Former Olympian Kikkan Randall with the Ski Mobile.
Elementary school students will get to enjoy cross country skiing thanks to an initiative of the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage and the Anchorage School District.
The nonprofit created a kit called the Ski Mobile that was built to be shared among 60 Anchorage schools.
The Ski Mobile includes 30 sets of skis and boots to fit children in grades 3–5. The kit was inspired by a group that organizes NSAA ski events. It was championed by 2018 Olympic gold medalist and cross country skier Kikkan Randall, who is NSAA's executive director.
"We want skiing for all," Randall said. Often, there's a barrier for kids: They don't have skis to try, or they can't get to trails to practice. The Ski Mobile brings everything to the kids.
"Meeting kids where they're at is a great way to give kids this experience."
NSAA already pioneered getting kids involved in the sport, which can be a lifelong activity. It organizes a fun race called Ski-4-Kids, which raises funds for grants that schools and community programs can use to buy ski equipment. But the Ski-4-Kids organizing group knew they would never be able to provide enough grants so all Anchorage schools could have their own skis and related gear. Wouldn't it be great, they thought, if NSAA created a ski kit that could travel around and be shared by the schools?
That kit is ready for elementary schools, said Joanne Osborne, health and physical education curriculum coordinator for the Anchorage School District (ASD). Each school can keep the kit for two weeks, which gives kids at least a few class periods to try skiing during physical education class. Trying it in elementary school might mean kids feel comfortable joining the cross country ski teams in middle or high school, Randall said. Then maybe they ski for a lifetime.
Osborne and NSAA are also making it easier for teachers to use the traveling ski kit. They provide a curriculum to teach kids how to put on skis and try them out. Teachers with no or limited ski experience will be able to use the kit with their students, Randall said.
"I'm just grateful, absolutely thrilled," said Osborne about having this traveling ski kit for ASD. "We live in Alaska. We have to get outside, get our kids outside and make it easier for teachers."
Skiing gets you outside in fresh air, she said. It's low impact and builds strong bodies and hearts. It improves all kinds of health-physical, mental and emotional, she said.
"It's got everything for every age," Randall said. "It's a great activity to do together."
