Youth loves action! Coaching ski racing with this fact in mind has lead to the rapid popularity of a new Cross Country ski discipline: The Cross Country Cross (XCX)! Athletes maneuver at high speed around cones, over drop jumps, through speed whoops and off of snow berms. Balance and body position are taught without over thinking the “How do I put my leg here, stand tall and then push?”, but instead simply by the repetition of doing. The “action” of skiing through the terrain features forces change in ways to pressure the ski, accelerate, decelerate and corner. Although XCX debuted in the USSA handbook last year as an official discipline it has been around for decades and has been used by coaches and clubs to help young athletes acquire skills for developing both proper body position and power.
GMVSxc recently participated NENSA’s first multi team event this fall; a duel Rollerski XCX meet with Stratton Mountain School. It felt great to unite for a fun, safe competition with our friends from down south as we all worked to hone our XCX rollerski skills!
Photos Credit: George Forbes, SMS Assistant Coach