Message from Les Parsons, Cross Country Alberta Chair Person Skiers I talk with from all over Alberta are looking forward to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. But...cross country skiing here in Alberta is much, much more than the Olympics! This will be my 5th Olympic Games I have traveled to with athletes whom I volunteered to coach; three Olympics with Beckie Scott and two Olympics with Alex Harvey. I am proud of who they are and their accomplishments. This will be my 30th year coaching skiers who will never compete at the Olympics Games. I am equally proud of who they are and their accomplishments. Every skier has their own Olympics... From December to March, the Alberta Loppet Series is our winter long Olympic Games for many recreational skiers; while our Alberta Cup Races are the Olympics for our province's competitive skiers. In December, Canmore hosts the International Paralympic Committee World Cup, for athletes with physical impairments, en route to their Paralympic Games in Sochi. Our student athletes travel to Trentino, Italy to compete at the World University Games, second in size only to the Olympics Games! In February, the Alberta Winter Games in Canmore are the Olympics for many of our youth; while the Canadian Birkebeiner is our Olympics for thousands of Albertans. In March, the Alberta Youth Championships in Bragg Creek are the Olympics for our province's youngest athletes; while our athletes from Alberta's north travel to Fairbanks, Alaska to compete in their Olympics...the Arctic Winter Games. Alberta's fastest skiers travel to Cornerbrook, Newfoundland to compete at our National Championships. My introduction to cross country skiing was real cross country skiing...breaking trails on my skis through the snow on our family farm & ranch in Central Alberta. That was my starting line to an Olympic effort month long wilderness camping expedition 30 years ago, skiing with a huge back pack, from Jasper to Banff in Alberta's Rocky Mountains. If there is one thing I HOPE for of all of you this winter...it is this: that you take time out of your busy lives to cross country ski as often as you can. There is no better way to exercise our bodies and minds during the winter, than to glide along a ski trail... It is good for our spirit & soul to experience our special moments of xc skiing; staring across a snow-covered landscape and pausing to reflect in the silence & stillness of our winter wonderland; discovering and exploring a new ski trail; re-discovering the beauty of your favourite ski trail; soaking in the warm rays of the winter sun; skiing through the snow flakes during a snow storm or a blizzard; enjoying a "time-out" by escaping from fast-paced society for some quiet time alone on the ski trail; enjoying time with family or friends along a ski trail... If there is one thing I ASK of all of you this winter...it is this: please share your passion for xc skiing with your family & friends. