Update Dec. 4: The JackRabbit program is now full, and we can no longer accept registration forms.
Hello Jackrabbit families from last year and new families interested in the program,
The Snow Valley Nordic Ski Club (SVNSC) is now opening registration for the 2021 Jackrabbit program which includes Bunnies, Jackrabbits and Track Attack ski lessons for children ages 4 to 12. Currently, the club is allowed to offer lessons following viaSport Phase 3 Return to Sport Guidelines. The SVNSC has created a seven page COVID-19 Return to Sport Plan for the 2021 Jackrabbit program. I can email a copy of this plan to anyone who wishes to read it. In the email below, I have done my best to summarize the key points of this detailed plan.
If your child participates in the SVNSC 2021 Jackrabbits program, they are participating in a sport cohort activity. Although close proximity will be minimized, there will be times when children are closer than two metre spacing in lesson groups. Before registering during the COVID-19 pandemic, please consider if increasing the number of people your child is in contact with by joining a sport cohort is the right choice for your family.
If you do not want your child to participate in a sport cohort but you still want your child to ski, the SVNSC will rent ski gear to children for the 2020-2021 ski season. This option provides ski families with another choice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jackrabbit students are given first opportunity to rent club ski gear; after this child ski rentals are opened up to the public.
Matching with previous years, lessons are being held on Saturday mornings between 10:00am and 11:30 am for Bunnies and 10:00am and 12:00 noon for Jackrabbits Levels 1 to 4 and Track Attack. Bunnies is a parent participation program and we are asking for just one parent to ski with their child to keep group numbers low.
If you would like to register your child for Bunnies, Jackrabbit or Track Attack ski lessons, please fill out the registration form, sign the waiver and pay by cheque. As there are fewer spots available this year, registration will be done on a first come first served basis by looking at the post mark date on envelopes received. If you are not club members, you will also have to fill out the SVNSC COVID-19 participation agreement and mail this with your registration form. (If you have purchased club memberships for this season, you will have already signed this participation agreement.) There will be no online registration this year for kids' ski lessons. Club memberships can still be purchased online.
As with all other aspects of our lives right now, the Jackrabbits program must follow COVID-19 safety protocols. A physical distance of 2 metres must be maintained between people in the parking lot, stadium and ski trails unless you are from the same household. The ski lodge will not be a focal point this year. Jackrabbit families will be asked to come straight from their vehicles, check in with the volunteers collecting contact tracing information, and go directly to your child’s lesson meeting spot. There will be four distinct areas in the stadium for children to meet; one area each for Bunnies, Jackrabbits Levels 1&2, Jackrabbits Levels 3&4 and Track Attack. The four groups will be kept separate. Sport spectators are currently not allowed, but parents and guardians are welcome to enjoy the trails while their children are in lessons. It is important to note, that although physical distancing will be maintained as much as possible, there will be times when children are closer than 2 metres from each other within their lesson groups.
Ski racks, covered shoe racks and benches will be spread out in the stadium so that people do not congregate in front of the lodge. Street shoes can also be kept along the outside wall of the lodge under the overhang. The lodge will still be open, but it has a maximum capacity of 20 people and you must follow the lodge safety plan when inside the building. Since we will have limited use of the lodge this year, lessons will not run in weather that is colder than -15C.
Snowflake Café will remain closed this year and there will be no complimentary hot chocolate at the end of classes. All children participating in the Jackrabbits program this year must bring their own drink, snack, face mask and hand sanitizer. There will also be hand sanitizer available in the stadium for people to use. Outhouses and common touch surfaces will be cleaned before and after the Jackrabbits program. Club sleds, balls, cones, etc. will not be available for children to play with in the stadium after lessons are completed.
The kilometre challenge will be done differently this year as we cannot have all of the Jackrabbit skiers entering the lodge to move popsicle sticks along the kilometre line at 12 noon every Saturday. Individual lesson groups will create a fun way to keep track of kilometres skied this year.
Lessons run for 10 weeks from Saturday January 9th to Saturday March 13th. There will be no official races held at the SVNSC this year. Instead there will be 3 special event days during the Jackrabbit program to keep lessons fun for kids. Please see the 2021 Season Calendar attached to the end of the registration form.
Please do not bring your child to the ski trails if you or your child are feeling sick. A list of common COVID-19 symptoms will be emailed to all families registered in the program to review on Saturday mornings before coming to the trails. If your child becomes ill during a lesson and you are out skiing, your child can wait in the heated timing hut with their mask on until you can be located to take them home. If people become ill, they must return home immediately.
Despite all the rules we must follow, we are very lucky to be able to enjoy our sport during the pandemic. Nordic skiing is a fun way of keeping us all active during the winter months. It will be a great ski season as long as we work together to keep the trails safe for all.
Sincerely,
Colleen Maser
SVNSC Member & Jackrabbits Coordinator
