Spring 2021 Nordic Kids:  

Last fall the Nordic Kids program at Blackhawk offered a 4-week fall session on Sunday afternoons to help kids get oriented to the Club and gain some fitness before the ski season.  We had so much fun we are going to have a spring session to keep up our fitness, explore the club during a different season and have fun!  Activities include running games, hiking, hill bounding, pole hiking and orienteering.  Groups will be divided by age and kept to 10 or less.

Spring Nordic Kids will begin Sunday, April 11 from 2-3pm.  We will meet April 11 and 18 and May 2 and 9. Optional family hike on April 25.  Participants are encouraged to sign up for the Tri 4 Schools Family Trail Run on May 15, details here.  

Registration is open now and limited to 40 participants.  Cost is $25/child and fees will be donated to our Snowmaking Capital Campaign.  Email xckids@blackhawkskiclub.org with questions or to volunteer. Hope to see you in the Spring!

Fall 2020 & Winter 2021 Nordic Kids Re-Cap Coming Soon!

Despite the upheaval of our lives due to the pandemic, we had a great summer at Blackhawk  ski jumping, mountain biking, hiking, nordic training, biathlon and jumping in the 50 degree spring to cool off!  If you haven't had a chance to experience our club during the summer, you don't want to miss the treasure that it is.  But now it's time to look towards winter!  Registration for returning members is less than a month away!  September 14 begins a 2 week period for returning members to renew memberships and sign up for programs.  New members may begin signing up September 28. 

There will be significant changes to our program to accommodate for safety measures due to COVID-19.  But we are hopeful that with caution we can provide full programs to keep kids engaged in the great outdoors.

What is the same:

• Weekly lessons for kids ages 5-5th grade for $35/skier
• Ski rentals for $25 for the season (to be used during lessons and other times at Blackhawk trails only)
• Energetic instructors and assistants to help your skier grow in technique, endurance, and having fun in the snow!

What is new:

• Fall Nordic Kids session for $25/skier (4 weeks: October 4, October 18, October 25 and Nov 1) to learn nordic hill bounding, improve agility, practice orienteering and increase strength and fitness before the winter season.  Limited to 25 skiers
• Junior Ski Team for experienced skiers (all 4 color levels completed or equivalent and approval by coach)
• Trailer will be near the Jump Chalet in the large parking lot.  In the case of natural snow, we will meet at the East chalet.

What we will miss this year:

• Hot Chocolate: sadly we cannot offer drinks to warm up after lessons, but we are working on a coupon to pick up a hot drink at Barriques on Old Sauk Road
• Biathlon Haus for putting on boots and warming up: All chalets at the club will be for emergency use only.  Skiers will need to come to lessons ready to ski.  Skiers renting gear will need to return to their cars or use a bench while maintinaing social distance from others.  Portable toilets still available.
• Early season lessons: we will not begin lessons until January to avoid crowding during early season when artificial snow is still accumulating.
• Large numbers of skiers: we will not likely be able to accommodate all skiers who would like to take lessons.  There will be a separate sign up for Sunday and Wednesday lessons this year.  Skiers may sign up for both, but will be charged separately.  Instructors' kids may ski both days but should only sign up for one.

What we need to make this unusual year a success:

• YOU!  We need volunteers to help in many ways from early season prep to handing out gear to managing the gear and other jobs.  Every parent needs to volunteer in some capacity to keep our program safe, fun and a great learning experience.  Email xckids@blackhawkskiclub.org to see how you can help.
• Early arrival times: In order to keep social distance among skiers while getting ready, we need all skiers, but especially those renting gear, to arrive 20-30 minutes ahead of lesson time. Color groups will disperse quickly to keep large groups from forming.

General Program Information:

The Blackhawk Nordic Kids Program is for children of all ages and abilities, parent-tot through 5th grade*.  The focus of this program is learning the fundamentals of cross country skiing (classic and skate technique) and having fun outdoors in the winter. Participants are separated into color groups, based on age & ability, for instruction and ski games.

Nordic Kids Lessons are offered Sunday afternoons from 2:00-3:00 beginning on January 3, 2021 or Wednesday afternoons from 4:30-5:30pm (time subject to change) beginning January 6, 2021.

Parent-tot class (no charge) will be offered during Sunday afternoon classes. This class is for parents who want to ski with a young child in a backpack or in a polk or ski alongside their young skier.  Children under 5 must begin in parent-tot class until they are ready to ski independently.

A parent or guardian is required to remain on the Blackhawk Ski Club premises during lessons.

Nordic Combined: On Sundays from 12:30-1:30 Intro to Ski Jumping will be offered for skiers interested in learning Nordic Combined, which is an event that scores both ski jumping and nordic skiing. Separate program registration and fees (for both programs) is required.

Nordic Kids Junior Ski Team: Meeting on Sundays and Wednesdays during Nordic Kids lessons, the Junior Ski Team welcomes those skiers who have a desire to take their love for skiing to the next level. The group will focus on improving technique in both classic and skate skiing.  Goals include building efficiency in climbing, descending and cornering, using kick-double pole and double pole effectively, and improving proficiency of v1, v2, and v2 alternate.  Open to skiers who have completed all 4 color levels of Nordic Kids or reached the equivalent at another program.  If interested, please email xckids@blackhawkskiclub.org with a description of your skier’s interest in the team and skiing experience prior to registration.

Requirements: All participants must be members of Blackhawk Ski Club. This program relies 100% on the time and effort of parents and volunteer instructors. 

Program Fee: $35 per child for the season. These fees are used to offset incidental program cost and Blackhawk kids' hats or buffs; instructors are all volunteers.

Equipment: The club owns and maintains a fleet of youth cross country equipment (skis, boots, poles for classic skiing; skis, poles and some boot sizes for skate skiing). This equipment is available to rent for use during Nordic Kids sessions and by permission of the director while on Blackhawk trails. The rental fee is $30 per child for the season.  These fees are used for replacement, upkeep and maintenance of the equipment fleet.

Registration: Register online at www.blackhawkskiclub.org beginning September 14, 2020 (returning members) and September 28, 2020 (new members).  A confirmation email will be sent early October with details on volunteer sign up.  Locations for lessons (dependent on snow conditions) are posted on the website prior to each lesson.

*Youth skiers of all abilities may join the Middle School or High School Nordic Ski Team beginning in 6th grade, but are welcome to ski with Nordic Kids with permission of the director.

Questions: Questions can be directed to Amy Grunewald Mattison at xckids@blackhawkskiclub.org

Nordic Kids ski at 2020 Iola Norseman challenge!