FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thank You from the CSB-SJU Ski Team

Fellow Ski Community, Parents, Friends, Alumni, Family,

The CSB/SJU Nordic Ski Team wants to say THANK YOU! Yes, we still refer to ourselves as a team because even though we are technically a club, we are still a team at heart. So, our team wants to say thank you for all you have done for us. As you can imagine, these past ten months have been very difficult for a group of about thirty dedicated skiers, enthusiastic teammates and wonderful people. During, those first few weeks after losing our varsity status, our coach and our funding, we were all pretty traumatized, but were able to handle it together. We still came to the ski room every day at 4:15 for a workout, we still ate dinner together after practice – but after dinner, and most of the time before homework, we planned for ways to get our status back. Alumni, coaches and students presented to the senate, administrators and anyone who would listen. A group of thirty people in a school of 5000 students does not have much sway. However, the support that we received from you does. One day after the team was cut, multiple administrators were already commenting on the amount of responses they were getting. Both offices admitted they never expected such a huge response and that they would never be cutting a team again. All of the calls you made, all of the letters you wrote were HUGE. The offices up at school were backed up for weeks and we successfully got the message across to NOT mess with the ski community. Even though we, as a team, felt betrayed by our school, we knew you had our backs and that means the world, even now while we are trying to run a club. Not only are we grateful for your support, but I know many of you gave money as well. Your pledges will get us through this season and many more to come. Skiing has always been an expensive sport, and we will save money everywhere we can. But there are only so many kilometers we can ski before we have to put another coat of wax on. So thank you for your time, your money and your voice. Like you, we love this sport, but above all we love these people and the person this sport allows us to be. So even though we are now a club, we still have our skis, the snow and each other - which with the current members of the team ... is sure to make an AMAZING year!

For those who have invested in our club, I would like to give a quick update. We officially started practice on November 10th with our new coach Ion Senecha and it is going great. We have been fundraising at all the home football games this year selling mittens and bread and we have been recruiting new skiers. A contract has been finalized for the grooming of the trails this year and the school has been very supportive and helpful in our transition to a club team. Some members of the team will be travelling to West Yellowstone over Thanksgiving break to get some time on snow.

Thank you for your continued support and here’s to a snowy winter!

The CSB/SJU Nordic Ski Team