Greetings Alpine Parents!

 

We have an important request for you. The pandemic kept USSS from running “official training” last year and we are now very short on people who are trained for our most important roles. You don’t have to be a ski racing expert or even a skier to do some of them. Will you please signup for a training course this year and be one of our key volunteers?

All of us want races to be efficient, fair, and fun this coming year. To make this happen, we are excited to offer Alpine Official (AO) certification training this fall! We need parents, like you, to attend and get certified for the upcoming season. Please check out all the details below.  

 Here's what we need you to do:

--Save the date for Nov. 13 or Nov.14  at Spirit Mtn from 8am - 2pm. 

 You only need to attend one day to get certified. 

HERE IS THE NOTICE for the Team Duluth Training: 

httpocs.google.coms://d/document/d/1JOWj71nAmAJD-I8tTOTLZAzcVIMamaSzeNJPWv5CiSE/edit?usp=sharing

 

--Reach out with any questions / comments about volunteering.

 

FAQs below.

Frequently Asked Questions:

 

Do I have to volunteer? 

Yes. Most of our clubs require that you volunteer during the season. Parents typically need to volunteer in 60-75% of the races where their children participate.  USSS events and NJRS events

 

Do I have to get certified?

No, but we really need you to. Getting certified allows you to fill one of the key roles on the hill and, if we don't have certified volunteers for these roles, we can't run safe, efficient, and fun races for our young athletes.

 

Do I need to be an expert in ski racing to do this?

No. The majority of volunteers were not ski racers themselves. We provide mentorship and support on the hill to make sure that volunteers are able to learn the jobs they agree to do.

 

How big of a time commitment is volunteering in a key position?

The positions vary. Several positions are just "day of" positions where you show up in the morning with your racers and work throughout the day. 

 

Chief of Race and Chief of Course require some pre-planning and coordination with the hill and with Region 1 administration to ensure the logistics of the race are setup ahead of time. Note that we have potential Start/Finish Refs get the Chief of Race certification but we will not push you into a Chief of Race job unless you are interested.

 

Which position should I get certified for?

 

You can choose a position that you feel would be a good fit for you:

Like being outside and on skis… choose Chief of Course

Enjoy the warmth of the timing shack or race office… choose Chief of Timing or Race Administrator (not offered in Duluth)

Like working at the start / finish… choose Chief of Race training and you can also serve as a start or finish rep.

 

If you need help, we will recommend a position for you and make sure it is a good fit. Simply reach out to your volunteer chair for your program or to the region 1 training coordinator.

 

Volunteer coordinator:

Team Duluth, Corey Danelski, cdanelski@hotmail.com 

 

Or, you can contact Scott Burns (Region 1 Training coordinator) at scottmburns@gmail.com

 

There are a couple positions we are prioritizing for volunteer training this year:

 

Chief of Race (COR): Logistics of the Race.
If you get certified as a Chief of Race, you can also be a Start or Finish Referee so this is the most efficient way to get trained to fill several positions even if you never want to be a COR.  All of these positions can be done by someone who is an intermediate skier. Start and finish ref jobs just involve helping setup the start or finish and then tracking to make sure racers go through in the proper order. Chief of Race is in charge of making sure the race is organized and coordinated with the hill and then making sure the race runs in an efficient, fair, and safe manner. The COR serves on the Jury for the race with the Referee (typically a coach) and the Technical Delegate (the highest trained / certified official at the race).

 

Chief of Course (COC): Equipment logistics plus safe and fair course prep and maintenance
This job is best for people who have done course work (slipping and helping setup bnet fencing) in the past. You need to be an intermediate or better skier and enjoy taking a lot of runs and helping carry, setup, and dismantle equipment during the day. No ski racing experience is necessary.

 

In addition, anyone who gets Chief of Race Training, can automatically also serve as a Referee.

Referee / Start Referee / Finish Referee: These are also priority jobs, but if you're interested in these jobs, we recommend getting the Chief of Race certification which covers these jobs as well. The start and finish ref jobs are most commonly filled by parents and are the easiest jobs to do. You help setup and run the start / finish and then write down as kids go through.

