Ice Badgers Nordic Ski Team

 

PRACTICES: 

 

Wednesdays = Lubrecht/9 Mile/UM Golf Course - 5pm - 7pm - Fitness and Skate Skiing

 

Mondays = Ice Badgers Elite and Ice Badgers Party Only

 

PRACTICE CONCEPT:

Practice will always have a group chat and game and snack, followed by getting with your smaller animal groups and working on the skill of the practice or getting after the adventure ski!  We will always end with a chat and coco.  Teams are important, they keep athletes engaged.  We will continue to push the team while working on individual skier development within their smaller groups.

 

IMPORTANT DATES:

 

All Team Practice starts 12/4 - every Wednesday (skipping Xmas and NYD), ends 2/26 - one day per week

12/14/2024 - Rust Buster Classic - Chief Joseph Ski Area - Tentative
1/4/2025 - Glacier Glide - Whitefish Golf Course - Tentative
1/5/2025 - Chief Joseph Skate Party - Chief Joseph - Tentative
1/11/2025 - Skiesta - Seeley Lake Nordic Trails - Tentative
1/12/2025 - Nordic Dance Invitational - UM Golf Course
1/25/2025 - OSCR - Seeley Lake Nordic Trails 
2/14/2025 - Follow Your Heart Skiathlon - Lubrecht
2/16/2025 - Ice Badgers Loppet - Lubrecht

 

JNQ Events

November 30 - Season Opener - West Yellowstone (1 race)
January 17-19 - JNQ #1 - Soldier Hollow, UT (2-3 races)
February 8-9 - JNQ #2 - West Yellowstone (2 races) - Ice Badgers Party and Elite Teams
February 22-23 - JNQ #3 - Sun Valley (2 races)

 

Ice Badger Junior (7-8 boys and girls) - Head Coach = Jess Carlson

• Learn how to skate and classic ski
• Attend 1 race
• Can continuous skate one champions loop
• Mondays only

 

Snow Owl (8-10 boys) - Head Coach = Scott Lenaburg

• Learn to V1 and the differences between 1 and V2
• Attend 2 races
• Can continuous skate for 2k, non stop
• Can skate to the first flat on Lubrecht epic
• Classic kick and glide rhythm
• Proper double pole without hurting back
• Proper DH cornering technique
• Stopping from a fast DH
• Can start proper
• Successful nutrition for practice and event day

 

Artic Fox (8-10 girls) - Head Coach = Meghann Shraeder

• V1, V2, and V2 alternate all mastered, intro situational on these
• V1 poling on both sides
• Lubrecht epic to the otter slide junction past the first
• Classic kick and glide rhythm
• 1 classic, 1 skate event
• Pacing at and event and nutrition at an event
• Double pole without hurting back
• Fast cornering
• Flat ski, long glide master

 

Swift Fox (10-11 boys and girls) - Head Coach = Jenny Helm

• V1, V2, and V2 alternate all mastered, intro situational on these
• V1 poling on both sides
• Lubrecht epic full
• Classic kick and glide rhythm
• 1 classic, 1 skate event
• Pacing at and event and nutrition at an event
• Double pole without hurting back
• Fast cornering
• Flat ski, long glide master

 

Polar Bear (Middle School Boys) - Head Coach = Jonathan Farr

• 2 skate races, 1 classic race
• Can sprint for 30s
• Proper double poll and starts
• DH without limits
• Flat ski glide challenge
• V1 on both sides
• Master V1, V2 and V2 alternate, start to know when to use them
• Nutrition for practice and racing
• All the way to the top Lubrecht Epic

 

Snow Leopard (Middle School and HS Girls) - Head Coach = Emma Swartz

• 2 skate races, 1 classic race
• One event 10k in length
• V1, V2, and V2 alternate master
• Situational skiing technique, when to use and demonstrate
• True kick and glide rhythm achieved
• Double pole dialed and when to use it
• Downhill limitless, can follow Coach Abby down Lubrecht
• How to start in a pack
• Fast cornering on flat and dh
• Can ski backwards
• How to pace for a long ski
• Lubrecht epic = top

 

