WELCOME BACK TO OUR MASTERS XC PROGRAMS FOR THE 2022-23 SEASON!
Check out the Group Options Overview page for details on program details.
Sovereign Masters XC promotes the joy of skiing, building friendships, and adding to one’s skiing skills in a fun social group setting. Masters XC is a successful blend of improving technique and building fitness in a relaxed atmosphere of fun, fitness, and camaraderie. Masters XC is a community-based cross-country ski program that offers group training sessions for adults.
If you are just skiing for fitness, just getting started or a seasoned racer, the Masters’ XC Program offers great training and a whole lot of fun!
Led by a HUGE group of volunteer coaches, this program aims to provide a space for quality learning at every skill level. While not for absolute beginners, our program does cater to relatively new skiers. All participants should be able to glide on skis and navigate Woodland Bell without difficulty.
Is this sounding like it is a bit outside of your abilities on registration day? We are offering Intro to Masters 2 Time Ski Packages for newer skiers through our Day Lodge in December to prep you for your new program.
If you are looking for a program that’s more performance-focused check out our Masters Performance, Masters Race Team, or Masters Biathlon Programs.
REGISTRATION OPENS JULY 20th, 2022
Cost: $200 per person, plus your season pass registration fee.
Dates: January 5th to March 12th
Available Spaces: 250
This program runs 3x/week times per week, starting in January, as indicated on the Masters’ Calendar and is open to all abilities. All participants must also have a 2022-23 Season Pass in order to have access to SLNC Programming. We will be holding Coach Technical Training sessions and Social Skis in December.
MASTERS XC PROGRAM OPTIONS
Our Masters XC Program is all based on overall technical and physical abilities and confidence. We want you to have the best experience possible and ultimately, increase your skills and confidence. The image to your left describes the type of terrain that we will be skiing.
Masters 1: This group is primarily based close to the stadium on Green trails and shorter Blue Trails.
Masters 2: This group will ski the core trail network confidently, regularly skiing out to the cabin on Blues and the occasional short Black Trail.
Masters 3: This group travels on all SLNC and SSMR Trails with confidence including trips to teh top of Aberdeen and Lars Taylor.
If you were involved in our Masters XC Program this past season, everything is remaining the same in terms of groups.
For new Masters XC Program participants, please check out the new Masters’ XC Groups Overview document that provides an overview of the different program offerings within Masters XC.
If you still have questions regarding this program please contact our Programs Coordinator for more information.
Pat Van Mullem (Masters XC Lead Coach)
Email: Pat
Personal goals for masters program
To provide our masters’ participants with a place to safely enjoy the companionship and social interaction of friends while enjoying our sport for fitness and exercise while maybe even improving their xc skills a little.
Skills and expertise
- XC Ski Certified Instructor CANSI, PSIA, USSA
- Instructor and coach in sports for 47 years
- Instructor Trainer and Instructor Course Director Scuba Diving
- Chocolate connoisseur
Interests and hobbies (other than skiing)
SCUBA Diving, Flying little airplanes , Backpacking, Woodworking, Fitness,
Hometown
Enschede in the Netherlands
Why Sovereign is my go to ski destination
Cyndy and I chose Sovereign and SilverStar as our happy place after coming here for ski camp 20 years ago & fell in love with the area. SLNC has great snow, great trails, good skiers, but mostly, what makes this a special place for me, is a very active and vibrant xc community. Maybe a lot of local skiers are not aware of this but after having traveled to a number of world class ski destinations, Sovereign Lake Nordic Club is world class and when combined with SilverStar is hard to beat anywhere. This is where we chose to live during the winter and love every minute of being here.
Favorite trail
Silver Queen
Skookum Leaders
Skate Development with possible classic technique time, newer skiers, for anyone focused on fundamentals
Maura McCarthy
Harry Doering
Tom Hughes
Dugald Dunlop
Neil Hendry
Pat Van Mullem
Donna Hansen
- Favourite Trails: Silver Queen
- Years Coaching: Newbie in skiing, 34+ years in other sports
- Why Coach: To help other beginning masters enjoy the pleasures of skiing, keep learning and assist other leaders
- Favourite food: Sushi 1st, dark chocolate 2nd
- Words of Wisdom: Fall down seven times, get up eight
Cynthia Flores
Level I USSA Coach, Level I CANSI Coach
- Favorite Trail: Passmore to Carl Wylie loop
- Years Coaching: 7
- Why Coach?: I love watching newer skiers fall in love with the sport, to see their breakthroughs and smiles.