 

Will I get paid for this?

We do not compensate volunteers, but there will be a new program this year where volunteers that fulfill certified positions on at least three race days during the season can request reimbursement of the cost of their Alpine Officials license from USSS ($80) from Region 1.   Team Duluth will also help cover the cost of a license (and your time will count toward the required volunteer hours need for Team Duluth)

 

As a non-profit volunteer, you may be allowed to deduct any of the expenses you incur in travel / food / etc. that are related to your volunteering from your taxes.  (consult your tax advisor). If your position requires that you ski (typically all certified positions except timing and finish referee) you will get a lift ticket for the day.  

 

What will I need to do ahead of time?

 Contact:

Nick Clingman Team Duluth Alpine Head Coach 218-213-6249 nick_clingman@yahoo.com

Corey Danelski Team Duluth Program Director 218-391-2027 cdanelski@hotmail.com

 

1. Go to my.ussa.org and purchase the “Alpine Officials” license. Yes, you get your own USSS number! Super Cool!

2. You will then be asked to complete the following. This is 1-2 hours of online course work that helps ensure the safety and fairness of our programs and most of these are not required every year.

   1. Background check

   2. SafeSport training

   3. Avalanche training

   4. “Competition Officials” online course

Let us know if you have any questions.  I am sure there a bunch of questions from many.  We can help you through the process and explain any roles and responsibilities.

Let me know if you are interested.  I will be making a list of people attending.

Thank you Corey Danelski

Volunteer Opportunities

 

You can help Team Duluth help our youth by volunteering your valuable time and expertise. Unlike most youth sports, our parents can actively participate in the sport while they volunteer! You need not be a skier in order to make valuable contributions of your time and energy.

The two areas of volunteering your time and skills for Team Duluth - fundraising and on-the-hill – has two purposes: One, to participate in the operations of the Club by helping augment our budget; and Two, to participate in the comaraderie and fun on-the-hill. The latter keeps Team Duluth the envy of other clubs, and the former keeps our team fees the lowest in the state.

Other than coaching, Team Duluth is run entirely by volunteers and a wide variety of skills are needed. Some opportunities are one-time; others require a longer commitment. All are a great way to meet other parents involved in the program, support your child and actively participate in this family sport. Our club is the envy of all other clubs in Minnesota due to the enthusiasm and active participation of our parents and the camaraderie it brings.

If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity, please talk to the club administrator, a board member or an event/committee chairman (listed in parentheses below), and please know that each event needs many helpers. You may even shadow a current volunteer to learn the job!  A great way to see our current volunteer opportunities is by visiting the DIBS page, which is the online tool we use for volunteering at Team Duluth.

 

Volunteer Opportunities include:

• Board member (1-2 Openings)
• Fundraising – develop and lead a new fundraiser (Always looking for more)
• Annual Patrons appeal – annual fundraising program 
• Publicity/media relations 
• Graphics— brochures, fliers, posters 
• Team Room – leadership to coordinate improvements 
• Ski Banquet (end of year awards event) 
• Beginning of Year Kick Off event (fall informational kick-off) 
• Photographer 
• Sponsorship/Advertising Program 
• NJRS & NJCS Comps Helpers
  • Other NJRS positions available:
    • Registration and awards
    • Timing and announcer
    • Gate judges and course workers
• Ski Swap 
• Holiday Camp coordinator 
• Atmore Memorial Race
• Race volunteers and officials (for both NJRS club and USSA/FIS races)
  • Chief of Race - take the reins on coordinating 1-2 USSA, NJRS races
  • Race office–registers racers, publishes run order and results
  • Timing–works with electronic timing system
  • Starters—lines up skiers at start in run order
  • Gate judge—ensures each skier passed through the gate legally
  • Results board—records skier results at finish
  • Announcer—announces results during race
  • Course workers—keep the course conditions safe during race
  • USSA officials—requires USSA license. Training is available to any Team Duluth parent.