Nordic News

With the hiring of its first full-time Nordic Head Coach, Ford Sayre is having to say goodbye to two beloved coaches.  Scottie Eliassen and Dennis Donahue have been synonymous with our program and the Upper Valley nordic ski community for 25 years, and we are incredibly grateful for their dedication and for the program they built.  The impact they had on hundreds of skiers in their program extended far beyond fast skiing, and was evidenced by the character of their Junior Nordic Team.  They inspired a life-long passion for the sport through their own personal examples, and instilled in their athletes a level of personal responsibility, empowerment, respect, and sportsmanship that was the hallmark of their program and noted by many, far and wide, over the years.  This mark is indelible and their legacy continues through the ongoing journeys of those athletes.  

We at Ford Sayre will miss them dearly.

Follow this link for a full description of the remarkable accomplishments of our Junior Nordic Team over the past 25 years. 

Join the Dartmouth XC Ski Center & Ford Sayre
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2019 6:00–7:45 pm

NH High School (NHIAA) Ski Jumping Competition
Park at Dartmouth Cross Country Ski Center, Oak Hill Drive, Hanover
Free Admission

Watch top Male & Female High School competitors from around the state soar over 100 feet under the lights 

Music, Hot Chocolate, Campfire, Marshmallows, Athletic Courage

DIRECTIONS

• From downtown Hanover take Lyme Road (Rt 10 North to the first rotary just before the COOP Foodstore).
• Take the first right off the rotary onto Reservoir Road.
• Reservoir road comes to a “T” after roughly 0.7 miles.
• Take a left on Oak Hill Drive toward Storrs Pond and the Dartmouth Cross Country SkiCenter.
• Park at the Dartmouth Cross Country Ski Center. The jumps are up the hill to the left(hidden by a few trees). From the parking lot you’ll see the lights from the ski jumpingcomplex shining through the trees. If this lot is full, more parking is available close by at the Ray School on Reservoir Road or at the Garipay Field parking lot closer to Route 10.

Ford Sayre, a growing ski club that supports nearly 300 Nordic skiers in the Upper Valley of New Hampshire and Vermont, is seeking a full-time head coach to provide leadership and coaching continuity across the club’s cross-country skiing programs (Youth, Juniors, Masters).  The head coach will have primary coaching responsibility for the club’s high school (U16/U18/U20) age group.

Ford Sayre Memorial Ski Council is a 501(c3) established in 1950 to promote the sport of skiing in the Upper Valley.  The Nordic Club has historically been run by a dedicated group of part-time coaches and volunteers.  This new full-time position, reporting to the Ford Sayre Nordic Committee, creates an opportunity for the right individual to engage and leverage this group while establishing a unified, consistent coaching approach across the club’s offerings.  Ford Sayre Nordic primarily skis at Oak Hill in Hanover, NH, the ski venue of Dartmouth College.  The club includes members from a number of area towns and schools.

The main areas of responsibility include:

Coaching

Lead a team to oversee the delivery of quality coaching to each of Ford Sayre’s program offerings and to develop new and/or expanded offerings.  Currently the program has three main components: Youth (Kindergarten through 8^th grade; approximately 225 skiers and 55 volunteer coaches), JNT (Competitive High School Program; 14-20 skiers and 3-5 coaches), and Masters (50 registered skiers).

• Assume direct coaching responsibility of the JNT program
• Develop annual, period-based training plans for use by athletes and run training sessions throughout the year 
• Demonstrate a strong knowledge of the physiological, technical, emotional and mental demands of Nordic skiing and the ability to incorporate this knowledge into individualized training planning, execution and assessment
• Run at least one summer and one fall training camp for club and out-of-town athletes
• Coordinate the plans and provisions for the team’s requirements for out-of-town competitions including transportation, accommodation, wax and equipment, and race entries

Management 

• Train and recruit coaches to ensure that the club has sufficient high-quality coaching resources for each of its programs
• Work closely with Ford Sayre volunteers and two Ford Sayre employees (administrative and IT staff) to administer day-to-day operations of the club 
• Plan and implement several dryland and on-snow coaching clinics 
• Coordinate coaching plans with lead coaches of Youth and Masters programs to ensure Ford Sayre is providing a consistent experience across the spectrum of its programs
• During the offseason, develop an annual plan for each of the programs in collaboration with lead coaches and supported by members of the Ford Sayre Nordic Committee.  This plan will include the development of a draft budget 

Communication

• Keep the club’s various constituencies informed with regular verbal and written communications.  Constituencies include athletes, coaches, the Ford Sayre Nordic Committee, non-coach volunteers, parents, and the local ski community
• In all communications within and outside the club, represent the club in a positive and professional manner

Implementing Vision & Strategic Direction

The full-time coach will collaborate with the Ford Sayre Nordic Committee to set the strategic direction of the overall program and implement programming in accordance with Ford Sayre Nordic’s Guiding Principles.

Skills & Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to create a positive, athlete-centered, team experience working with a dynamic group of part-time coaches, volunteers, Nordic Committee members, and community members
• Demonstrated leadership skills and the ability to lead and motivate athletes, coaches, and volunteers
• Exceptional planning, organizational, and communication skills
• USSS (or equivalent) coaching certification
• Extensive knowledge and passion for Nordic skiing and ski racing 
• High level of ski waxing knowledge and proficiency

This is a full-time exempt, salaried position. Compensation range of $35,000-$45,000 annually based on experience with room for growth, with contribution toward healthcare benefits.

For more information please contact nordicjobs@fordsayre.org. 

Registration for 2018/2019 Ford Sayre winter programs is now open.

>> Register Now 

To get more information, please check out our Registration page.  To learn more about our various programs, please go to the home page, and select the desired program.

If you have any difficulties or questions, please send an email to info@FordSayre.org.

Team East at the Junior Nationals

Team East was at the Junior Nationals for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined in Anchorage.  This is a team of kids who don’t train at altitude, who in many cases have learned ski jumping without a home hill where jumps over K50 are available.  They have been coached by a committee of various coaches from different clubs and a ton of traveling is required to train.  It speaks to the drive of the athletes, flexibility of schools, committed parents, and most of all to a culture of community in jumping and nordic combined.

The team won U-16 Jumping, U-16 Nordic Combined, Team Jumping, U-20 Nordic Combined, silver in U-16 team Nordic Combined, and a bronze in U-20 team Nordic Combined.

Evan Nichols from Ford Sayre was first in U-16 Nordic Combined individual, second in team U-16 team Nordic Combined, and won gold with his U-20 team jumping team of four.  He was disappointed by his fourth in U-16 individual special jumping.  He flew further than some who made the podium, but he lost a spot due to style.  He missed bronze by 0.3 points.