FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Minnesota High School Coaches Association Spring Meeting Recap

The day up in Mora began under bright sunshine, and a ribbon of hard packed man-made snow. The USSA Level 100 clinic started out with skate technique with Joe Haggenmiller and Kyle Bratrud demonstrating. We switched over to classes as the snow softened enough for skin skis and other no wax options were effective at achieving kick. The on snow portion was followed by Technique analysis of world cup video’s inside the Mora Visitors Center.

After a great lunch provided by Susan France Weber, the Coaches Association Mtg. began.
Rich Heilman, Treasurer, gave a quick report on our budget. Our account has a balance just shy of $6,000, and some discussion as to how to best use that money was brought up. The awards for Head Coach, Asst. Coach, Volunteer went to the following:

Head Coach of the Year: Mary Claire Ryan – Brainerd
Asst. Coach of the Year: Scott Clark – Andover
Volunteer of the Year: Mora Snow Farmers

President for the next two years: Robb Lageson – St. Paul Central

Kyle Bratrud shared some of his thoughts on his HS experience, college skiing, and progressing to the next level of competing at the next level. After the eye opening stage of getting to the next level was over, he could focus on small details and begin to feel comfortable racing with some of the worlds best skiers.

There was an open mic period where the ongoing issue of relations with local clubs and HS coaches was brought up. Are we getting to the point where athletes are going to need to decide to go the club route or the HS route, if clubs are trying to pull kids to their training sessions during the HS season 4 days per week? There was discussion on the waxing policy, and perhaps piggybacking on the policy that was agreed on at the CXC Congress of no use of topcoats. Until the MSHSL puts a policy into Law, we need to ALL agree to abide by the association policy and not have renegade coaches who will do what they want regardless of a policy in place, as was done this past season.

Outgoing President Doug Boonstra gave updates on the proposal to add a sprint relay to the State/Section meets. As of now it is tabled until the spring of 2019, with possible implementation by sinter of 2020. Doug also updated the group on a potential joint proposal to host the State Meet beginning in the winter of 2020 at Theodore Wirth followed by Spirit Mt. on an even/odd year rotation. There was some discussion on possibly getting a committee together to look into shifting the season back two weeks to better align with our current snow trends. A brief discussion on finish line protocol with different chip timing systems was discussed, with little to no strong opinions. Doug also brought the group up to speed with some movement with implementing Adaptive skiers into the HS scoring system. Beth Ann Chamberlain is now in contact with the MSHSL, and wheels are beginning to turn towards that goal. No timetable has been set for that to happen at the section or state level.

Meeting adjourned around 2:00.