Benilde-St.Margaret’s has a Cross-Country Nordic ski team. Although some students avoid winter cold and snow, Nordic skiers embrace the opportunity to get outside and compete.

Nordic meets everyday after school with an additional optional Saturday practice that meets in the morning. Each practice is usually about an hour and a half long everyday. “Practice is not too long but not too short, it’s the perfect amount of time,” sophomore Jane Boase said.

The team likes to go to many different parks to ski during practice so they don’t ski the same thing everyday. “It’s very nice to be able to ski at different places because you are able to explore different parks,” sophomore Ceci Cronin said.

Nordic has two different types of skiing: Classic skiing and skate skiing. If you are on the team you learn how to do both. Classic skiing is more the traditional way of skiing that people remember, it’s when you glide. Skate skiing is like skating on ice skates but on skies and with poles. “I like being able to switch it up so I don’t do the same thing every practice,” sophomore Lily Peterson said.

The Nordic team has races once a week. Each race is three miles long which is a 5k. Races also take place at different parks around the cities. Races are either skate or classic races; they usually switch off every other week. The team this year has been very laid back with many kids who joined to just have fun. “It’s a challenge and you get a good workout in but you also enjoy it,” senior Emma Waterson said.

Nordic also has practices where they just hang out and have fun. Usually on Fridays they will play games in an open area. “The team is really supportive of each other and I enjoy being able to have fun practices after a long week,” Peterson said.

Before COVID the team was also able to go on away trips/races. Usually towards the end of the season the team would go up to Maplelog where they would spend two nights, Skiing during the day, hanging out in the hot tub, and playing cards at night. “Going to Maplelog is something the team looks forward to during the season which is why it’s sad to know we won’t be able to go this year,” sophomore Nelson Yeung said.

Although no one on the team is going to state this year, the team still had a really enjoyable season. “The team is hardworking but also very laid back and likes to have fun,” Cronin said.