While the two largest school districts in Alaska allow their high school Nordic skiers to hit the trails in organized, heavily covid-mandated, ASAA sanctioned practices; the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District maintains an overall halt on all extra-curricular activities, instituted (without change) in late November.
The question becomes…When will the district loosen the restrictions on the cross-country ski season for high school athletes?
The ASAA ( Alaska School Activities Association) board, in November, approved a Nordic Ski start date of November 16th. The Anchorage School District approved an actual season start of November 30th. The Mat-Su School District opened regulated, covid-protocol practices on Monday, December 7th. Both school districts are building toward intra-district competition in early January.
In addition to the high school Nordic Ski programs, the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage is hosting the first of five AMH Anchorage Cup races on Sunday, December 13th. The race will be open to numerous age divisions, including high school and will be conducted under the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage COVID-19 mitigation plan.
Within the KPBSD, Kyle McFall, Soldotna High School Athletic Director, has submitted an extensive mitigation plan with “the hopes that it will be used to gain district-wide approval.”
Approval of a COVID-19 mitigation plan and the subsequent beginning of high school cross-country ski practices for peninsula high schools can be facilitate by the KPBSD administration and does not require a school board review.
The ASAA revised activity calendar currently allows for Nordic Ski to run through February 20th with a provision for a state culminating event February 25-27.
In a related issue…
The Tsalteshi Trails Association Youth Ski Program has aligned its program start in January with the KPBSD extra-curricular mandates.
According to Carly Reimer, TTA Youth Ski Program,
“I am closely following what Alaska State Activities Association (ASAA) and the Kenai Peninsula School District (KPBSD) is allowing for practice and competition of sports. (Specifically paying attention to outdoor sports and Nordic Skiing). As of right now high school Nordic skiing was scheduled to begin November 14th….but……KPBSD has cancelled ALL sports and activities until further notice. That being said, we will not hold lessons when the KPBSD is not allowing participation in sports and activities”.
TTYSP Details
Program Dates: Program runs from January 5 through February 20, 2020
Mission: Through the Tsalteshi Trails Youth Ski Program (TTYSP), children are encouraged to enjoy the Alaska winter while learning the sport of cross country skiing. The emphasis is on having fun and learning proper technique rather than on competition.
