Past Stories

WOW - it's almost September!!  If you haven't already, fill out your application for the G. Scott Ransom Scholarship for next season.  The deadline for applications is September 20, 2008.  For more information, click here. 

The End of Year Awards Banquet is confirmed for April 27 at Spirit Mountain.  The banquet will be held in the Bear Paw Chalet, and it will begin at 4 pm. Look for materials in the mail!  Dave Thickens is collecting photos for the slide show, so if you have some that you would like included, please contact Dave at david@thickens.net.  Dave is also accepting video clips. 

Thank you to parents, athletes, coaches, and everyone involved in making our season a great one.  The support was tremendous throughout the year.  See you at the Awards Banquet on April 27.

RACE

Parents and athletes: we are assembling a Frequently Asked Questions list for the Club on all topics. Please submit to club president Tom Duffus your suggested questions (tduffus@conservationfund.org).  A small team of parents will compile your suggestions and formulate answers.

This is an effort to continually improve the tools we provide to parents and athletes with which they can learn about the specifics of our programs and competetive skiing.  Newer families often are confused and frustrated as there is much to learn.  Communication and information are key.  While we do not have the resources to run a "turn-key" program, parents and athletes have a number of good tools to use to get themselves up to speed, including this website, the Parent Mentor program, coaches, Board Members and the Team Duluth Information Sheet handed out at the Potluck (this is now linked under the "Team Duluth" page).

This year's Atmore is scheduled for February 8-10.  We're still looking for volunteers both on the hill and in the race office.  This is OUR club fundraiser.  Proceeds from this event help keep our training fees down as well as offset costs for gates, timing equipment, and other essentials.  If you'd like to help, please contact Tom Wood at  woodskier@msn.com or Joanne Piper-Maurer at skijopiano@msn.com.  If you are interested in volunteering, but need more information on the various jobs, please click here.    

Regular season training has begun.  Training for Age, Ability, and Junior Team members takes place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 5-7 p.m.  Weekend training will be posted on the board in the Team Room. 

During the season, the 'Training Hotlink' page on the DSAC website will be utilized for updates concerning training.  The calendar will also be updated as quickly as possible with new training dates and times.

Training times will be adjusted when Spirit Mountain opens for full time operation in the middle of December. 

While Spirit is in limited operation, efforts will be made to provide on-snow training opportunities at other local ski areas, including Lutsen and Giants Ridge. 

Stay tuned for news on the Development and Freestyle Teams, and the NJRS schedule. 

Here are a couple of pictures from Winter Park Falll Camp.  Coach Jodi Baumgarth after an introduction to face washing.

The team atop the mountain.

The coaching staff for the Duluth/Superior Alpine Club has undergone some changes, and will see a few new faces for the 2007/08 season.  Returning coaches include Scott Ransom, April Gerard, Bree Ransom, Dave Zbaracki, John Reginald, Kent Ogston, and Heidi Jo Karlsson.  Several former racers have also emerged with a desire to help coach with the Age and Development Teams, and those candidates include Scott "Potter" Neustel, Corey Danelski, Wayne Quinones, Bob Porkeney, John Hutchinson, and Sarah Priest.  The Freestyle Team still has a few coaching positions to be filled. 

As the season progresses, the coaches will be attending continuing education clinics which will focus on such topics as ski racing rules and their application, course setting, tactics/technique in the race course, sports physiology, etc.  One of the first opportunities will be the Central USSA Update in Minneapolis November 3-4.  Several on-snow clinics are also scheduled for later in the season at various areas within the Central Region.  Stay tuned for more news!

A big thanks goes out to all the parents, coaches, athletes, and other people involved in making the Ski Swap happen this past weekend.  Thank you for all your efforts and time that you put in.  

There are still some volunteer positions open for the 2007 DSAC Ski Swap, October 26-28.  Shifts in security, check-out, and the back office still need to be filled.  Prior experience is not required.  For more information, contact Ed Koch at 218.728.1302 or edwardlkoch@charter.net. 

The annual DSAC Ski Swap is fast approaching.  This year's swap is scheduled for October 26-28.  The swap will be held at Spirit Mountain in the Bear Paw and Eagles Nest chalets.  For more information, check out the Ski Swap page.