Kimberley Jackrabbits:

 

This fun-packed cross-country ski program is for all kids aged 4 to 12.

Jackrabbit skiers will learn the basics of cross-country skiing through games and structured coaching. All coaches are certified. The program is designed to be fun, help children develop confidence, provide children an opportunity to ski and socialize with their ski-friends, build overall motor skills, and help children develop outdoor winter safety skills. The emphasis is to encourage children to enjoy this wonderful sport and pursue it as a lifetime activity recreationally, or competitively.

When?
For the younger kids (aged 4-9) Sunday afternoons from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and weekly from January 3rd to March 7th, 2010 inclusive; for the kids in the Track Attack program (aged 9-12) lessons will include the Sunday sessions, and Tuesday evening sessions from 18:00 to 19:30 weekly (which have already begun thanks to the early snowfall).

Where?
The Kimberley Nordic Ski Trails.

How do I register?
In person at the Kimberley Nordic Ski Hut on Sundays from 12:00 to 13:15. Bring your child's healthcare card.

What's the cost?
$55/child, with a family maximum of $135.

Jackrabbit Parents:
For a very comprehensive guide to all things Jackrabbit, including how to dress your child for x/c skiing, how to wax their skis, and in general, how to make your child's Jackrabbit experience the best it can be, all parents are encouraged to check out JR Parents Guide provided by Frank Ackerman. Clicking on this link will open the guide in a new window in pdf format, where it can be read online or printed for future reference. If by some chance this does not answer all your Jackrabbit parenting questions, Jackrabbit leader Frank can be reached at 427-4278 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Come on out to enjoy the winter snow and sun. Get the whole family fit and have some winter fun.

 

A Sport Parent's Guide
Sport Canada/Canadian Sport Centres has produced a small booklet for the purpose of educating parents about LTAD and providing some guidance as to what they can do to improve the physical activity and sporting experiences of their children.
This document can be viewed or downloaded at the Canadian Sport for Life website .

Kimberley Nordic Club’s Annual Bavarian Relay

Visitors to the cross-country ski trails on Sunday the 21st of February may have been surprised to see flying dragons, ninjas, convicts and cowgirls all enjoying the beautiful day and the great events organized by the Kimberley Nordic Club Jackrabbit Program. As part of the annual Bavarian relay, members of the Jackrabbit Program, which includes children aged 4-12, and friends competed in a relay, obstacle course, big air and bean bag biathlon, while also competing for best costumes!  Prizes were donated by a Cross Country Canada program to introduce these kids to fun activities on cross-country skis, including the team sprint relay which is the event that saw Canada win an Olympic medal in Turin. Participants also collected donations to the Kimberley Food Bank. Our future Olympians here in Kimberley all went home with a healthy dose of fresh air, sunshine and exercise – and a reminder to all participants and organizers of just how much fun it can be to get active!  Anyone interested in learning more about the fun-filled Jackrabbit Cross Country Ski program can contact Frank Ackermann at 427-4278.

 

Jackrabbits Wind Up for 2009-2010 Season

The return of the Jackrabbit Program to the Kimberley Nordic Trails this year was another success. The enthusiastic 23 young children that partook in this program had a great time. The season finished on March 7th, with the youngest skiers skiing out to Sunshine Corner for a hot-dog roast, and the older skiers going to Salmon Arm for the BC Midget Championships. This 2-day event – held at the Larch Hills Nordic Ski Trails -- were a lot of fun for all of these young athletes. 180 skiers from all over BC were there, making this a very competitive event. Our skiers performed very well, with results having Kieran Ackermann finish in 6th out of 20 in the 2km classic race,  Kaia Barth-Lessard, Elsa Nairn, and Annika Ackermann coming in 6th, 7th and 10th respectively in their 2km classic race, and Mackenzie Maclean finishing in 11th in her race. Our top sprinters, the following day, were Kieran Ackermann in 6th place and Kaia Barth-Lessard finishing in 6th place as well.

We hope to attract more Jackrabbit leaders and young skiers for next year. If you have any questions, or want to know how to get involved, please contact Frank Ackermann at 250-427-4278.

 

For a pictorial summary (via slide show) of the fun the kids had this year in the Jackrabbit/Track Attack and Junior Racer Program, click on this YouTube link:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM8v3HjJXPI