Forget everything you think you know.

When most people hear "cross-country skiing," they picture someone shuffling slowly through flat woods. That's not this.

Nordic ski racing is a full-body, high-speed sport that demands explosive power, technical precision, and the kind of fitness that makes other athletes take notice. Racers attack steep climbs, fly down descents, and sprint to finishes — using every muscle from their fingertips to their toes.

Watch a skate skiing race at full speed and you'll wonder why it isn't on ESPN. It should be.

Two techniques. Double the fun.

The NU Nordic team competes in both disciplines of the sport.

Classic skiing uses parallel tracks and a powerful kick-and-glide motion. Think of it as the original — the technique that's been moving humans across snow for thousands of years, now refined into a racing machine.

Skate skiing is something else entirely. You push off the edge of the ski like an ice skater or a speed skater, generating explosive speed with every stroke. First-timers watch it and say: "Wait — people actually do that?"

You'll learn both. Most athletes develop a favorite. Some love both.

"I've never skied before."

Good. Neither had most of our best athletes.

Nordic skiing technique is learned — it's not something you either have or you don't. The athletes who stick with this sport longest are often the ones who came in with zero skiing background and zero bad habits to unlearn.

What actually predicts success on the NU Nordic team? A willingness to work, an ability to laugh at yourself while learning, and some basic fitness. That's it.

Our coaches teach technique from the ground up. We provide all the equipment. You show up ready to try something new, and we take it from there.

No experience required. No exceptions.

One of the hardest sports on the planet — in a good way.

Nordic skiers consistently rank among the highest in VO₂ max of any athletes measured — a key indicator of cardiovascular fitness. Olympic Nordic skiers often test higher than cyclists, rowers, and distance runners.

That doesn't mean you need to be a superathlete to join. It means that if you train for this sport, you will become one.

The fitness you build on the NU Nordic team — the aerobic base, the core strength, the explosive power — carries into every other sport you play and every physical challenge you take on for the rest of your life.

Here's what your winter looks like on the team.

Training begins in summer with roller skiing and dryland workouts — the best way to build a base and learn technique before the snow arrives. By the time December comes, you're ready.

League races run on Fridays from mid-December through February. You'll race on groomed courses at venues around the Tahoe Basin — Auburn Ski Club, Royal Gorge, Tahoe XC, and beyond. Some races are a fast 3K sprint. Others are a longer test of endurance. All of them are worth showing up for.

After the race? You're standing at 6,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada, surrounded by your teammates, with a legitimate reason to feel excellent about yourself. There are worse ways to spend a Friday.

It's a sport. It's also something more.

Small teams build different bonds than big ones. When there are eight of you training through a Tuesday afternoon in November — tired, pushing, encouraging each other — something forms that doesn't happen in a 40-person program.

NU Nordic athletes are each other's biggest competition and each other's biggest fans. On race day, the team cheers as loud for the last finisher as the first. That's not a cliché — it's just how the sport works.

What does it cost? What do I need?

Equipment: The team provides everything — classic skis, skate skis, boots, poles, roller skis, and race uniforms. You provide clothing appropriate for cold weather training (we'll walk you through exactly what that means at our pre-season meeting).

Cost: A $350 seasonal donation covers equipment wear-and-tear, ski passes, and supplies. Financial support is available — no athlete should miss out for financial reasons. Ask Coach.

Time: Practices run Tuesday–Friday after school during the season, with Sunday sessions and Friday races. Summer roller ski training runs June through August, twice a week.

Eligibility: Any Nevada Union student in grades 9–12. No prior experience. No tryouts. No cuts.

Ready to find out if this is your sport?

The best way to know is to try it. Our summer roller ski program runs every Tuesday and Thursday morning starting June 17th — all gear provided, all experience levels welcome.

Come once. See what happens.