Yeti (12-18 boys and girls) - Head Coach = Abby Wiggin

• V1, V2, V2 alternate within a race, muscle memory
• 1 classic, 4 skate races
• 1 race of 20k
• Flat ski, glide challenge
• V1 both sides, almost equal power
• Mentor another group, be a leader
• Nutrition and fueling, one body feeling great race
• Interval training
• Waxing your own skis
• Ski fit, ski temps, ski grinds
• Sprints and how to sprint, win one sprint during the year any place
• Starts and tactics for you

 

Ice Badger Extreme (MS/HS IBEX 10-18) - Head Coach = Orion Berryman & Mike Lessard

• Work towards the Junior National Qualifier Races
• Attend 2 JNQ races
• Attend a 3rd practice during the week
• V1, V2, V2 alternate within a race, muscle memory
• 1 classic, 4 skate races
• V1 both sides, almost equal power
• Interval training
• Waxing your own skis
• Ski fit, ski temps, ski grinds
• Sprints and how to sprint, win one sprint during the year any place
• Starts and race tactics

*All Ice Badgers Coaches have current safesport training

Shaun Radley - I will return as the Team Director and Head Coach of the Ice Badgers.  My dad taught me from a young age about the peace, serenity, and adventure that xc skiing brings to your life.  In college I taught myself how to skate ski in Missoula and Badwax was invented.  I own MTCX Ski, a retail shop and my whole career is based around biking and skiing.  I have 3 kids.  Logan 12, Henry 9, and Freya 7.  Best recent results were 16th Boulder Mountain Tour and 22nd West Yellowstone.

 

Abby Wiggin - Abby will return as a Co-Team Director.  She grew up skiing in Vermont.  From an early age she raced skis and found it a bit miserable.  That experience ingrained toughness and grit especially for the winter months.  She brings a passion for fun, skill development, and figuring out your own racing voice.  Abby is also the head of ZANY, our youth partner program with MIssoula Nordic Ski Club.  She works at MTCX Ski as a tech and sales person and can help folks with fit and things.  Abby is part of the 9 person Badwax, 7 year club, and also won her age group in the 25k classic at West last year.  Abby has two kids Georgia, 13 and Eli, 10 on the Badgers.

 

Orion Berryman - Orion is our co Head Coach and is an amazing resource for youth and adult skiing.  He will return as the Head Coach of the Badger Elite Group.  New name, but it's our advanced middle school and high school group.  They race 5-7 times a year and Orion does an amazing job with them.  Orion skied collegiately for APU and is the best skier in Missoula.  I'm saying it not him.  He represents our town on the biggest stages.  Masters National champion, and multiple OSCR 50k winner and annual top 5 50k West skier, Badwax golden shirt 3x.  What people don't know about OB is his passion for coaching and youth sports.  He is the best.  Orion has Lark 9, Ender 12, and Odin 14 as Badgers.

 

 

Jeff Bookwalter - Jeff is the Head Coach of the Polar Bear team.  Jeff is a life long skier and in the last 10 years has really seen his personal racing take off.  Jeff is a continuous learner and that has shown with his family and himself.  He will ask the right questions and then teach future generations.  He is also in charge of the Badger Coaches retreat and education.  As a masters racer and also a dad of racers he brings a good perspective on events and skiing.  Jeff has Wren 10 and Willa 13 as Badgers.

 

Mike Lessard - Mike is a legend of nordic skiing in Missoula and will return as the Co-Head Coach of the Badger Elite Group Head.  He can teach anyone how to ski.  He was the ZANY coordinator for 5+ seasons and also coached the ZANY HS program.  We are incredibly lucky to have him.  Mike skied collegiately and was really good.  He's taken that approach to his passion for community.  He has grown our Missoula nordic community through teaching youth how to ski.  We still get him to jump in and race, including a top 12 at the OSCR 50k and top 3 at Ice Badger Loppet.

 

- Savanna Fassio - Savanna grew up skiing in Park City, Utah, and attended the Winter Sports School.  School allowed her the time off in the winter to travel to races, however her favorite races were local Wasatch citizen races. Savanna loved racing with the community, grilling out and hopefully pulling a prize in the post race raffle.  Savanna raced for Norther Michigan University, graduating in 2022 with a BA in exercise science.  Since coming to Missoula Savanna has won our hearts.  Not only does she ski fast and beautiful, but she coaches for ZDT Rangers biking team, Mammoths, and is an uber volunteers when time allows.  Savanna kicks butt, and we are so glad she has joined the Badgers.