- Favourite Food? Sushi
- Words of Wisdom: Life’s too short. Be joyful!
Rob Oxenham
CANSI Level 1
- Favorite trail: I like them all
- Years Coaching: 1 year
- Why Coach : I love helping others improve and gain confidence in their ability.
- Favorite food: NS lobster
- Words of Wisdom: “Don’t wait. The time will never be just right” – Napoleon Hill
Peggy Hung
CANSI Level II, NCCP- ICC + CCW
- Favorite Trail: The Zumas
- Years Coaching: 4 years
- Why Coach?: I love seeing people being active outdoors, regardless of age or ability. This is my way to encourage the community to XC ski and realize that it’s not as hard as they think.
- Favourite Food? Salmon
- Words of Wisdom: Progression, not perfection.
Karen Evans
CANSI Level III, CSIA Level II
- Years Coaching: 15+ in cross country and downhill skiing
- Why Coach?: It is fun! A great way to share a love of skiing and the outdoors.
- Words of Wisdom: We only have today. Be out there.
Greyhound Leader
Skate, faster paced, fewer stops
Kathrine (Kate) Ellis
USSA level II
- Favorite Trail: From the Summit, down Upper Paradise to Comin’ Round the Mountain, to Lars Taylor Way , ending up at Black Prince Cabin. Yahoooo!
- Years Coaching: 22 years
- Why Coach?: Skiing is pure joy. I hope to pass on my knowledge so others can experience that.
- Favourite Food? Anything except Liver.
- Words of Wisdom: Don’t wait.
Marcus Boyle (occasionally assist)
Social Ski leader
Social touring with a focus on building endurance, possible mix Classic/Skate technique – Sunday only
Brian Wills
- Favorite Trail: I like them all
- Years Coaching : Skiing for 67+ years
- Why Coach: I like to support successful programs like Masters
- Favorite Food: Berry Crumble
- Words of Wisdom : Tips Downhill!
Touring Skiers
Skate, touring with possibly some tips along the way
Thursdays Skiers
Skate intermediate
Gerry Furseth
CANSI Level ll
- Favorite Trail: Lower World Cup
- Years Coaching: 36
- Why Coach?: Reino Keski-Salmi taught me a lot about skiing faster and even more about the value of giving back to the community
- Favourite Food? Pasta!!
- Words of Wisdom: “The only purpose of exercise is to induce recovery”-Per Gaarder
Classic technique, intermediate level
Gerry Breneman
Cansi Level II, NCCP + ICC
Name of Group: Very Classy
Performance level: intermediate
Objective: designed to promote skiing more efficiently and stronger
- Years Coaching: 47 including track and field and cross country running
- Favorite Food; strong adherent of the See Food diet
- Saying: Take small consistent steps to achieve big gains
Thursday Nights Leader
Thursday Evening session Primarily Skate some possible Classic
Franziska Plummer
CANSI level I, NCCP + ICC
- Favorite Trail: Aberdeen/Lars Taylor Way
- Years Coaching: About 15 years
- Why Coach?: To connect with x skiers. To learn how to get the best from them and seeing them progress, having fun in a safe and social environment.
- Favourite Food? Raclette and chocolate
- Words of Wisdom: There is no such thing as too much snow
Felicia Ogorman
- Favourite Trail: Skiing ‘neath the trees on Prince of Wales
- Years Coaching: Three in x-country skiing. A gazillion years in other sports
- Why Coach?: As a coach, I love to create positive, supportive environments, to make sure the learning is fun, the participants are feeling motivated to try new things, and that everyone leaves smiling.
- Favourite Food? During ski season, definitely a bowl of chunky chicken soup.
