Wooooh… MSRC’s coaches have discovered they can link the club’s video recorder with their iPods. Check out the most recent uploads on MSRC’s YouTube site. Here’s one of Nick at Crabbe:

Nick at Crabbe

Can’t make it to the race this weekend. No problem.

Kudos to Susan for suggesting we link ACA’s live results to MSRC’s Web site. You’ll find the link entitled “Race Results – Live” on the side bar of every page, in the “MSRC Links” section, just under the YouTube video. If you want to view the results of past races in the Atlantic circuit then click on “Race Results – Past”.

Got an idea on how to improve MSRC’s Web site – send it to the club’s webmaster or just bend his ear at the hill.

Hey! Amelia became the first person in the solar system to become a subscriber to MSRC’s new YouTube video site. Awesome. Here are thirty-five seconds of Amelia rip ‘n ‘er up:

Amelia at Ben Eoin

The Martock Ski Race Club ( MSRC ) is a volunteer-based organization for children learning to ski, young athletes interested in competitive skiing, freestyling or mastering the double-black diamond. The club also hosts an evening masters program for adult skiers.

MSRC coaches are certified through the Canadian Ski Coaches Federation and the club’s coaching program is part of the National Coaching Certification Program. Programs are categorized according to the participants age, from six years to adults.

The Nancy Greene program is designed to encourage sound ski racing basics and a love of skiing without competitive pressure.  The emphasis is on skill development using the national Nancy Greene system, and coaching techniques promoted by the Canadian Ski Coaches Federation.

The program also incorporates the RBC Jumps and Bumps Program which provides young skiers an introduction to the fundamental skills of freestyle skiing. This instills an appreciation of safe and enjoyable freestyle skiing techniques.

The program is open to children between 6 and 10 years of age as of 31 December. Training Dates: Christmas Camp: 3 days (9:00am – 12:00pm); Regular Training: January-Saturday and Sunday (9:00am – 12:00pm) and February/March-Saturday and Sunday (9:00am – 11:30am,  12:00pm – 2:00pm)

MSRC’s K1 program is designed to bridge the gap between basic skills and the gate racing techniques needed to be successful at competitive skiing. The program is consistent with a nationwide trend to put more emphasis on development and less on race days for this age group and it has both a part-time and full-time option. For both options, however, the participant must be 11 or 12 years of age as of 31 December of the ski season.

The K1 part-time option is designed for skiers who have not completed all their Nancy Greene levels, but wish to continue their development, or skiers new to such programs.

The K1 full-time option is for skiers who have completed the Nancy Greene levels for advancement to K1, or are of equivalent skiing ability. This option includes pre-season dryland training and MSRC team jacket rental.

All MSRC racers competing in national points races will be in one of these three programs. Emphasis is on learning and consolidation of gate racing skills, which develop with training, body strength and endurance. Free skiing is an important component of these programs as it develops dynamic balance in a variety of conditions.

All K2 and J racers are between 13 and 19 years of age as of 31 December, as follows: Juvenile Team – K2 (13/14) and Junior Team: – J1 (15 /16)  & J2 (17/19). Each team trains separately and at times collectively. Both include dry land training and National (ACA) registration.

MSRC’s Masters program is an informal mixture of intermediate to expert lessons. The program includes various themes designed to improve your skiing ability on specific types of snow conditions and terrain.  Participation is limited to adult skiers.

The club’s Freestyle program is designed for people who are tired of watching snowboarders have all the fun. Ski switch, rails, jumps and pipe, they are all included. This program is best suited for those interested in pipe and park training and competitions. It is not for beginners and is open to any child 11 years and older as of 31 December.

Nancy Greene SnowStars is the Martock Ski Race Club’s entry level program for kids 10 and under. It is a program geared towards fun, improving skiing skills and safety.

Ski equipment and lift pass are the responsibility of the parent / guardian. Kids must be able to get up and down the hill with limited help.

Try Nancy Greene SnowStars for free on 23 January. Ski with a MSRC Nancy Greene coach from 9:00-12:30 (break from 10:30-11:00). We will wrap up our day of skiing with a BBQ on the deck of the MSRC race building around 12:30 for athletes and parents.

Register at the MSRC clubhouse (grey building to the right of the t-bar with the large deck on the front). Registrations will be accepted 16-17 Jan from 10:00-12:00 at the clubhouse. Inquiries can also be made to programs@msrc.ca.

Register now for the remaining season of Nancy Greene, with a free t-shirt provided upon registration. Space is limited so register now – it will be fun!!

Your executive officers have new orders – to boldly take MSRC’s communications program to new frontiers.

Seriously, we are steering a different course with the club’s Web site. In addition to providing documents, forms and contact information, the new site tries to provide a sense of what the club and its programs are all about. MSRC is competitive, with regular podium placements, but it is also a club that introduces children to the sport within a structured environment. Participation results in new friends and long memories, for athletes and volunteers alike.

In part, we hope to accomplish this objective through linkages to other forms of media, and by giving the club’s Nancy Greene program the profile it desires. Our Nancy Greeners may be a foot shorter than a ski pole, but they represent the foundation of alpine skiing.

When putting the site together, MSRC applied the latest blog technology, embraced social networking and utilized the talents of an outstanding photographer and digital graphic artist, but we will not reach our destination unless you, the members of MSRC, participate. Be bold, be brave, be silly, but above all – be there. Upload your photos, your videos, your views, your news and comments.