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IS MSSRT A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION?
Yes, MSSRT is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. Our donors, volunteers, and sponsors are the heart of our organization. We rely on their generous support to keep our program accessible and affordable to all. If you’d like to learn more about how you can support MSSRT, head over to our sponsorship, volunteer, or giving pages.
TEAM SNAP
Team Snap is an app that MSSRT uses for managing and communicating details about training and races. Information for registered athletes will be loaded into Team Snap in the fall. Parents will use Team Snap to communicate which training and race days they will be attending. The app also contains the roster for each age group and has chat and email functions.
Racing…
WHAT IS U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD?
U.S. Ski & Snowboard (U.S.S.S.) is the governing organization for all U.S.-based Ski Teams, and MSSRT racers often compete in U.S. Ski & Snowboard sanctioned races. If a racer competes in a U.S. Ski & Snowboard sanctioned race, then the racer needs to become a member of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, which consists of annual dues that vary based on the age of the racer. For athletes aged 16+, there are additional fees for FIS racing.
More information about U.S. Ski & Snowboard can be found on their website: usskiandsnowboard.org. All U.S. Ski & Snowboard licensed racers are tracked in the U.S. Ski & Snowboard database including any U.S. Ski & Snowboard sanctioned races in which they compete. MSSRT is part of the PNW Division (formerly titled PNSA Pacific Northwest Ski Association), which is part of the Western Region of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. U.S. Ski & Snowboard has 4 regions: Western, Rocky / Central, Northern and Eastern. Each division and region maintain their own website and programs specific to that division or region.
WHAT IS the PNW Division?
PNSA stands for Pacific Northwest Ski Association and is the former name of the Pacific Northwest Division. MSSRT is a member of PNW and USSS. There are 24 clubs in 3 states (Washington, Oregon and western Idaho) that belong to PNW. All athletes are encouraged to become familiar with PNW and their website as it is a great source of information on upcoming races (see the race calendar) and other events or newsworthy items pertinent to PNW clubs. Additionally, PNW is an up-to-date resource on available athlete Grants & Scholarships.
WHAT IS FIS?
The International Ski Federation – Fédération Internationale de Ski, Internationaler Ski Verband – is abbreviated in all languages as FIS. FIS is the main international organization of ski sports. Founded by 14 member nations in 1924 in Chamonix, France, today it has a membership of 101 national ski associations and is based in Oberhofen am Thunersee, Switzerland.
The federation organizes the following ski sport disciplines, for which it oversees World Cup competitions and World Championships: Alpine Skiing, Nordic Skiing, Freestyle Skiing, and Snowboarding.
Athletes are eligible to compete in races that are sanctioned as “FIS” races when they are aged 16+.
WHAT IS EEYSL?
The Emerald Empire Youth Ski League E.E.Y.S.L. consists of ski teams centrally located to Spokane/the eastern side of our PNW division. It is our primary local race league in which we compete as U8/U10/U12. A USSS membership is required to compete. We recommend renewing prior to the competition season within the fall. A sample race announcement from last season’s opening race can be found here: 2024 Chad Engstrom Race Announcement - Google Docs Updated race and event information is published here: pnwdivision.org/events
Gear Resources: Ski Clothing/Equipment Needs
Developed in conjunction with Diann Roffe at Burke Mountain Academy.
1. Generally, U10s and below only need one pair of carving or junior race skis. U12s only need one pair of SL, one pair of GS, and sometimes one pair of SG skis. As athletes become U14, U16, U18 and older, they use two pairs for SL, two pairs for GS, and one pair or more for SG. Prior to those ages, please ask your coach/program director. Tree/park/all mountain skis should not be expected to carve but are nice on powder days.
2. If you have questions, speak with your primary coach to determine your needs.
3. Ski Straps-two to three straps should be used for each pair of skis. Protect the edges off the hill to ensure carving on the hill.