- Words of Wisdom: If the person you are talking to appears not to be listening, be patient. He may just have a little fluff in his ear. – Winnie the Pooh
Ward Strong
CANSI Level I
- Favorite Trail: White Elephant
- Years Coaching: 4 years
- Why Coach?: I love helping others discover my love for skate skiing. I also learn while coaching, which seems counterintuitive but is true.
- Favourite Food? Homemade babaganoush with baguettes
- Words of Wisdom: The journey is the goal
Murray Wood
Level 4 CANSI, Level 1 telemark
- Favourite Trail : Lars Taylor and out to Alder Point
- Years Coaching : 25 plus years
- Why Coach : love helping, love sharing
- Favourite food : a good peanut butter on marble rye bread toasted
- Words of Wisdom : “Don’t compare yourself to others. There is no comparison between the sun and the moon, they shine when it’s their time” – Akinleye Isaac
Thursday in the Tracks Leaders
Easy Classic Skiing
Peggy Graham-Morel
- Favorite Trail: Silver Queen
- Years Coaching: 30+
- Why Coach?: Creating positive experiences for people, makes me smile
- Favourite Food? Is chocolate a food?
- Words of Wisdom: If you believe, then you achieve.
Rick Plovie
- Favorite Trail: Woodland Bell
- Years Coaching: 2
- Why Coach: For the shear joy of being with people who share my love of XC Skiing and a determined passion for always bettering one’s self
- Favorite Food: Did someone say food ?
- Words of Wisdom: Skiing is the next best thing to having wings
Covid passport verification administrator
Johanna Tul
Check out the Group Options Overview page for details on program details.
There are three available sessions each week:
Sunday 10:00 am -12:00 pm, Thursday 10:00 am -12:00 pm, or Thursday 6:30 pm -8:00 pm.
Sunday Morning
| 10:00-10:20 | Warm Up |
| 10:20 | Meet your leader at the designated location for your group *limited leaders are available Sunday some groups may be self-directed |
| 10:30 | Ski with designated group |
| 11:45 | Cool Down |
| 12:00 | Coffee, treats, socializing (covid restrictions depending) |
Thursday Morning
| 10:00-10:20 am | Warm Up |
| 10:20 | Meet your leader at the designated location for your group |
| 10:20-11:45 | Ski with your designated group |
| 11:45 | Cool Down |
| 12:00 | Coffee, treats, socializing (covid restrictions depending) |
Thursday Evening
| 6:30 – 6:50pm | Warm Up |
| 6:50 | Meet in Stadium in front of Tech Building |
| 7:00-7:45 | Training Activity of the Day |
| 7:45-8:00 | Cool Down |
| 8:00 pm | Meet in outside of lodge for post-work out nutrition with the group |
What is SLNC Masters about?
Group based social skiing with varying degrees of structured skill development.
It’s summed up in the three Fs
Fitness, you don’t have to be very fit to join Masters but participation will help you to raise the bar.
Form, you will learn to ski more efficiently.
Friendly, all happens in a friendly environment.
What it’s not
It is not a boot camp, as in rigorous and intense training sessions.
See our other Masters Programs if you are looking for a higher level of training
Goals of the SLNC Masters Program
- To provide structure and support whereby club members have the means to raise their level of fitness and to improve their skiing proficiency.
- To provide support for those who want to compete
- Keep all participants informed of events and activities
- What’s more, the fee, $200. SLN Masters is still the best program for the money in the country, bar none.
- The program is club and membership-based, organized and delivered by club members.
- Technical support for certain sessions will be led by the head coach
New Initiatives
- To encourage recreational club skiers to participate in SLN Masters.
- To offer a few speaker sessions over the course of the season (covid restrictions depending).
- To provide small group technique sessions.
- To organize social events eg. potlucks (covid restrictions depending)
- Goal setting and training for competitive skiers on key events.
Masters Start: January 5th, 2022
Masters Finish: March 12th, 2023
Holiday Break December 23rd – 30th
Stay tuned to this page for schedule adjustments we may need to implement due to club events that may cause us to need to be flexible like big races that use the stadium etc.
