With a low membership cost per child and ski rentals available at most locations, SkiSparks is an easy and fun way for your family to get outside this winter. Scholarships are available. We welcome Adaptive Skiers into any of our SkiSparks clubs!

As a SkiSparks Member your child will receive a MyXC fleece hat (in their first season) and a level pin at the end of every season. There is also an online K Counter with an awards program.  Most of our SkiSparks families volunteer as coaches or Club Leadership!

SkiSparks Skill Levels

 What is Skiwerx? Programs and Events!

Skiwerx is for active kids age 9-15 that want to learn a variety of training skills (speed, strength, endurance, flexibility) to help them become successful and happy endurance athletes in the future. 

The overall objectives of the program are to assist children in the development of a love of the outdoors, a healthy lifestyle, excellent technical skills and a good level of physical fitness within a sport environment. Skiwerx uses the MyXC philosophy of learning through games and fun.

Skiwerx is part of our research-based effort to Create Lifelong Skiers. 

• Skiwerx programs use a combination of volunteer and paid coaches.

• The Skiwerx Race Series promotes age-appropriate racing.

• The MyXC Team Sprint Series on Wednesday nights, introduces racing to kids and adults in a fun format.

• The MyXC Festival and Youth Championships is our culminating season event. 

2023-24 MyXC Skiwerx Club Dates (Mpls & Elm Creek)

NEW: Sibling discount (10%). Email Amy for discount code.

Rollerski rental is included in fee. 

REGISTER NOW
FOR FALL SESSION

Skiwerx Elm Creek
Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:00-7:30pm
LATE FALL: Oct 5 - Oct 30 (4 weeks) $160
WINTER: Dec 7 (Virtual meeting 7pm), Dec 11 - Mar 7 (holiday break, 12 weeks). $400   

Skiwerx Minneapolis 
Anne Sullivan School Parking Lot in Summer & Fall.
Wirth Chalet Lot (not Trailhead) in Winter. 

SUMMER: June 5 - Jul 31 (8 weeks, no July 3, backup date Aug 7)

Mondays 6:00-7:30pm $160
HALF SUMMER (June 5-26 OR July 10-31): $80

FALL: Mondays and Thursdays 4:30-6:00pm
Sep 7- Oct 30 (8 weeks, backup date Nov 2)
LATE FALL: Oct 5 - Oct 30 (4 weeks)
$300 OR $160 for one day per week or Late start

WINTER: Mondays and Thursdays 4:30-6:00pm $400  
Dec 7 (Virtual meeting 7pm), Dec 11 - Mar 7 (holiday break, 12 weeks).

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
https://www.lindseyvonnfoundation.org/scholarships
Please put MYXC Skiwerx and Share Winter in the "How Did You Learn About Us" section.
Winter applications are Due Oct 31 and require a letter of recommendation. 

2023-24 Other Skiwerx Club Locations

 Endurance United Skiwerx Battle Creek

SUMMER, FALL and WINTER
Click title for schedules and registration.

How do I get started?

Any season is a great time to start! It is not required that skiers have skate skiing experience before they rollerski (though all of our roller skiing is skate).

Click here for our advice on rollerskiing for youth.

Please be aware of the equipment requirements for the winter programming. Skiers must own their equipment or rent from MyXC. You will need to plan ahead (in November) to arrange for equipment at our rental day or shop at the MyXC Ski Swap. 

Winter Skiwerx Club Membership Includes:

• MyXC Skiwerx Membership; which includes point earning privileges in the Skiwerx Series
• Coaching support at the Skiwerx Series events
• Skiwerx race hat (for new skiers)
• Access to Skiwerx Race Ski Rental program
• Free or reduced cost entry to:
• MYSL Team Sprints
• MyXC Festival and Championships

• Each group has a trained coach with prior coaching/collegiate racing experience. Ratio of 1:8. 
• Session length is 1 hour 30 min. Focusing on fun and "Learn to Train" philosophies.
• Formal and ongoing curriculum development specific to age group (for coaching and for parent/athlete education)
• Rollerski rental program and/or rotating fleet of rollerskis (varies by club)
• Race ski rental program.
• Ski culture/next steps/how to become a ski racer and/or stay active and healthy for life tutorials

Requirements

• Age 9 as of Dec 31
• It is recommended that skiers have completed SkiSparks Level 4 or have an athletic background
• Younger children (that are developmentally matched) are welcome to participate, but a parent is required to attend
• For dryland sessions, helmets, poles and running shoes
• For winter sessions:
• waxable or skin classic skis (NO Fishscale skis)
• skating skis and poles and boots
• Rentals are available up to a size 42 boot and skier weight of 105 pounds. If your skier is larger than this (many 7th and most 8th graders will not fit into MYSL rentals), we highly recommend attending the MYSL Ski Swap in November
• We need on-snow volunteers (sweepers) to keep track of kids on the busy manmade snow loops. Please consider being a parent "sweeper" !

Weather Cancellation Policy

In the summer and fall we rely on public facilities to hold our practices. We do not have access to indoor training spaces. Hence, we have a weather cancellation policy. In the winter, we do have access to "chalets". We will hold sessions in most weather conditions, so proper clothing is very important. We will try to make cancellation decisions 1.5 hours before a session begins.

• Thunder or lightening. Cancelled session
• 40 degrees or colder and raining. Cancelled session.
• 40 degrees or colder and misting. Shortened session.
• Air temp of -5 degrees (without windchill). Cancelled session.
• Windchill of -8 degrees. Depends on wind direction and trail availability. Session may be cancelled or shortened.  

Methods and Research

We are using the Canadian Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Research as the basis for our training methods. Click Here for a plethora of information.

The Skiwerx program fits into the "Learning to Train" stage, which is a critical time to give children the platform they need to become successful athletes as well as the necessary skills they will need to remain active and healthy for life.

Skiwerx Coaches

All of our coaches are former college racers, US Ski and Snowboard Certified and/or grew up in MyXC programming! And lots of fun!

Questions Contact Amy

Our SkiSparks and Skiwerx programming gives children the physical literacy and FUNdamental skills that puts them on the path to becoming life-long cross-country skiers. We celebrate our graduates every season and ask them to tell us about their future adventures. 

• Become a Junior Coach for a SkiSparks club
• Join your High School Ski Team
• Join a Junior Racing Club
• Ski recreationally on a regular basis (try exploring new trails!)
• Choose a fun race event in your community and set a goal to participate

Further reading and research: Creating Lifelong Skiers

If you have any questions about these opportunities, please contact amy@mysl.org