Ski Team 2004-2005: Onekama/Brethren/BearLake

David Fisher leads the team in high stepping with great speed!

While a few of the team members struggled with the one handed pushups, others, like Garret did them with ease giving coach many left handed as well as right handed ones. (and yes, the Coaches could both do these as well!)

Justin and Kelli get an arms length away for the next exercise. I believe jumping jacks were in order.

Our Boy's team members from Brethren, Garret Samsal, BJ Jobbins and Mr. Ketchum arrive at OHS for today's training.

Coach Miller shakes Erika's hand as he welcomes her back to the ski team after she took a year off. On the right Emily Kaap-Harwell of Brethren looks on as the introductions continue. The kids are already working well together and this new co-op has a good feeling about it in the air...go ski team!

This year, OHS/BL/BHS Ski Team is returning after a successful 2004 season to a rebuilding mode, but they do have some very strong seniors to keep the team competitive and to help the underclassmen improve. This year marks the first year for Brethren to participate in high school ski racing, having joined the Co-Op with Onekama and Bear Lake.

The racers have been preseason conditioning on their own and we are now meeting twice a week for weight room work outs and watching ski training videos until ski areas open.

The team will leave December 9th for a week to attend the annual race clinic in Colorado, which will be at Copper Mt. this year, and another one at Boyne Mt, along with the regular instruction and training at Crystal Mt. in preparation for the race season.

Returning for the girls team will be three experienced racers plus a sophomore and freshman skier as well as two other prospects.

Senior Erika Jach is expected to be a strong competitor and helped by her personal drive to be a winner. Junior Dani Olson has noticeably improved each year and earned conference honors last year and this could be her year to get some good results. Sophomore Monika Higley from Bear Lake is returning to attend her third training clinic in Colorado with the team and like Dani is expected to be a strong racer. Sophomore Kelli Waligorski raced with the team once last year and must have liked it because she is returning for more this year. Freshman Emily Kaap-Harwell of Brethern who has skied since she was three years old, but not raced, is expected to be accepting of the challenge of racing in the gates and improving the skill every week. The girls team could definitely use more racers and do have a few undecided prospects that may join the team.

Last year the boy's team finished the season better than any previous OHS team placing second at regionals and earning their spot at the State meet. Even though they have lost two strong racers they could very well do well this year depending on how fast the lower seeds progress. Chris Smith and Jackson Carter are the returning Seniors, both who have medaled consistently over the past few years and will be a big threat again this year. They already have a goal of achieving State Recognition. Freshman David Fisher already has racing experience and earned his share of medals racing and should be able to compete very well at the high school level. Sophomore

Garret Samsal of Brethren, has skied but not raced and also has had a lot of good league hockey experience and is known for his trick skiing. After the Colorado clinic we expect to see him handling the gates with no problem. Other racers, Junior B.J. Jobbins of Brethren and Senior Justin Gronostalski OHS, Freshman Jess Ketchum Brethren will be doing all they can to develop their techniques to be racers with the help of Coaches Dale Miller and Curt Mathieu.

The team has some seventh and eighth graders who are considering training with the team this year and acting as managers and coach's helpers at the ski meets. This gives added preparation for their high school racing careers. Chelsea Bromley will be the team's video and photo manager, recording races and training runs. Gwen Smith is returning as Ski Team reporter for the team getting the race results to the local paper and school web master.

Coach's Comment: We'll make no predictions concerning results because we have quite a few unknown athletes to deal with, but we will predict some very serious training and instruction and hope to see weekly improvement on our results. Qualifying for State has and will always be a compelling goal, but again, no predictions. It will be up to how dedicated the team works.

Thank you

Coach Dale Miller

Gwen Smith ski team reporter 889-4778

One of our newest members from Brethren demonstrates excellent pushups.

The team took to the hallways of OHS for dryland training today. Ohhhh the dreaded crunches! Dryland training will rotate from school to school.	Coach Miller's hand can be seen pointing as he says, " Watch Chris, this is the correct way to do this one. His hands and face are relaxed , his back straight, his knees being brought up high with great speed."	Justin demonstrates great speed with the high step drill.
Monika does her crunches and sit ups with a smile on her face! The Colorado trip is right around the corner!	Coach Mathieu joined right in with the team in preparing for the training clinic in Colorado.	Very impressive Coach Miller! Like Curt, Coach Miller does everything he has the team members do!