Above: The Viking Nordic ski team is off to a great start—all they need now is snow! (L-R, front) Pete Summers, Ben Resek, Will Seaton, Joe Rauzi. (L-R, middle) Nate Carlson, Cheyenne Sorlie, Nuchada Srisittipoj, Joey Chmelik, Lino Rauzi, Audrey Summers, Mara MacDonell, Ben Seaton, Katrina Axtell, Kieran Scannell. (L-R, back row) Dick Swanson, Karlee Axtell, Shelby Ahrendt, Alex Ditmanson, Sarah O’Phelan, Daniel Ditmanson, Jordon Zunker, Mark Summers, Kelly Summers, Hank Bemlott. (Not Pictured: Roman Schnobrich, Natalie Nalezny, Saffron Straub). Left: With no snow, some of the Nordic skiers decided to try “skating” on some ice at Pincushion! From front to back: Nuchada Srisittipoj, Shelby Ahrendt, Mara MacDonell, and Katrina Axtell.
The Cook County High School Nordic Vikings are preparing for another year of fun and racing competition, with 10 meets scheduled throughout Northeast Minnesota.
The Vikings have had quite a bit of success in recent years, especially in the junior high grades where they have had top results individually and as a team. Nearly the entire team from last year returns so I expect more of the same. We’ve got a solid group of dedicated skiers who will be making the transition from junior high racing to junior varsity and varsity. While we are still a very young team, we are definitely on the upswing. Best of all, we have a great group of kids, boys and girls from all the grades.
There is more to the story, however. After the 2001 season, Nordic skiing was dropped as a school sport due to budget cuts and lagging participation; the team numbered less than 10 for the entire school. This was particularly disheartening as cross-country skiing has a long tradition of success at CCHS, including region championships and all-state skiers.
Staff photos/Rhonda Silence
Enter the North Superior Ski and Run Club (NSSRC), a group primarily known for taking care of the Pincushion Mountain trail system. They rescued the program by providing all the necessary funding and supplying volunteer coaches who shared the duty of coaching the team. CCHS continued to provide the necessary sanction for the state High School League. It was a huge undertaking that required lots of time and money. Thanks to the support of the local community, funds were raised to cover team expenses. Thanks to many volunteers, coaching was provided and the program started growing again, despite declining enrollment in the school system.
Thisyear, the team has 23 skiers as well as friends who attend some practices just to exercise and have fun skiing. Their goals vary widely: some are looking to make it to the state meet; others are just learning to ski and have fun.
Some things are constant however: the NSSRC continues to fully fund and administer
the team. In addition to Head Coach Mark Summers, there are four volunteer mentors: Kelly Summers, Dick Swanson, April Wahlstrom and former Head Coach Cory Berg.
This could not happen without their help. This is now a big team and they are a big part of making sure each athlete gets the attention they deserve!
The Vikings’ only home meet of the year is Friday, January 29 at Pincushion. Come out and cheer on the Vikes!
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