SUPPORT THE FAR WEST NORDIC SENIOR TEAM

FAR WEST SENIOR NORDIC TEAM GOALS: 

Far West Senior Nordic Team program is focused on providing the support to senior athletes necessary to ski at a world-class level.  Most Nordic athletes will not reach their full potential until their late 20’s. During this critical development time these athletes will need to consistently invest 26 to 38 hours per week year round in training and preparation to have a chance of skiing at a work class level.

Have you ever wondered why the USA has produced so few athletes capable of competing at this level.  Once an athlete graduates from collage, there are almost no programs to help them develop further. They are expected to get a job and move to the next phase in the lives.

Stop for just a second and think how hard it would be in today’s world at 24 to hold down a full time job to pay your living cost. Then try to add you training and prep time of 32hr per week on average. Now try to save enough to travel to all the races you will need to participate in to ski at this level, oh and to pay the entry fees. Then with all the money you have left over you can hire a top caliber coach and pay for the physiological testing that will be required. That leaves only equipment
and some wax.

The USA has over the years developed many great junior programs where we encourage our young people to participate in the sport of XC skiing, Some of these kids move on to race in JO’s and maybe college.  At this point many of these athletes have invested over a decade in reaching their goals of being the best that they can be.  During this journey they have been encouraged by family friends and the Nordic community to set their goal high to be the best they can be.  Now at age 20, sometime before it is physiologically possible to be the best they can be, we as a society say oh sorry but you are now on your own, good luck.

Far West Senior Programs wishes to change this, but we need your help. Please help us in raising the funding needed to reach the finish line.

 

goal thermometerHELP US REACH OUR GOAL

Senior Team athletes will be required to invest total training and preparation time on average of 32hours/week during the '09-'10 season. An additional 20 hours of time during the season will be donated to Far West to be used for coaching, clinics,and other activities. On average the cost to each athlete to meet his or her commitment to Far West totals $19,600. This includes travel and event lodging, race entries, coaching cost, wax cost, and testing.

The Far West Senior A Team program minimum funding goals to support 3 athletes for the '09-'10 season are

Far West Nordic will provide $5000 of this support.
$9000 of this will be covered by athlete trade to the junior program
That leaves a $3750 budget gap

The Far West Senior Team is looking for ways to raise $13,750 to be used as follows:

  • $3750 to close the minimum budget gap
  • $5000 in athlete subsidies
  • $5000 in coaching compensation

    donate



     

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP

SUPPORT FOR THE SENIOR TEAM

 

SUPPORT THE FAR WEST SENIOR PROGRAM

Help Needed For Senior Athletes (Ages 20-29)
The Far West Nordic Ski Education Foundation and Auburn Ski Club XC Training Programs, are broadening programs for Senior athletes age 20-29. Last season many of you met Ian Case, athlete and musician, who trained and raced with our Junior teams and was a great role model for our developing athletes. Ian is returning this season, joined by recent UNR grads Chelsea Holmes and Kara LaPoint as well as Northern Michigan University grad Phillip Violett. Ultimately, we hope to draw in more athletes from all over the U.S. who are looking for a program that allows them to pursue their skiing goals to the fullest. We can offer our training venue(s) and programs, abundant snow and sunshine, tradition of XC skiing excellence. and top-notch coaching (Glenn Jobe, Jeff Schloss, and Ben Grasseschi have signed on for this year.)

But, we need your help. To reach their goals, these athletes need community support. In particular:
*Housing: If you have a second home, an investment property, or even an extra room that you would like to 'donate' for these athletes, contact us.
*Employment: If you have a business or project, where you need a little extra help and can be quite flexible with hours and schedule, contact us.

These athletes are mature, responsible, and upstanding citizens just trying to make their dreams a reality.
If you support them, and our Senior program, in the above ways and/or through monetary donations, they in turn will be able to give back to you and the Nordic community in many ways: ski clinics, community outreach, sport discounts, volunteerism, and ways that you come up with, in addition to the huge value they already bring to our Junior and Master XC Programs.

To find out how you can help these athletes and make Far West the best XC ski community in the nation, contact Ben Grasseschi; coach@farwestnordic.org or 530.388.8110

donate

 

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR SPONSORS

far west logo

 

Dragonfly

 

Far West Nordic would like to thank Dragonfly Restaurant and owner/chef Billy McCullough for hosting the successful senior team fundraiser on October 24th. Thank you for the wonderful setting, delicious food, and the generous contribution to the Far West Nordic seniors! And thanks again to all those who came out to support the event!

 

 

Congratulations! to Luke Patterson, winner of the 2009 Far West Senior Team Fundraiser Bike Raffle. Luke is an Alpine ski coach at Sugarbowl and was very excited to win the bike. He just bought a Giant Mtn Bike this year so he is psyched to get a 2010 Giant Advance Defy Road Bike. Dave Eastwood of Bicycle Warehouse is going to size him up and get him 'spinning' the road next summer.

A very special THANKS to, Dave Eastwood, owner of Bicycle Warehouse, for donating the bike.
Also, Thanks to ALL who bought tickets and to the following businesses for selling raffle tickets: Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City, The Pour House in Truckee, Wild Cherries Coffeehouse in Truckee, Walden Cafe in Reno.

 

Northstar at Tahoe