Week of January 5
**Intro to Ski Level Development and Ski Level Development
A few quick reminders to all:
- TeamSnap – Be sure to download the TeamSnap app (it’s free!) from your app store to your phone. This is a very important communication tool for all GTSC teams! You all have a login from when you originally setup your TeamSnap account to register for GTSC programming.
- Important Information – Please read through the Meet & Greet Information Sheets found under Files (Media) in your TeamSnap team.
First Day of Programming Reminders:
– All programming dates and times are found in your TeamSnap Schedule. Please confirm you are in the correct GTSC team (or teams) within TeamSnap and understand how to navigate the Schedule tab.
– Both programs have multiple session times, so PLEASE make sure you know which your skier is registered for.
START DATES:
– Intro to Ski Level Development Start Date: Saturday, January 18th
– Ski Level Development Start Date: Monday, January 13th
Please mark your calendars and see you there!
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**Race Clinics
A few quick reminders to all:
- TeamSnap – Be sure to download the TeamSnap app (it’s free!) from your app store to your phone. This is a very important communication tool for all GTSC teams! You all have a login from when you originally setup your TeamSnap account to register for GTSC programming.
- Important Information – Please read through the Meet & Greet Information Sheets found under Files (Media) in your TeamSnap team.
First Day of Programming Reminders:
– All programming dates and times are found in your TeamSnap Schedule. Please confirm you are in the correct GTSC team (or teams) and understand how to navigate the Schedule tab.
START DATES:
– Monday Night Race Clinics (USSS focus): Monday, January 13th
– Tue/Thurs Race Clinics: Thursday, January 9th – No uphill or lodge access – come ready to SKI! Will work on groupings, flat work and fun!
– Wednesday Night Race Clinics: Wednesday, January 15th
Please mark your calendars, get your gear ready and see you there!
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**Sunday Races
Thank you to our families that came to our Bib pickup night last week for our Sunday Racers! This is so helpful for us to get our Timing Crew the information they need to be ready. We believe our first Sunday Race will still take place as scheduled – so time to get registered and fire up!
START DATE:
– 1st Sunday Race: Sunday, January 12th – GS.
We will know more once Hickory opens Friday and if any changes will notify families ASAP.
Notes:
– Check out the Assignments now in your TeamSnap Schedule event on that date and please signup to help make sure our race is amazing! We have MANY VOLUNTEER SPOTS STILL NEEDING TO BE FILLED to run this race – thank you for helping!!
– Reminder of the Information Sheet for all volunteer positions was shared at the Meet & Greet, was emailed out, and is saved under ‘Files’ in your Sunday Race TeamSnap. We are pumped to offer our new Shadow program this year!!! Try it out with a buddy and get comfortable!! All help is appreciated help =)
– This race is FREE for any interested GTSC skier to try out! Please tell your pals and spread the word! They simply show up at the Lodge at 11am and talk to the volunteers to get set up!
– Our 1st Sunday Race WILL COUNT towards Welborn scoring this year (this is due to the loss of the Sunday Race over President’s Day weekend as Hickory does not want us to hold a race to allow room for the public.)
Racer Bibs:
– Bib Pickup: Please join us Thursday at 5:30-6:30pm @ Hickory to get your racers bib if you have not yet. This is another great opportunity to get your racers bib prior to our first Sunday Race. We are hopeful to get most handed out prior to Sunday! This is one less thing for amped up little racers to worry about day 1 =)
– If you still have your racers bib from last year, PLEASE bring to the bib pickup this year and/or first Sunday Race.
– We charge $50 for any bib not turned back in (and yes, we cross-reference the numbers assigned from last year… eeke!)
Reach out anytime with questions, thank you!
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**Middle School Race Team (MSRT):
This is our official programming kickoff week – but we have some slight modifications with the delayed Hickory opening. See all Schedule updates in your TeamSnap and please reach out with questions!!! We will keep everyone posted on Hickory opening as we hear more.
- Hickory & Crystal Mountain Ski Passes – please get these taken care of ASAP!
- Hickory pass – goto the City website to purchase and complete waiver, then pickup in person this week between 9a-5p at the window.
