February 1, 2019 at 4:13 p.m.
Jacob Freide's natural reaction
Tough class to pass
Jacob Freide's natural reaction
By Jacob Friede-
And that would be just fine for most of the traffic on Thursday mornings in late January. In fact, it would be welcomed, because a glide through the woods is exactly what many come out there for.
From late January through mid-February, Nicolet College in Rhinelander, in cooperation with Minocqua Winter Park, offers intermediate cross-country skiing lessons as part of their Outdoor Adventure program. The class, which covers everything from proper stretching and skiing technique to waxing and ski maintenance, is designed for those who have a basic understanding of skiing, but want to further their pursuit of the sport. And those interested beware. Few students pass the class. Pass it up that is.
Over the years a bond has formed between the students and has transformed them into a crew of friends more than a collection of classmates. The crew is loyal to the end, according to instructor Dan Clausen, a highly-regarded professional ski instructor, who has been teaching the class for almost four decades.
"We've been doing these classes for Nicolet College for almost for 40 years and it has evolved," Clausen said. "I've seen many, many generations and I've seen so many of my students get too old to ski anymore and eventually pass away, so it rotates. There are people who have been skiing in this class for 20 years."
Ann and Jeff Currie have been in the class for almost that long, and they learned from the start that skiing doesn't necessarily favor youth.
"We decided we really need lessons so we came here," Ann Currie said. "We were some of the youngest people in the class. We were in our mid to upper 50s. There was somebody who was 84, and we were the slowest people in the class."
Eventually the Curries were able to pick up the pace, but that was after years of slow, steady progress under the tutelage of Clausen and his simple wisdom.
"It's not like Dan has some new revelation each year, but the light goes on," Currie said. "He'll tell you something and you may be at a point where you can try a little harder that way, or do something differently, and its like, 'Oh wow, that's what he's been talking about!"
And what Clausen talks about is how proper technique is a process, full of many facets. That breakdown of method is what Jeff Currie enjoys about the class.
"Dan takes us where we are and kind of helps present us an athletic way of looking at skiing," he said. "It's kind of nice to get that view of skiing. You want to think about your balance. You want to think about power. You want to think about whether you're shifting your balance and whether you're really maximizing your glide on the ski. All those things are things that are worth thinking about."
To Bernie Wiggins, also a long-time student, there is no classroom more conducive to contemplation than Winter Park.
"To me, the appeal is getting out on a single track with woods all around you in complete silence," Wiggins said. "Cross-country skis don't make any noise and so I like that. Peace and quiet and being out in the woods."
But to get the point where cross-country skiing is more tranquil than trying takes work, Wiggins said.
"When you start you're basically walking on skis," he said. "That's not cross county skiing. Thats snowshoeing. To learn a technique where you actually glide. You don't have to work so hard. Go farther and work less. That's always fun."
That's where the lessons come in. A typical class begins with a stretching session and then moves outdoors to a practice area where Clausen explains what the day's emphasis will be. Then it's on to the trails where the lecture on technique is taught with the terrain and the landscape.
"It's a lot of fun," Clausen said of the class. "I think it's been a good opportunity, too, because you get to see the same people week after week . A lot of times when you do ski lessons out of the shop you might see people two or three times a year, but now you see everybody for, like, five weeks. You can really check for their understanding and whether they're making changes in their skiing."
Year after year, though, the one change his students haven't been able to make is where they choose to study, and that's a testament to Clausen's strength as an instructor
"Dan is great," Jeff Currie said. "He knows way more than almost anybody, so that's the opportunity that sets it all up."
It's this reciprocal respect and enthusiasm, shared by Clausen and his crew, that make the quality of the intermediate class from Nicolet quite advanced.
Those interested in the class and other outdoor programs at Nicolet College can find more information at www.nicoletcollege.edu/classes-programs/personal-enrichment/outdoor-adventure.
Jacob Friede may be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].
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