Grades K-5
Nordic Rocks (in school program)
Nordic Rocks began in 2015 as Vasa Ski Club's effort to introduce cross country skiing to elementary age children.
This is an in-school instruction program that takes place during the PE class session, during recess or sometimes after school.
VSC raises the funds to purchase age-appropriate skis that can be used with any kind of boot or shoe, and provide them to local elementary schools. We offer a suggested curriculum and list of on-ski activities to the physical education teachers. A number of dedicated Vasa Ski Club volunteer coaches work with the physical education teachers at the participating schools.
The goal is to familiarize young students and their parents with xc skiing – and make it fun too! Many of our Nordic Rocks students go on to ski in middle school with Nordic Flyers program, and ultimately to our high school nordic ski team.
The Program has been grown steadily, and so far we have placed more than 350 pairs of skis in 15 Traverse City area elementary schools (and 1 middle school) where they are used regularly by more than 2,000 students, many skiing once or more per week weather permitting.
We also have two weekly after-school elementary programs, at Eastern Elementary and Blair Elementary.
Additionally, we now have Nordic Rocks 2.0, an after school cross country ski instruction program put on by Vasa Ski Club, as part of TCAPS LEAP extracurricular activities program.
Program Director
Gary Faria
Program Director at Blair Elementary
Sara Cockrell
This is an in-school instruction program that takes place during the PE class session, during recess or sometimes after school.
VSC raises the funds to purchase age-appropriate skis that can be used with any kind of boot or shoe, and provide them to local elementary schools. We offer a suggested curriculum and list of on-ski activities to the physical education teachers. A number of dedicated Vasa Ski Club volunteer coaches work with the physical education teachers at the participating schools.
The goal is to familiarize young students and their parents with xc skiing – and make it fun too! Many of our Nordic Rocks students go on to ski in middle school with Nordic Flyers program, and ultimately to our high school nordic ski team.
The Program has been grown steadily, and so far we have placed more than 350 pairs of skis in 15 Traverse City area elementary schools (and 1 middle school) where they are used regularly by more than 2,000 students, many skiing once or more per week weather permitting.
We also have two weekly after-school elementary programs, at Eastern Elementary and Blair Elementary.
Additionally, we now have Nordic Rocks 2.0, an after school cross country ski instruction program put on by Vasa Ski Club, as part of TCAPS LEAP extracurricular activities program.
Program Director
Gary Faria
Program Director at Blair Elementary
Sara Cockrell