- Crystal Mtn pass – call down to Crystal Mtn to purchase your 1-day Crystal Mtn pass for MSRT. Please make sure your skier is ready by Wednesday with this!!
PROGRAMMING START DATE:
– MSRT: Tuesday, January 7th – at Hickory Hills*, SL gear – no chin bar or shin guards necessary.
*Reminder of BATA and Blue Lakes bussing from schools – please refer to Transportation Information Sheet previously shared and under Files in TeamSnap. Details for each day also under each Schedule event – be sure your skier is ready for the bus with all gear!
Crystal Mtn Bus Chaperones: Reminder that all our Crystal Mtn AND out of town race busses (ie – Nubs or Boyne Mtn) need a parent volunteer (or two!) to make the trip – it’s a policy when leaving Traverse City with the bussing companies.
- To signup to volunteer: Goto Schedule ; click on the date of the Crystal Mtn / Nubs / Boyne event – goto Assignment – click on the role you can help with and choose your athletes name – click save.
- We kindly remind all parents that we need every family to help with a bus chaperone at least one each season. Please plan ahead and signup ASAP – all spots are in the Schedule under Assignments for the whole season so you can snag the date(s) that work!
- Volunteers are asked to be at the school bus pickup location 20 minutes early, and have their team Roster in their TeamSnap app ready to rock – attendance must be taken each way (no child left behind!!)
- We also ask volunteers to help bring snacks for the kiddos on the bus – it’s a long night! If the volunteers work together this is an easy gig once/season =) They appreciate it!
- There are both MSRT and USSS volunteers on each bus – so the volunteers are only responsible for their team.
- Reach out with questions – we need the volunteer spots filled by Tuesday at 5pm please prior to the bus departing.
- NOTE: We do NOT have chaperones signed up yet for our Wednesday, Jan 8 bus to Crystal Mtn – PLEASE help folks! We really appreciate everyone picking their day in advance for whenever works this season!
- BONUS – all parent bus chaperones get free lift tickets to ski while there!!
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**FIS & USSS Race Teams (Middle School USSS Race Team, Intro to USSS Race Team and High School USSS Teams):
A great weekend of GS racing for all our USSS crushers this weekend at The Highlands! It was so fun to have our newest USSS racers on-board, and watch our 2025 USSS team really come together with the olders and youngers all supporting each other – THE SMILES WERE AMAZING!!! Please be sure to follow our Facebook and Instagram accounts to see fun photos, etc. from GTSC race events! Post-race recap below from Coach Abi:
A great weekend of GS racing for all our USSS crushers this weekend at The Highlands! It was so fun to have our newest USSS racers on-board, and watch our 2025 USSS team really come together with the olders and youngers all supporting each other – THE SMILES WERE AMAZING!!! Please be sure to follow our Facebook and Instagram accounts to see fun photos, etc. from GTSC race events! Post-race recap below from Coach Abi:
What a fantastic weekend we had!! Cold temps, a great snow surface for racing, big energy at the top of the hill, and some really fast skiing from everyone. Obviously, we can’t forget to mention the major podium presence GTSC had!! Out of the 7 races and multiple age groups, I think there were only two or three podiums GTSC wasn’t in – congrats to everyone for these awesome accomplishments! There were also some big improvements for a lot of athletes in the tactical approach, specifically finding the fall line in the course and full sending it – all the coaches were so stoked to see this, and we are beyond proud. Very excited to see everyone continue to challenge the line and find more speed in the weeks to come.
Big thank you to all the racers for being timely this weekend. Your coaches spend a great amount of time planning out schedules that will help keep you guys best prepared and able to perform at your highest level. Keep up the good work, and remember if you’re not 5 minutes early… you’re late (quoted from a very wise coach).
Lastly, a friendly reminder to thank any and all race officials & course workers when you get the chance in the future – they make everything possible for us to race! The race organizers this weekend pulled off one of the most efficient races I’ve seen with zero snafus. We should be very grateful for that 
Video from this weekend is posted on the google drive!
Please reach out to coaches if you need anything and remember Coach Craig has office hours on Wednesdays 7-9pm! This is a great time to go over video, gain some wisdom, and/or talk through any struggles you’re having in the race course or with equipment.
Ski ya later!
-Coach Abi