The BSM Nordic ski team is eager to get the season underway and has high expectations for this winter. The skiers will be led by senior captain Claudia Elsenbast and junior captain Clyde Sellke. With their first race approaching, both the boys’ and girls’ teams are making final touches to be ready for the competition.

The team is very excited for their first race. “We have been practicing everyday after school and occasionally meet on the weekends, although most of the time weekend training is done by yourself,” Sellke said. Although the Red Knights are all part of the same team, how they perform is completely individual. The team will practice together but end up competing against each other during the races.

As far as goals for the team, every individual is responsible for their own success, but the whole team hopes to race at a competitive level and show improvement by the end of the season. “Goals for the season are all very personal, due to the varying levels of experience of skiers. As far as the team goes, we look to send one or two skiers to the State Meet,” Sellke said. The ultimate goal is to make it past the Section competition and compete State wide.

The team had a very successful season last winter and hopes to improve even more this year. “Again, success is all personal in this sport so in order to have a more successful season the skier has to take it upon themselves to put the work in,” Sellke said.

Every skier must take it upon themselves to work and prepare every week in order to reach their team’s goal. “We had many elite skiers last year and sent 3 skiers to the State Meet and one to Nordic Worlds. This year we will have to work in order to fill the shoes of our two best skiers who graduated last year,” Sellke said.

The team has about ten races this season, all taking place around the Metro Area, in community parks neighboring the city of St. Louis Park. Following the ten races are the Section and State Meets, which everyone hopes to race in when the time comes. The schedule, however, is never final and dates of competitions may change if necessary. “As far as races go it’s all dependent on the weather, so we can have 1 to 2 races a week or go for as long as 3 weeks without a meet,” Sellke said. The season tends to go until early or mid-February, depending on whether or not any skiers make it to the State Meet.