Prep Cross Country skiers will be on snow three days per week and will be learning and improving classic and skate skiing. XC Flow graduates and any middle or high schoolers are welcome.

Athletes will learn about pacing, intervals, and intermediate technique development. The prep team is paired with the comp team, as it is the best way for all of our athletes to grow. The overall goal is to prepare these athletes for competitions and to develop the skills to maximize individual athletic potential in both skate and classic disciplines.

Skill Development & Focus

Emphasis will be on establishing good body position, balance, and complete weight shift through play. Distance goals include maintaining an appropriate balance and stance while skiing in all terrain types and under a variety of conditions.

Coaches focus on building teamwork and fair play. Training builds basic cross country ski fundamentals alongside the physical stamina required to ski three consecutive days in a row.

Races & Competitions 

Athletes are encouraged to race in local events and interclub competitions that may lead to state and divisional races, including the Junior National Qualifier (JNQ). The average distance of a race for an athlete of this age group is 5K.

Division Note: GTSSF Nordic competes explicitly within the Intermountain Division. You can view regional ski clubs and reference complete event details directly at IntermountainXC.com.

Competition Licenses: No licenses are required for local races. A USSA Cross Country Athlete license is strictly required for Junior National Qualifier (JNQ) races for all athletes ages 13+. Please visit usskiandsnowboard.org for current tracking and pricing information.

Equipment Requirements

Skis Waxable classic skis and skate skis are required for training sessions.

Boots One pair of skate boots and one pair of classic boots, or a single pair of combi boots.

Poles Dedicated skate poles and classic poles selected to appropriate athlete heights.

Ancillary Equipment: Hill bounding poles, along with appropriate dryland footwear and physical training clothing, are required for all structured activities.

GTSSF Rentals: We maintain a wide range inventory of boots, skis, and poles to fit most club athletes for a nominal seasonal rental fee.

Dryland Schedule & Conditioning

Athletes are highly encouraged to participate in the GTSSF Trampoline sessions hosted at the Teton Indoor Sports Academy. Training workouts target air awareness through gymnastics, trampoline technique, and tumble track progressions.

Athletes are also highly encouraged to attend the formal club Strength Training Program.

Note: One full session of each Trampoline and Strength Training program is fully included within this specific program registration fee.

Schedule

Program & Discipline	Duration	Season	Days	Hours
ALPINE WINTER SESSION
Alpine Flow (U6 & U8)	14 Weeks	December – March	Sunday*	9:00am – 12:30pm
Alpine Flow	16 Weeks	December – March	Sunday*	8:30am – 2:00pm
Alpine Race	20 Weeks	November – March	Fri – Sun	8:30am – 12:30pm Weekday Training: Tue, Thu, & Fri @ 1:00pm – 4:00pm
FREERIDE WINTER SESSION
Freeride Flow	Same parameters as Alpine Flow
Freeride Team	16 Weeks	December – March	Fri – Sun	8:30am – 2:00pm Note: Fridays run from 11:00pm – 4:00pm
SNOWBOARD WINTER SESSION
Snowboard Flow (U12)	16 Weeks	December – March	Sunday*	9:00am – 12:30pm
Snowboard Team	16 Weeks	December – March	Fri – Sun	8:30am – 2:00pm Note: Fridays run from 11:00pm – 4:00pm
CROSS COUNTRY WINTER SESSION - Register now with a full refund until the second week of programming.
XC Flow (U6 & U8)	11 Weeks	January – March	Saturday	3:00pm – 4:00pm
XC Flow (U8 & U12)	14 Weeks	December – March	Thursday / Saturday	Afternoons*
XC Flow (U14 & U18)	14 Weeks	December – March	Tues / Wed / Thurs	Afternoons*
XC Prep	16 Weeks	December – March	Tues / Wed / Thurs	Afternoons*
XC Comp	16 Weeks	November – March	Monday / Friday	Afternoons*

* Discounted add-on days are available.
** The program has times adjusted for daylight, and the full schedule is available online, below.
If a groomed track is not available on the first day of practice due to snow conditions, practices will be varied until a groomed track or on-snow activities are available.

Participant Details

Age Classifications

Alpine & XC Teams: You must be under the listed age number as of January 1. For example, a U8 athlete would need to be 7 by January 1.

Freeride & Snowboard Teams: You must be under the listed age number as of December 31. For example, a U8 athlete would need to be 7 by December 31.

Volunteer Work Deposit

Each family is required to purchase one refundable work deposit each season before completing athlete registration. Positive parental support is core to our program, and families are encouraged to get involved and volunteer. The deposit is credited at the end of the year if volunteer hours are fulfilled.

Volunteer Opportunities Include: Golf Tournament, Movie Night, Ski Swap, Donor Functions & Events, Races, Competitions, and fun events such as the Surf Classic. It is perfectly fine if the event does not directly correlate with your athlete's current program.

Coach to Athlete Goals

Grand Targhee Ski & Snowboard Foundation follows recommended PSIA, US Ski & Snowboard, and USSA guidelines. Our goal is to maintain an athlete-to-coach ratio that does not exceed 7 athletes per coach.

Ski Passes

Pass prices are not included in GTSSF program fees. Grand Targhee Resort passes must be purchased directly through the resort. Nordic participants are required to have a Teton Valley Trails & Pathways Nordic Sticker; a Grand Targhee Resort Nordic pass is encouraged.

Holiday Schedule & Make-Up Sessions

GTSSF will not be hosting programs on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or New Year's Day so our coaches and families can enjoy that time with friends and family. We intend to provide make-up days for all participants based on schedules. Look for an email from our coordinator with make-up session opportunities.

Transportation

Shuttles or other rides will be coordinated by coaches and race parents based on where athletes attend school and the needs of other teams. Transportation is never 100% guaranteed, and travel expenses are not included in program fees. Please review the Grand Targhee Shuttle page for travel options.

Payment, Plan, & Refund Policies

If an athlete anticipates participation in multiple competitions over the course of a single season, that family may prefer to set up a monthly or bi-weekly payment plan to cover estimated costs. An additional invoice will be sent after each event for any balance owed to account for the difference between the deposit and the actual cost. GTSSF does not mark up any event costs.

GTSSF payment and refund policies can be found in our Parent Handbook, available online here.