4. Boots-one pair for athletes is sufficient. We recommend getting fitted at a reputable boot fitter. We feel that flex, fit, alignment/canting issues are best addressed by our shop partners. The younger the athlete the softer the boot should be. Please avoid online boot shopping as we often see errors in these purchases that need correction. This can be costly.
5. Poles-one pair for SL with SL guards, one pair for GS. Slalom poles with guards are generally slightly shorter than GS poles. GS poles purchased as straight (not bent) poles to then become athlete SL poles as children grow, are encouraged. Poles that incorporate a pole strap to promote grip strength and start-gate technique are preferred over poles that utilize clip-in technology. U8s and U10s need only 1 pair of poles without slalom guards.
6. Helmet-Required for all skiing. One helmet with hard ears is sufficient for most if it has a removable SL bar that can be taken off for GS/SG/training. Only U12 and up need slalom chin bars. In their backpack, u12s and up, should carry a screwdriver and extra screws for the SL bar as these screws are easily lost in taking the bar on and off. The helmet needs to be examined regularly for cracks, dents, and should be replaced if any are found, or if the helmet has been subject to a hard impact even if it appears OK on the outside.
7. Slalom guard/Mouthguard - We strongly recommend use of a SL bar for all tall gate training. (U12s and older) We encourage an athletic/shock mouthguard for all training and racing in addition to a SL bar for U12s and up.
8. Shin guards are necessary for all SL training and racing. (excluding U8s and U10s)
9. Competition Suit - one speed suit is sufficient for U12/U14 athletes. It can be helpful for coaching to see their legs without bulky snow pants during training. A suit at U12 is not required. Older athletes sometimes have a second padded suit for SL and GS. U8 and U10 child-athletes are encouraged to prioritize race-day warmth and comfort, over aerodynamics.
10. Arm guards - We recommend that all athletes U14 and older have arm guards worn outside their suit for GS and/or a padded “stealth” arm protector that they wear under their competition suit.
11. Back Protector - we strongly recommend that athletes U12 and older wear a back protector for all ski training and racing.
12. Goggles and lenses. We recommend that athletes have two pairs of goggles with extra lenses for different light conditions (bright days/gray days) and in a protective bag/case. The second pair is often important at training and races when the first pair gets wet and begins to fog.
13. Clothing-Warm winter jacket and zip-off warm up pants are necessary. In addition, a lighter shell jacket for training is recommended for athletes U12 and older. SL shorts are optional but are functional. Please no suspenders hanging down or hoods on while training. Simulating race wear when training is ideal for U12 and up.
14. Ski Specific Socks. Usually, the best socks are very thin, polypropylene socks. It is highly recommended to carry extra pairs of socks in your backpack that can be exchanged when the original socks get wet. This is critical to keep feet warm and wet socks make for very cold feet.
15. Boot/Sock Heaters. Highly recommended for any athletes that have had frostbite problems in the past or for any reason have trouble with circulation or keeping feet warm.
16. Boot Dryers. It is critical that ski boots are bone dry each day before skiing and this is very difficult to achieve without good boot dryers. Dry boots are warm boots and will keep bacteria and stench away. The boot liners and footbeds will also last longer and dry boots promote foot health.
17. Gloves/Mittens – having two pairs is important. We recommend one pair of cold weather gloves/mittens and one pair of spring weight that should be kept in the backpack in case other gloves are misplaced. Waterproof/ resistant gloves may be important on wet days.
18. Snacks and water bottles - In their backpacks, all athletes should have a bottle of water and snacks (Please avoid high simple sugar snacks) in order to hydrate a little each run as well as eat periodically during the training session.
FIRST TIME SKI PREPARATION FOR THE SEASON
Please partner with our local shops for professional guidance: Our philosophy is that athletes who carve also ski fast. Tuned skis are fast skis.
*New skis need to be prepped if necessary (factory grinds often are not flat)
*Skis need to be "shaped;” this is the process of tapering back the vertical sidewall in the tip and tail of the skis to allow for the tune of the ski to be consistent through the running length of the ski. THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM REMOVING SIDEWALL.
