The snow, wind and cold last Sunday morning didn't dampen the spirit and enthusiasm of 55 eager youngsters as they took to the slopes of Dakota Ridge for their first training session in the Jackrabbit cross-country ski program.
The program is now in its third season and continues to grow in popularity thanks to great community support, business partnerships and volunteers.
In fact, the program, which was started in February 2009 by the Tetrahedron Outdoor Club, is all volunteer-based with volunteer coaches and program co-ordinators and the parents of the young participants themselves - many of them excellent skiers in their own rights - helping to ensure that the program is the best that it can be.
The program is a fun way for kids to learn basic cross-country ski skills while providing them with an opportunity to socialize with their parents and friends. Some of the goals of the program are to help develop confidence in the young participants as well as teach outdoor winter safety skills, foster an appreciation of physical exercise and the great outdoors and showcase the fantastic winter recreation opportunity that Dakota Ridge offers.
According to the Tetrahedron Outdoor Club's website, the club has recognized the need for child and youth winter recreation opportunities on the Sunshine Coast by offering this program. The idea of the Jackrabbit ski program has long been a goal of the club along with the original Dakota Ridge Winter Recreation Society, the Sunshine Coast Nordic Ski Club and staff of the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD).
"As the activities have grown on Dakota Ridge, so too has our program," said Donna Harrison, one of the volunteer registration co-ordinators. "We have 10 volunteer coaches and the club provides them with level one training for cross-country skiing and purchases passes for them for the season. There are seven sessions with the kids this year from ages four to 12. The idea of the program is to not only teach them how to cross-country ski, but to progress in the sport as well."
Progression of the sport is also a long-term goal of the program. Harrison said head coach Lorne Carroll has a vision to create a possible competition team out of this program that could maybe one day produce Olympic-quality athletes.
"It's great to teach recreational skiing, but there has to be a future goal," Harrison said. "I think this program is great for the community. To have 55 kids and their parents up on the mountain every week for seven weeks is just a win-win for the whole community. It's getting more kids and parents active and getting more people up on the mountain and learning about Dakota Ridge. It's a great program and eventually it's just going to get bigger and better."
