The Cook County High School Nordic ski team was very young this year, but those kids had a great season gaining race experience and should do well in the coming years. Two fine prospects—Elsa Garry (left) and Robin Henrikson, pose for a picture at one of their last ski meets.
Another ski season has come to a close. I have always thought it was funny that the season ends right as the weather gets nicer, but that doesn’t deter us from racing. I am now realizing that I only have two seasons left, and that I am supposed to be one of the captains and will help lead practices, so here I am writing an article about the Nordic ski season.
This year, we gained several new skiers who are all wonderful to have. I have been on the team since at least sixth grade, and we have never had a team that is as close as we were this year. Elsa Gary, Ella Hedstrom, Hattie Kunze, Charlet Waver, Sterling Pollack, Daphne Lacina, and Amelia Roth have been great additions to our team.
We started our season with dry land training. No one really likes that part of the season, except for Trent Spry and Coach Tim Dennison. They seemed to love running up to Pincushion, while the rest of us half-heartedly jogged to the top. The radar predicted snow countless times before it finally fell, and when it did, it was a blessing for all of us.
Before the race season starts, the team likes to take a trip to Lappe Nordic Ski Center in Thunder Bay for a weekend. When we arrived at the ski center, we were stuck amongst the crowds at Lappe’s Saturday morning pancake breakfast. After Kestrel ate far too many pancakes and his brother, Sterling, made sure he knew how miserable he would be, we got out and skied for the rest of the day. Breaks were encouraged due to the freezing temperatures, but were sometimes elongated more than necessary.
Sunday was even colder than the day before, but that did not stop us. We skied for many hours before everyone was too cold to go any farther.
Before we returned to Grand Marais, we had to stop at a little pancake restaurant. We ended up at a place that was both a restaurant and a sauna house, which was a little strange. After our final meal in Canada, we drove back home with stories to tell and excitement for next year’s trip.
Races are not our team’s favorite part of the season, but we still went to about a dozen. The tension and pressure at races is almost unbearable, but it is still part of the ski season. After hours of sitting in the mini bus and countless races, the older skiers— Linnea Henrikson, Robin Henrikson, Daphne Lacina, Marin Hay, and I—still do not like the races. Although, there is something about the race season that draws us back year after year.
While reflecting on the ski season, I realize that there is no way to tell how wonderful it really was. Experiences cannot be put into words, but trust me when I say that this season has been one of the most memorable and enjoyable yet. The progress that every single team member made was incredible, and I am so thankful to be a part of it.
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