*U16/U14/U12 Athletes: SG skis get a hard 1 degree base bevel, GS a .7 degree base bevel and SL a .5 degree base bevel. All skis get a 3 degree side bevel. Please do NOT set a different bevel without first talking to your primary coach.
*U10/U8 single event carving skis can be 1 degree base bevel and 2 degree side bevel.
*Ski bases need to be waxed multiple times. Deep penetration of the base via base prep wax is vital to the effectiveness of the base and its ability to retain wax in subsequent waxings (think of it as a new cell phone battery, it needs to be fully charged before the first use). Put simply, it is the scraping and brushing of the skis that actually makes them fast.
***The First-Time prep of skis is a very important undertaking and parts of it should not be done by the parent/athlete.
***Athletes should NOT have a ski shop tune their skis prior to a competition while in season, UNLESS the shop is their source of regular tuning. Consistent tuning is our recommendation. Everybody tunes skis a little differently, and when the skis feel different all of a sudden because they were tuned by someone else, the athlete is often negatively affected. Most of the time the skis end up coming back changed and different from what the athlete is used to everyday. (Discuss normal practices with your coach).
***We will schedule tuning clinics that will usually be hands-on experience. You can also ask the coaches questions to get more comfortable with how simple, basic and easy tuning is.
MSSRT PARENT SUPPORT GOALS
1. Note about communication with MSSRT staff. We believe that there are no dumb questions, so please be proactive with your questions and concerns. Feel free to contact your sons’ or daughters’ primary coach or the Program Director. Our sport is rather complicated with regards to things like training/race plans, equipment, conditioning, injuries, travel, expenses, etc… and there is a lot to understand. We work as a team-athlete, coach, and parent, so a high level of communication is welcome. We do ask that you respect our staff’s private lives and limit “after hours” calls to only those that are in the “emergency” or “extremely important” categories. Email, WhatsApp or Team Snap messaging is often the most effective way to begin communication and please make an effort to reduce electronic messaging and meet your coach for in person discussions.
2. Protocol for parents attending training and races. We know that some parents like to attend as many of their son or daughter’s races, some don’t, and some can’t. We have learned that it is not always best for a parent to attend only “the more important” races especially if they don’t attend the “less important” races as it often creates undue pressure on the racer. We have a few important rules for parents that attend races. These rules are in place to help instill athlete independence and for the most effective interaction between athlete and coach, as well as for safety.
A. If you attend, be there to support, volunteer and cheer as a parent. Give your athlete space.
B. Let the Coaches coach! Trust what they are doing even if you don’t understand the process. Feel free to ask a coach in private why they are doing something a certain way, but refrain from discussions about opinions, disqualifications and results while in front of athletes. Find private time with the coach/program director.
C. Parents are not allowed inside the race venue including the start area unless they are working as a volunteer at the race. If there is safety netting (B-nets) on the hill, this means standing behind the netting, and out of the race arena. Whether there is netting or not, parents should not be on the race trail and should not be involved in the slipping of the courses unless they are asked. Meeting your athlete at the scoreboard or in the finish while on Live Timing is discouraged. This puts undue strain on results that are not yet “official” and we want all our athletes to focus on their own effort and foster a love for the challenges the sport offers.
D. Parents should resist the temptation of always assisting their racers to carry their skis or clothing. This instead will be taken care of by the athletes themselves. We must work together to teach them to be independent, capable and understand their training and race day management. The coaches will guide them.
E. Presence just below or outside the finish area is encouraged. Just make sure that you give time and space for the coach athlete interactions. It can be an emotional time for an athlete just after completion of a race run (both positive and negative) and parent support at that time can be very helpful as long as it is appropriate and not overly focused on the outcome result/scoreboard. A best effort will always win the day regardless of outcome in the junior years.