Old man winter finally showed up this past weekend, with colder temperatures and a little bit more snow (the snow dance seems to be working), but that did not deter a tough group of Wildwood jackrabbits. A number of families came out on December 27th for some target practice, blob tag, soccer on skis, and a whole bunch of post-Christmas fun. Thanks to everyone who was able to make it out.

Just a reminder that there will be no jackrabbits this weekend (January 3rd) as coach Adam and coach James have some family commitments to attend to. We will reconvene on January 10th at 10:30. Looking forward to seeing everyone in the new year.

Change in plans: Dec 27 and Jan 3

Great skiing today! and Great cookies and Hot Chocolate too. We weren't so sure when we started out that it would be a good day for skiing, what with the freezing drizzle. Buy by gum there was snow -- and if last year forced us inside because it was too cold, we aren't going to be forced inside because it is too warm!

The Bunnyrabbits did more scooting about, practising balance, and getting that forward momentum going. The Jackrabbits took advantage of the slick conditions and lack of track to work on our free skate. We also decided to bring back the Snow Dance to see if we couldn't move this winter along. Lets get some snow already!!

Our plans have changed somewhat for the next two weeks. Coach James will be here next Saturday the 27th for a session. The following week, however, family commitments will mean that both Coach James and Coach Adam will be away. So get out with your family and do some skiing at some of the great trails outside the city! We'll pick up again on January 10th The (revised) schedule for the next three weeks is:
December 27 - Session with Coach James
January 3 - No session
January 10 - Regular session

If you haven't registered yet and are intending to. Please contact us via email. We are finalizing this over the holiday break. You can still join later, but we are ordering the books and toques for the kids now.

Merry Christmas and Happy holidays!

Cookie Party Next Week!

Great skiing this Saturday! It was rather warm, but not too wet. This week we divided up into Jackrabbit (6yr+) and Bunnyrabbit (<6yr) groups for a bit. Feedback on how that worked would be helpful. There is quite an age range and having some of the younger ones focused on the basics, with the older ones looking at more skill development seems like a good approach.

Good thing we got that skiing in when we did!  Windsor Park Nordic Centre has closed it ski trails for now because it has just been too warm. So lets hope for cooler weather and some snow to get things back to normal. Maybe we should have done a snow dance!

Here is the plan for the next few weeks over the holidays. Either Coach James or Coach Adam (and likely both of us) will be around, so, weather permitting, we will be having Jackrabbits as per normal. If family stuff doesn't align with skiing, that is totally fine, come when you can.

December 20th with be a cookie party. We'll have skiing as per normal, then meet in the clubhouse for hot chocolate and cookies. Families are asked to bring a plate of cookies to share. We can then toboggan, ski or visit.

December 27 and January 3 will be Jackrabbits as per normal.

If you haven't registered yet, please email us so we can put you on the list. We are sending the registration package off by December 27 and ordering all the Jackrabbit toques!

if you have any question please call or email.

Saturday December 13

Looks like it is going to be warm! But the skiing should still be good. This is the kind of weather that is great for wax-less skis - so if you have those you are set. For those of us waxing, we'll likely be in the blue/extra blue range. Dressing in layers is going to be important, particularly the outer layer. Something that repels wet would be good, since there will likely be falling down involved. Parents may want to bring an extra pair of mits for the kids, since those tend to get wet fast. Looking forward to seeing everyone for some games and skiing at 10:30 Saturday.

If you haven't filled out a registration form, please do so this week. We'd like to get those in soon so we can get or Jackrabbit packages ordered soon (including toques!).

Next Session Dec 13

We had a great session on skis last Saturday. Our Snow Dances worked! Coach James and Coach Adam are on course next weekend - part of the Jackrabbit Coach Training. So we'll see everyone in 2 weeks on December 13. Take this weekend to get out and ski with the family!

Skis Today!

I was out checking the snow in my Sorels and housecoat this morning. My father offered me this advice "Don't worry about it technically, this is a political issue: the kids are gonna want to ski whether there is enough snow or not!"

Fair point.

While technically we are still borderline in terms of enough snow, we are calling it and saying skis today! If you have high performance skis, I would leave them at home, but for the most part we should be good!

Saturday November 29

Wildwood Jackrabbits!

There wasn't a lot of snow last week, but we certainly made the best of it.

This Saturday will have a bit of a reprieve from these rather low temperatures and get us up to a balmy -10. And apparently there is snow coming overnight. We are not convinced that there will be enough to ski, but if parents are not to concerned about skis, then maybe... If there is massive snow overnight we'll send out an email in the morning that we will be skiing. For now, we'll assume games and general mucking about. Dress warm, but we'll be sure to keep the kids (and adults!) moving.

If you have some favourite outdoor games we would love to hear them! See you Saturday morning at 10:30.

Next week James and Adam will be at another coaching course all weekend. We are happy to get the gear to anyone who would like to organize an hour of outdoor stuff. For now assume that the is no Jackrabbits next week (Dec 6th).

Saturday November 22th - Swap Shop, Gear, and Snow

This Saturday is the Swap Shop. If you need gear this year, this may be an option for you. There are other options as well, with various vendors offering rental and buy-back programs that can be good, particularly for the little ones as they grow. You can talk to one of the Coaches about gear if you have questions. Coach James is planning on being at the Swap early, so say hi to him if you see him there.

