Barneloppet (youth ski race) season is coming up fast, and young Sons of Norway members who live in snowy regions are preparing to participate. Should the seeds of competition be planted, their dreams of an Olympic or World Cup podium could become a future reality.
The good news: There’s an entity as enthusiastic as Sons of Norway is about fresh air, fitness and embracing Nordic sports that is helping make those dreams come true.
USA Nordic Sport, based in Park City, Utah, is providing such inspiration, with its mission to build youth skiers’ “courage, confidence and character.” The organization, under the leadership of Executive Director Billy Demong, first American Olympic gold medalist to win the coveted Nordic Combined event, is building a fast-growing network of training camps, competitions for jumping and Nordic combined, and more.
“It’s not all my doing – we have a passionate and dedicated staff, including other former Olympians, who have poured tremendous energy into awareness of the sport along with top-shelf training,” said Demong. “Further, there are legions of coaches and parents whose contributions cannot be overestimated. It’s truly heartwarming to be part of this dedicated group.”
USA Nordic is raising the bar when it comes to building sustainable Nordic sports programs and maintaining forceful momentum for growth. The organization is already a nationwide resource for ski clubs and has a non-stop schedule of activities taking place across the country. Coming up in January and February are a number of ski jump competitions in the Midwest, including Minneapolis and towns in Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan.
Check out the upcoming schedule of USA Nordic events; click on “Current Domestic Schedule” and scroll down to the winter dates. Audiences are welcome to cheer on the competitors.
What’s next for USA Nordic? “We’re focused on even more growth of our youth programs for 16-20-year olds and building tournament opportunities for them. That is prime time for providing a pathway to World Cup and Olympic competitions.”
Learn more about USA Nordic Sport. Want to explore the sport of skiing with Sons of Norway’s Sports Medals Program? Check out the offerings for members(login required). If you plan to take photos of your lodge’s upcoming barneloppet, send them to us! Here’s a barneloppet planning resource for Sons of Norway lodges considering having this event in their locale.
Click to follow USA Nordic.
Image credits: USA Nordic Sport