Some jackrabbits are about to invade Crystal Ridge Golf Course, but as long as they stay off the greens and tee boxes, they are more than welcome.
The three-year-old Crystal Ridge Nordic Ski Centre in Okotoks is introducing a Jackrabbit program to teach youths the lifelong sport of cross-country skiing.
“We are running it from ages five to 15 and we will have three different groups based on skill and age,” said Crystal Ridge Nordic Centre president Jim Hiscock. “Cross-country skiing is a sport that anybody can do, but it takes a while to do it with the proper techniques.”
Crystal Ridge officials did their homework during the offseason and were able to get four adult skiers to take the coach’s courses. The response to the Jackrabbit program has been impressive as there were 20 youths registered as of Nov. 22.
“We want to keep the ratio down to six skiers for each instructor,” Hiscock said. “So we have openings for four more.”
More students could be added as more coaches become involved.
The cost for the program is $15 and will run Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. beginning Dec. 1 and running until approximately mid-March.
“We will teach (how to) go downhill, turns, going uphill and it will be incorporated in games,” Hiscock said. “It’s not just skiing down the trails.”
If there is not enough snow at Crystal Ridge, the program might move to the Bragg Creek trails for the odd session.
Hiscock said with some planning and some co-operation from Mother Nature, he is confident the sessions won’t have to be moved from the Okotoks golf course.
“The area we picked for the Jackrabbit program has held the snow for the past two years,” Hiscock said. “With a little harvesting of snow, we are pretty confident there will be enough snow for the entire year.”
He added they would prefer the skiers have their own equipment, but if need be, some could possibly be scrounged up for young skiers.
Ana McFadyen of Okotoks, is one of the coaches who has signed up to help with the program.
“I was in Whitecourt before I moved to Okotoks and they had a program there,” she said. “I just loved it. It was just a great social atmosphere.”
She has registered her six and eight-year-old children for the course.
“This is a sport that will get them out in nature and they can do for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Emily Vervoort, 12, has four years of experience with Jackrabbits in Calgary and the surrounding area.
“It helped me become a better skier,” she said. “It was a lot of fun because you play games and you get to ski with a group.”
The Jackrabbit program was named after Herman “Jackrabbit” Johannsen who received the Order of Canada for promoting cross-country skiing among youths. He died at the age of 111.
It’s not just young Jackrabbits at Crystal Ridge Nordic Ski Club.
The centre has three loops totaling approximately eight kilometres of track-set trails. The tracks were packed down earlier this month before the chinook melted much of the snow.
Hiscock estimated the golf course needs about five more centimetres of snow to open for the season.
“The one thing we stress is skiers stay on the tracks so they aren’t going over any greens or teeboxes,” Hiscock said. “That seems to be a problem every year.”
Memberships to join the club are $50 for families, $30 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. There is a drop-in fee of a $5 per ski. The proceeds will go towards equipment to keep the trails groomed.
Hiscock added the club is planning special events such as waxing clinics, adult skiing lessons, moonlight skis and daytrips to Kananaskis Country and West Bragg Creek.
The restaurant at Crystal Ridge Golf Course, Orville’s, is open during the winter and the club is working on having chili, hot chocolate and other items on the menu for skiers.
Crystal Ridge Golf Course is located off 32 Street just south of Holy Trinity Academy.
For more information concerning the Crystal Ridge Nordic Centre go to crystalridgenordic.com.
