern
  • EnjoyWinter is looking for its next Athlete Force Members for 2021
  • CAMPS!! Yes, it's almost that time of the year again - check out the calendar at the bottom of this newsletter for the start of camp listings for this summer!

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

I hope you will join us for the fun and free #25KinMay virtual challenge to kick off our new season and spring training!

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!

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
It's the final two days of our
NENSA 2021 April Fund Drive!
Thank you to everyone who helped us unlock the $10k Board Matching Gift this past week! There are still two days left in our April Fund Drive. All donations of $25 or more will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win some great prizes ~ see below for a list of both our raffle and incentive gifts, and thank you for supporting NENSA!

Click HERE if you are a NENSA Member
to give to NENSA

Click HERE if you a NENSA Supporter
(non-member) to give to NENSA

Prefer to donate by check? Make your check payable to NENSA and mail your gift to:
New England Nordic Ski Association
49 Pineland Drive, Suite 301A
New Gloucester, Maine 04260

Annual Gifts and Donations are a huge part of NENSA's annual operating budget. We rely on these to help us continue to provide services and programming to our members and New England ski community.
Here is some of what NENSA does:

Coaches & TD education and symposiums
Virtual events and programing ~ regardless of where you live!
Bill Koch League
Eastern Cup racing
Popular Citizen Racing: (Zak Cup, Club Cup & Marathons Series)
New England BKL Festival
U16 Championships
Eastern High School Championships
NENSA Elite & Development Teams
New England Junior National Team
Eastern REG Camp
Nordic Rocks programing - an introductory ski program in elementary schools targeting underserved communities
Event Organizers - trainings - and year round ongoing venue support/consulting for all races and events
Women’s Day
Rollerski Race Series
Supporting Clubs
www.NENSA.net is a resource for all things Nordic in New England

All of these wonderful programs are run by NENSA, and the NENSA staff. Without NENSA, these programs for all ages, and top notch racing in New England would not exist.

~ Incentive GIFTS for our April 2021 Fund Drive ~

** A (super comfy) Maloja antiviral NENSA logo'd face mask with each donation of $250-$499**

** NENSA/SKIDA 25th Anniversary Hat, OR, a NENSA/SKIDA snowflake fleece buff, AND a Cabot $25 gift box of cheese with each $500-$999 donation**
 
**Large L.L. Bean NENSA logo'd Boat and Tote with all donations of $1000 or greater, AND, a L.L Bean NENSA logo'd flannel shirt (women's size M, S and XS available) if you would like one of those too!**

PLUS: An end of month Raffle of some great gifts for ANYONE who donates $25 or more during the drive. Gifts include:
THANK YOU TO OUR ASSOCIATE SPONSORS
L.L.Bean and SWIX!
NENSA's end of season Member Survey ~ please take a few moments to give us your thoughts on 4 questions ~ help us be the best we can be for our
New England ski community!
Thank you!
THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS:
#25KinMay is back!
Our first ever NENSA
Virtual Rollerski Event is back!!
While you might not be as isolated as you were a year ago — this month we again focus on returning to rollerskis! We want you to challenge yourself and utilize rollerskis as a fun tool to access beautiful places! More so we want to build the positive social energy of our summertime programs. In 2020, many folks returned to rollerskiing or tried it for the first time due to the excitement around #25KinMay. Over 200 people participated and we so loved sharing the stories from New England and beyond!

This year #25KinMay is free – simply get out there and report your ski (or ski walking or biking) data to us here.  The event is for everyone and based primarily on participation. There will be raffle prizes and awards for fast times, exceptional routes, and reporting.  The number one rule remains: BE SAFE out there. Skiers must select terrain suitable for their skill level.


NENSA’s mission is to provide excitement to our broader cross country skiing community and continue the momentum of NENSA’s Rollerski Programming. We look forward to unveiling our new fleet of Swenor skis in mid – May and a 2021 Rollerski Race Series in June!  

Recruit friends to join you – use #25KinMay for motivation to get rolling! Let’s see if we can top the 13,126 kilometers we skied together in 2020!!
Entries can be submitted at any point between May 1st and May 31st. NENSA will display and showcase activities throughout the challenge — videos and pictures are encouraged with each event submission as well as tagging @nensa_nordic and #25KinMay on your own socials. Skiers can enter multiple times – and we’ll have an Ironman and Ironwoman award for those special endurance types!

