Awards Banquet The Annual Ski Team Awards Banquet was held at Onekama High School on March 22, 2006. Coach Mathieu grilled delicious hamburgers, brats and hot dogs for the crew, while family members served up some of their famous dishes. Let it be known however that the cheesy potatoes were not there..*sigh*. Rumor has it that the first lady of the ski team ran out of time to make them as she had to work that day. That said, the food was delicious as always. Ski team families sure know how to put on a feast! A video of the Colorado training trip was running for all to view as we ate. We got to view Emily fall over and over again. No, she didn't fall a lot out there, but the team was mesmerized by one particular fall that occurred. It appeared that the kids were trying to take a shortcut through what seemed like mogals. Emily did very well, skiing slowly up and over and around boulders, then somehow ended up backwards and tumbling feet over head landing underneath a tree and between some boulders with her feet in the air and body deep in the snow. They captured beautiful scenery while out there as well. Coach Mathieu explained that this was the best training clinic out there yet, despite the subzero temps they had to endure. It actually became too cold to snow and they ended up with 3 different trainers before they were done. The first trainer received frostbite so bad her toes were bleeding and she had to turn the racers over to another person. They ended their training with a guy from Australia who taught them a lot. All this, while the team members took turns either with the stomach flu or possibly altitude sickness. Getting back to my first statement of how this was their best training yet...*grin*..Coach also explained that Manistee goes out there as well to train. The big difference between the two teams is that Manistee trains for only a few hours daily and trains under their own coach, while Onekama trains on the MT. for up to 8 hours daily with some of the top race trainers in the US. On this trip, the team saw Freshman Donny Olson go from snowplowing to carving, Emily Harwell get more aggressive in her racing style and Jesse attack the gates like nothing before. Any of the racers that have made this trip highly recommend it. Awards were handed out after the families were fed and the stories slowed down about the season. This year the team said goodbye to three seniors who will be greatly missed. Dani, Jesse and BJ, good luck in your furture endeavors! BJ was not in attendance tonight. Summing up the evening: All team members earned their ski pins and certificate, letters and or numbers as well as these highlights.
I have been asked to continue next year with my ski team reporting. After the last two years, I don't think there can be much else that could happen to my family to hamper those duties! We have endured a lot, and actually, it was reporting for ski team that kept me sane. I would be happy to do it! To Coach Miller from afar....how did we do? We know you were watching! Thank you to Dawn and Vicki for photo taking in my absence and especially to Barb our webmaster for getting all these stats on the web for us! Until next year! Dani Olson and Jesse Ketchum earned the team's coveted Most Valuable Award this year. Going by a point system throughout the season that Coach Miller showed Coach Mathieu, these two were the undisputed winners of the award.
Dani shows me some of the photos that were given to her from the Conference meet. |
Dani Olson and Jesse Ketchum were awarded their Captain's awards for the year. They showed outstanding leadership on and off the slopes.
Sophomore Emily Harwell improved vastly this year becoming one of the top female point earners for the team. Coach Mathieu handed Emily her broken gate tonight. Emily broke the gate at practice and this is a ritual that the members cherish. (this reporter's son has a bedroom full of them) It is like a medal of sorts to these athletes that start skiing aggressively to the point of breaking off the gates as they race by.
Kelli Waligorski and Emily Harwell tied for Most improved girl.
The families enjoyed going through the goodie bags with their family members. A good time was had by all!
Captain's Jesse and Dani give on behalf of the team a spider jacket to Coach Mathieu and Ski hats to Kaylie.
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No one
wanted the night to end and the mingling continued after
the awards program.
