FUN, FAST, AND WELCOMING.

These words best describe EMXC Youth. Our club also encourages “great sportsmanship” and offers both a racing (fast) and recreational program.

Registration

Registration for EMXC Youth 2024-2025 Season opens October 1st, 2024 for returning families. New Families may register starting on October 8th, 2024. We encourage you to register early, as we have had to waitlist and close registration for the last few seasons due to high demand.

EMXC Youth is for children who are 7-14 by December 31, 2024 (high school students are not eligible). Returning skiers that will be at least 11 years old on December 31 are eligible to participate in Fall Rollerski. Choose the "Returning Skiers ages 11-14 (as of December 31, 2024) + Fall Rollerski" category during registration. Fall Rollerski participants must register before October 13.

Our registration requires several steps:

  1. Purchase a NENSA youth membership for the SKIER, $25 annually. Register under the Bill Koch Youth League, our club is Eastern Mass Cross Country (EMXC). Make a note of the membership number, as you will need it when you register for EMXC Youth.
  2. Register for EMXC Youth. Club fee: $100 for age 7, $200 for age 8-14, +$50 for rollerski. Once you register for EMXC Youth, you also become a member of Friends of Leo J Martin Skiing (FOLJMS).
  3. Trail passes are not included in registration but are required (see below).
  4. We recommend scheduling a rental appointment early (read more about equipment below).

Communication

  1. General club information is sent via club email - [EMXC Youth] *Youth Families. Specific practice information is updated on our youth news page.
  2. Check your email for a welcome note, a practice schedule, and our New Parent Checklist.
  3. Club emails are sent via Google Groups. Once you register, we will add you to our Google Group (EMXC Youth). Your settings must allow your email to be added. Check your spam folder for club emails and be sure to add youth-families@lists.emxc.org to your address book so that you will receive club communications.
  4. Prior to each practice, check Youth News for Coach Stock’s technique call (classic or skate), which is often weather related.
  5. Reach out to our Communications Lead Volunteer at youth@emxc.org with any questions.

Season Opener

  • Typically takes place on a Sunday in mid-November at Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School.
  • Skiers participate in a dryland practice.
  • Families learn about equipment, clothing, waxing and the overall season.
  • Whole club clothing and used gear swap.
  • Great opportunity to meet other families in the program.

Trail Passes and Equipment

  • Prior to the first practice at the Weston Ski Track, a trail pass to the Leo J. Martin Ski Track is mandatory for each skier.
  • DCR’s Leo J Martin Ski Track sells youth and family season passes. Passes are usually available in mid-November. In recent seasons, a youth season pass cost $80 and a family pass cost $300.
  • Affordable season rentals are also available at the Weston ski track. Equipment rental packages start at $225. We highly encourage first year families to consider renting as it is often cheaper and takes the guesswork out of choosing the right equipment in year one.
  • Learn more about equipment by clicking on the sidebar link and check out our used gear swap in the "members only" section of the website.

Practices

Season typically runs from early December through mid-March. We do not require a commitment at each practice, however Saturday practices are crucial for development.

Our club divides skiers into three regions based on age, experience and ability.

  1. North America (USA, Alberta, Quebec, Ontario) is for skiers who are brand new to the program. Skiers starting in USA spend two seasons in North America.
  2. Western Europe (Switzerland, Austria, Germany) is for returning skiers who want to improve their recreational skiing.
  3. Scandinavia (Sweden, Finland, Norway) is for returning skiers who want to improve their skiing and focus on racing. Typically they ski three times each week.

General Practice Schedule

SaturdayWednesdayThursday

Scandinavia

8:15am - 9:45am6:30pm - 7:30pm6:30pm - 7:30pm
Western Europe
8:30am - 10am
6:30pm - 7:30pm
No Practice
North America (except USA)
8:30am - 10am
6:30pm - 7:30pm
No Practice
USA (7-year-olds)
8:45am - 9:45am
No Practice
No Practice

Coaches

We welcome coaches at all levels. All of our coaches participate in SafeSport training and go through a background check.

Clothing

  • Layers are key to cross country skiing
  • We encourage new families to buy a cross country ski pant (like Swix universal)
  • Get some club spirit with a team hat or buff
  • Race suits and team clothing can be purchased in the fall, but are not mandatory. Many skiers do not own team clothing.
  • Learn more about clothing using the sidebar link

Waxing

Cross country skis require waxing and cleaning. We know it’s intimidating; we have many coaches and volunteers to teach you the basics.

  • Waxing can be broken down into two basic components, glide and kick.
  • Glide wax helps the ski to slide over the snow effortlessly.
  • On skate skis, the entire base of the ski is glide waxed.
  • On classic skis, glide wax is applied to the tips and tails; kick wax and klister are applied to the middle portion of the ski for traction, depending on the conditions.
  • Glide waxing is done at home or in our wax tent before/after practice. Typically skiers will apply kick wax with their countries prior to classic practices.
  • First steps are to learn glide wax application and cleaning skis.
  • Check out these videos for helpful hints: Glide Wax 101, apply kick wax, remove kick wax.
  • Check out waxing on our website for more info.

Training

Our youth program offers three main tracks (represented as geographical regions) because our program serves three main constituencies: new skiers, recreational skiers, and racing skiers. In each track, skiers are grouped with other athletes their own age, even for first time skiers.

In all groups, we use three main approaches to teaching skiing: skiing (of course) and providing feedback to our athletes on their skiing, drills and exercises intended to help athletes focus on a specific aspect of their skiing, and games. Our skiers love games and enjoy playing with their friends. But we use games as a training component because athletes forget what they are doing and inherently use the fun and competition of the game to find new ways of moving on their skis, leading directly to technique improvement.

Racing

Our club hosts a skate sprint-format race in late January/early February of each winter. We encourage all of our athletes to participate in our "Carnival". This race offers a fun way for children to try racing in a low-pressure environment doing a very short race (about 1.5 minutes to 4 minutes, depending on age). EMXC Juniors also host "Race for Snow," which raises awareness and money to combat climate change. We travel as a group to the NENSA Bill Koch Festival held in early March each year. This Festival-format race offers opportunities for athletes to race with others in clubs from New York through Maine, with both skate and classic formats. For older youth who want more racing opportunities, coaches can advise on appropriate races throughout New England.

In the warmer months, we offer summer U14 rollerskiing and a 5-week fall rollerskiing for skiers who are 11+ on December 31st. Please visit our rollerskiing page to learn more.

Community

Our club also provides social opportunities for athletes and their families, making connections that we hope will last for years. We host an opening celebration and a closing celebration each season, with a chance to share club information, recognize our graduating athletes and volunteers, share a meal together, and get a workout. We have also held other social events, including visits from elite skiers and opportunities to watch the Olympics together.