October 21, 2016 at 2:36 p.m.
Rhinelander Nordic program receives Birkie grant
Money to go toward equipping program
Rhinelander Nordic program receives Birkie grant
The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation awarded the program with a $1,000 during a presentation at the Cedric A. Vig Outdoor Classroom.
The money will go toward buying equipment for the growing program, which includes competitive high school and middle school teams as well as a youth ski program for elementary school students.
"We're going to use that - among other things - to buy ski forms for waxing prior to races and we are going to buy a pop-up tent for a little protection from bad weather at the races," said Northwoods Nordic Ski Club board member Mark Nienstaedt. "These are all things we need."
"At the top of the list are more uniforms for the high schoolers because the way things are projecting to look, we don't have enough yet for the coming season, which is a good problem to have," RHS Nordic ski coach Charil Reis added.
The Birkie Foundation provides grants for programs across the state. Foundation president Ben Popp, who presented the check Wednesday, said Rhinelander was a natural fit for the grant.
"It is all about looking for communities that have opportunity to grow," Popp said. "Here was a team that has a ton of interest. They've got great trails and to be able to get more kids involved, they need things like equipment and uniforms and things of that nature. It was a great fit and so the criteria of having the infrastructure to provide more opportunities was here. It was an easy sell."
"The check we received from the Birkie Foundation will go to help us with our long list of needs," Reis added. "We're very thankful for it."
Rhinelander High School activities director Brian Paulson acknowledged the grant through an email to club members.
"Congratulations to the Rhinelander's Northwoods Nordic Club on receiving this grant," he wrote. "Watching your numbers grow so quickly is a huge indication of all your hard work. You deserve this grant. Hopefully our high school numbers will grow now that we have a youth program."
Though recognized as a varsity sport in the School District of Rhinelander, Reis said the vast majority of the team's budget is provided through the Northwoods Nordic Ski Club and not the school.
Reis added, however, the district allows the team to use its facilities, including the Aspirus Community Fitness Center, the Northwoods Community Ski Trails in front of RHS as well as CAVOC for training and races.
"We do get to use this facility here at CAVOC, which is beautiful and highly coveted around the state with the Nordic ski community," Reis said.
During Popp's visit, club members toured the trail system at CAVOC which, because of its challenge terrain, is an ideal venue for upper-level ski competitions.
"What's here already is pretty darn amazing and I think, with a few tweaks, it could be even better," Popp said. "Looking at some of the best destination trail systems, it provides opportunities for events to come and families to come visit. The majority of the infrastructure is here, so it won't take much to make this a location that will be really a destination from the state standpoint to come for high school events and then things like Junior National Qualifiers and that kind of stuff. It will be pretty attractive. The really expensive pieces are here. You've got a lot of land with trails on it and you've got a really nice, big warming center."
The club is currently working with the district's School Forest Advisory Committee to foster an agreement for improvements that would include widening select areas of the trail system and improving the start/finish area for races.
CAVOC currently hosts the Hodag Challenge high school ski races during the first week of January. That meet was canceled last year due to a lack of early-season snow.
Club members say the hope is, with improvements to the trials, Rhinelander could land bigger races, such as the WNSL High School State Championships, an Olympic Junior National Qualifier event, and potentially even a collegiate race.
"(It would take only) minor tweaks to make a really world-class venue that's going to bring really national-level competitions here," Popp said.
River News reporter Jamie Taylor contributed to this report. Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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