 

- Emma Swartz - Committed to coaching, Emma, is smart, informed, motivated, and super fun. Emma has experience with high level racing at a young age and shares that wisdom with her athletes. Whether she is jumping into a nordic race or crushing it at bike team, she is just happy to be there. New to town, Emma works in education and saving the planet. You want to recreate, take Emma with you. 

 

Jonathan Farr - In his second year as an Ice Badgers coach, Jonathan is returning to head up the Polar Bears- middle school boys group.  Jonathan hails from Alberta, Canada, and grew up racing the Alberta Cup Circuit.  Skiing from the boreal forest to the Rockies where the snow is slower and colder, Jonathan is a classic skiing fanatic. He is currently in Missoula for graduate school and studying bison in Banff National Park. Jonathan enjoys the fast snow Montana has to offer and has stuck around for the Nordic skiing. We are lucky to have him coming back for another season.

 

- Taylor Tewksbury - Another one of our new Ice Badger coaches, Taylor has a real kindness in her manner of coaching and a calmness with her athletes. Taylor is happy to be grinding it out up front or enjoying a nice easy pace in the back of the pack. 

 

- Joe Petrili - Badwax Commissioner, father of two boys, Vinny and Marco, and husband to the one and only Coach Mere.  Joe works for Big Sky Brewery and loves nordic skiing. Joe is in his second year coaching badgers after showing real style and confidence coaching the Yeti group. Joe will jump in a nordic race from time to time and grooms for the Missoula Nordic Club. Wondering where the best skiing is around Missoula, Joe knows.

 

 

- Meredith Ruland - ZANY Coach, top masters skier, and a great friend.  Meredith is a PA in town and loves to pop into community bike and ski races when time allows.  She is a blast to ski with regardless of the grooming conditions.  Always striving to be better, Meredith loves a good ski clinic.  Always improving, meredith is your guru.

 

 

- Scott Lenaburg - Great energy, great leader, tough act to follow. Scott signed up to coach ZDT Rangers this year and he may never look back. A coach with enough energy and dad jokes to go around, Scott is a ton of fun. Hang on to your hats.

 

- Mike Kernan - Mike moonlights at the MTCX bike shop, but his day job is at the Poverello.  Kind hearted and out to do good, we value Mike's role in the community.  Coaching has been a natural fit for Mike and we are so glad he is becoming a part of the Badgers this season.  

Race expectations and attendance will be different for every practice group.  I would like to see everyone at least attend one event as a fan or participant.  Ice Badgers puts on three events, the Ice Badger Loppet, Nordic Dance Invitational, and Follow Your Heart Skiathlon.  These will be free for Badger team members, but you must register with a coupon code.  All other races listed in the schedule will have Coach support.  This means a warmup, race plan, recovery, fun, and celebration.  There are two optional Badger weekend retreats this year where we will reserve accommodations and parents can decide to book or not.

 

Race Schedule (subject to change)

12/14/2024 - Rust Buster Classic - Chief Joseph Ski Area - Tentative
1/4/2025 - Glacier Glide - Whitefish Golf Course - Tentative
1/5/2025 - Chief Joseph Skate Party - Chief Joseph - Tentative
1/11/2025 - Skiesta - Seeley Lake Nordic Trails - Tentative
1/12/2025 - Nordic Dance Invitational - UM Golf Course
1/25/2025 - OSCR - Seeley Lake Nordic Trails 
2/14/2025 - Follow Your Heart Skiathlon - Lubrecht
2/16/2025 - Ice Badgers Loppet - Lubrecht

 

JNQ Schedule

November 30 - Season Opener - West Yellowstone (1 race)
January 17-19 - JNQ #1 - Soldier Hollow, UT (2-3 races)
February 8-9 - JNQ #2 - West Yellowstone (2 races)
February 22-23 - JNQ #3 - Sun Valley (2 races)

 

 

• Rental poles $50
• Rental skate skis $75
• Rental skate boots $75

If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.

Questions?

UM Golf Course
515 South Ave E
Missoula, MT US 59801