The Maine Winter Sports Center Junior program provides young adults with the tools to be both successful as athletes and in life outside of sport. Athletes in this year-round program learn the importance of commitment, discipline and responsibility for their personal success and as role models for youth and other members of their communities.
2010 Junior Team Documents
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Download: 07/23/2010 [pdf]
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FMI contact Seth at
seth@mainewsc.org
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8/25/10
Tough Training with Tough Girls
The focus of most training sessions is about you as a skier, but we've learned it's always important to utilize the other athletes and training partners whenever possible. Belonging to a club such as Maine Winter Sports Center has given us these opportunities almost daily, and so this is an element of training we often overlooked. In our experience and travels in the Maine J1-J2 circuit though, we realized that other skiers just like ourselves aren't quite as lucky. In an effort to bridge this gap between the lone athlete and the group trainers, MWSC organized the Maine Team Training Day, complete with training for older more serious high school athletes as well as younger more care-free middle schoolers. Busy schedules didn't provide as many high school kids as they had hoped, but either way it turned out to be a great day of training, with a focus on the female athletes in the sport for a change. ;)
The day began with a Classic rollerski interval workout led by MWSC Coach Will Sweetser. In this session, we did what's called a progression workout. This type of workout begins with a simulated (L5/All out!) qualifying sprint round on a set course. 15% of the recorded time (between 2-4 minutes depending on terrain) is then added on to the original time to make it about 20-30 seconds longer. This new time then becomes the new target, and the goal is to get as close to that target time as possible. So even though the training is in sprint format, it trains the body to be able to hold that pace throughout the 4-6 intervals, and helps increase speed for distance races.
After this strenuous workout, the group was treated to a great lunch combined with a refreshing swim. We then geared up again for a quick skate technique session with one of MWSC's new Biathletes, Corrine Malcolm. Since she hasn't been with MWSC very long, she was a breath of fresh air for all of us, and made us think about our balance and power from a different point of view. With her bubbly personality, Corrine also convinced us to explore our boundaries, and have fun with her unique drills and bold motivating techniques.
Then we got the opportunity to sit down with skiing veteran BethAnn Chamberlain to have a short chat on skiing, goals, and also had a chance to ask any questions we might have. BethAnn is currently a member of the MWSC Biathlon Elite Team and is training full time as well as working as a licensed message therapist. From talking with BethAnn we learned that organization is a key element to effective training, but its also important to always make sure that you are enjoying what you are doing!
After a quick break and some snacks we ended the day with a run/strength session with Hilary McNamee. Hilary grew up in the MWSC program and is currently training with the MWSC Cross-Country Team while attending Dartmouth College. Hilary led us through a series of six general strengthening exercises on a public playground in Farmington. The exercises focused on leg and arm strength as well as balance. The whole workout was then topped off with a tough core workout. Hilary did a great job on showing us how simple exercises can be very beneficial to keep up maintenance strength, as well as how to be tough young ladies!
Again it's very important for younger and older athletes to have people their age to train with and that's what this day was all about! Everyone had a great time and we will hopefully see more of you there next time!
Thanks!
Victoria Bernard and Danni Anderson.
Victoria Bernard, Fort Kent 17
Danni Anderson, Mapleton 17
MWSC Athletes and training partners for 6 years
8/3/2010
Putting in the time, that is what July is about. In order to see the results that you want during the race season you need to get out the door in the summer. The Maine Winter Sports Center Regional and Development teams have been doing a great job at this. They are out the door for fun events like the Tour of Stockholm that Will Sweetser puts on every year with great success, for more camps like the one with the Southern Maine Biathlon Club, for community events like the Fat Tire Festival at the Nordic Heritage Sports Club in Presque Isle, and for the early morning workouts in the rain!
Once again Will has done a super job putting together the Tour Of Stockholm for all MWSC athletes and all community members that wish to participate. The course this year went from running up fire towers and through bogs, from there participants pulled on their ski boots and helmets and skied the a loop from School St to Jemtland road and back on the Stockholm road where the jumped on to there mountain bikes and ventured off into the woods north of Stockholm. Groups did a variety of different rides of varying lengths, some a bit longer then intended (you are welcome, that may have been my doing) at the end of the rides everyone piled into canoes for a nice relaxing paddle back to Stockholm via Armstrong brook and Madawaska stream. Once we had all returned we were treated to some delicious pizza from Eureka Hall.
The Southern Maine Biathlon Club made the trip up to Fort Kent with a group of 18 to take advantage of the amazing training that the 10th Mountain Lodge has to offer. Maine Winter Sports Center staff and athletes joined in to make for an awesome camp. Lots of training, swimming, and shooting. At the end of the camp the SMBC kids came to Presque Isle to take part in both days of the Fat Tire Festival with the MWSC coaches and athletes, the first day they jumped into the Mountain Bike Biathlon races and some even did the Downhill bike race, and then many came back and did one of three different XC Mountain Bike races ranging from 7miles all the way to 21miles.
Next to come, Jericho Vermont, back to School and HARVEST CAMP.