We will be having a Jackrabbit session this Saturday. There is not enough snow yet to ski (we'll take care of that with another Snow Dance!) but we'll get together for some indoor and outdoor fun anyway.

We'll start IN the community center for a discussion on gear, clothing and waxing. Feel free to bring your skis and wax stuff so we can practice waxing, we'll have some extras on hand too, so don't worry if you aren't equipped yet.

We'll also play some outdoor games and do some mucking about in the snow.

Hope to see you Saturday!

The next few weeks

Jackrabbit Warm-up Games

Saturday was a great session Jackrabbits! It was a beautiful day to be outdoors and I think our Snow Dance is starting to have an effect.

This is a reminder that there will be no Jackrabbits next Saturday. James and Adam are at a community coaching course that is required for new coaches. 

If anyone wants to take the reigns (or ski poles!) next Saturday we'd be happy to set out an agenda of sorts and get you the equipment (balls, pylons etc).  

2 weeks from now is Swap Shop. If you are planning on going and want to be sure you get good gear at a good price, you need to get their early (like an hour early). Email us and we can talk strategy if you like. We'll still have a session that Saturday for those that can make it. 

If you are still considering gear for this season you can talk to us as well. There are good purchase and rental options at some of the Ski shops around town, and of course Swap Shop. 

Jackrabbits Games

Saturday November 8 Jackrabbits

We had a great turn out last week, and there are still several families who will be joining later in the season.

This week we'll be again be meeting at the soccer field at Wildwood community centre for some games and a bit of a run. It is supposed to be a bit nippy: -4 with a some wind - so dress warm (layers!). We'll keep everyone moving so by the end you'll be hot.

November 8 is also MEC SnowFest. There are some clinics including ski waxing. If you are looking for some good winter gear this may be an option.

Registration is still open. We're happy to have you, just come on out!

First Session this Saturday November 1

Our first Jackrabbit session is this Sunday, November 1, at 10:30-11:30 at the soccer field at the Wildwood Community Centre.

Saturday is supposed to be pretty nice, though cool - partly sunny and 7c is the forecast. We'll be doing a bunch of moving about so make sure you wear good running shoes and layer well.

We are going to do some warmup, go for a run, and play a bunch of games - and of course the Jackrabbit snow dance!

We will also be taking registrations. Don't worry if you can't make it this Saturday, you can register at any time for the next several weeks. You can also email James and Adam to let us know you are interested.

We have heard from a number of Jackrabbit families who will be coming out, and some who can't make it this time but will be coming out eventually. If you haven't contacted us yet, please do, or just come on out. Everyone is welcome!

Swap Shop November 22

The Cross Country Ski Association of Manitoba (CCSAM) puts on a "Swap Shop" every year at the Windsor Park Nordic Centre. This is a great event where people can buy and sell used ski equipment. It tends to be jammed packed though, so you need to go early and prepare to line up if you want to get any deals. We'll talk more about this at Jackrabbits as the date gets closer.

If you are thinking about equipment for you our your Jackrabbit, you can talk to us and we can point you in the right direction. There are several shops around that sell equipment and have good programs for kids. 

http://www.ccsam.ca/swap-shop-saturday-november-22nd/

Email to last year's jackrabbit families

This was sent as an email to all the families (who we had email addresses for) who were part of the club last year. If you would like to ski with the Wildwood Jackrabbits this year then this letter applies to you too! Please email James and Adam: wildwoodjackrabbits@gmail.com

Hello Wildwood Jackrabbit Families!

Last spring Coach Jen announced that she would be moving on from coaching the Wildwood Jackrabbits club. The call went out for volunteers and, through conversations with Jen, the community club and the Manitoba Ski Association, we (James and Adam) have stepped forward to run the program this season. 

We are very excited to be part of the Jackrabbits program. Adam was part of the group last year and skied as a Jackrabbit when he was little. He was also a ski instructor many many years ago. James is a self described hacker of a skier with two kids excited to ski.

We have a new blog: skiwildwood.blogspot.ca with information about the program and updates as we get things going. 

Our first session will be Saturday November 1 from 10:30 - 11:30 at the Wildwood Community Centre soccer field. Some outdoor fun, some games, a little run is the plan, as well as the Jackrabbit Snow Dance of course!

We would love to hear from you to let us know if you are planning on registering this year. We would also love to hear what you would like to see in the program - what was great that we should keep, what could we add or change.

Looking forward to another great year of skiing!

James and Adam

For the first time this season, there is snow in the forecast! Albeit just in the north, but still, it is coming! Time to start thinking about winter activities for the family. Wildwood Jackrabbits starts on November 1 with our first dry land (no snow) session. Looking forward to another great season of skiing!

Email Adam or James at wildwoodjackrabbits@gmail.com if you have any questions about the program.

We are getting ready for another great year of family skiing at Wildwood!

After many years leading and developing the Jackrabbit program at Wildwood, Coach Jen is handing the ski polls over to two new coaches. Coach James and Coach Adam are working with the community club, Coach Jen, and the CCSAM to continue this great program here at Wildwood.

Watch for more news coming soon. Registration and will start towards the end of October with the first "dry land" sessions in November.

Looking forward to a great season of skiing!