Again there is no cost for #25KinMay
but we are encouraging membership by continuing the promotion we started last year
ALL NENSA MEMBERSHIPS
(BKL, junior, adult & coach) 
in May are $25 ! ! ! 
As an added bonus each entry will receive one raffle ticket (two tickets if you have renewed your 2021-22 NENSA membership) towards a growing prize pool. Membership renewal HERE.

Our 2021 categories will be:
  • Rockstar: For folks who want to ski the full 25km in one go. Participants will be listed by pace per K.
  • Speedy Repeater: For someone who wants to break up 25km into more manageable pieces. We’ll track your K’s through the month.
  • My Own Pace or “Let’s Walk”: This is the touring class or for folks who might not be comfortable on rollerskis and want to ski walk (or bike).
  • BKL: rollerski (ski walk or bike) 10k in May whether in one go or split up into multiple segments
  • Keep Up With Beckwith: This category is geared towards masters skiers to keep pace with our Competitive Program Director as he challenges himself to 250km of skiing throughout the month


Be creative and share your story – the training season has begun – Let’s Have Fun!!
#25KinMay
Questions: staff@nensa.net
THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA SUPPORTING SPONSORS:
2021 Elite and Development Teams and Summer Program Update
NENSA is proud to celebrate the athletic accomplishments of this winter by introducing the 2021 Elite and Development Team nominations and give you some updates looking towards summer. When we named our teams last year there was so much uncertainty — while we’re not totally our of the woods — it’s safe to say this summer and next winter will be closer to normal. The basis for Elite and Development Team naming is the U.S. Ski & Snowboard National Ranking List – due to the pandemic, races that are scored go back 24 months instead of the traditional twelve.

The criteria set forth to name the NENSA Elite and Development Team represent a pathway to regional, national and international success. The number of athletes named to these teams each year demonstrates the depth of the Eastern region in cross country skiing. Athletes named to these teams are invited to regional training camps and rollerski races, and part of a broader team that continues to excel at all levels. Further Elite Team / Development Team qualification information.

...Click HERE to see a full list of the NENSA Elite & Devo Teams as well as an update on our SUMMER PROGRAMING
From our NENSA Partners:
Junior/BKL coaching intern for 2021
The Craftsbury Outdoor Center is seeking a coaching intern to work with its Junior & BKL Nordic skiing programs for the summer of 2021. This coach/intern would join the Center’s current coaching staff and help manage summer programming. 
Summer job responsibilities include but are not limited to:
  • Running regular practices for various groups: summer programs serve ~60 participants ages 8-20, split into 2 BKL groups, 2 junior/high school groups, and one collegiate group.
  • Helping develop practice plans for any given group; assisting with communication and program planning/organization
  • Assisting in managing and maintaining equipment
  • Coaching at and helping to organize camps
Requirements include the following:
  • Experience cross country ski racing at a collegiate or equivalent/higher level
  • Outstanding communication skills
  • Ability to work with varied age groups and abilities
  • Certification in (or willingness to obtain certification in) CPR/First Aid, SafeSport
  • A high level of comfort rollerskiing and mountain biking
  • Willingness to perform other tasks as needed
  • Consistent availability on weekends; willingness to put in long days and busy weeks
The ideal candidate:  
  • Is highly knowledgeable and passionate about skiing
  • Loves working with kids and has lots of energy and enthusiasm
  • Is interested in coaching long-term
  • Is organized and can maintain order in chaotic settings
  • Can adapt on the fly to adjust for inclement weather and other unexpected obstacles
  • Is capable of keeping up with speedy juniors on a variety of training expeditions
This position is expected to run from approximately June 1 - Aug. 31, with some flexibility on start and end dates. The position provides housing (though lodging accommodations may be rustic!), most meals, and a small weekly stipend, as well as access to trails, the gym, and other facilities. This position is not a training opportunity for those currently pursuing their own ski racing. It is an excellent opportunity for current or aspiring coaches to develop their skills and knowledge. 
Applicants should send a brief cover letter and resume to coach Anna Schulz (anna.schulz@craftsbury.com) by April 20, 2021, and are encouraged to reach out with questions. 
THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS:
Upcoming Events
A Look Ahead at the NENSA Calendar
Upcoming NENSA Events:
Summer CAMPS are starting to schedule dates ~ here is what we have so far!
August 9-12: SMS BLK Camp
August 12-15: SMS Junior Camp
August 12-15: NH Dublin Devo Camp

Full NENSA.net Calendar Listing HERE

Link to our NENSA Virtual Resources Page HERE
Link to our NENSA BLM Resources Page HERE
Link to our NENSA Equality & Diversity Policy HERE
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!!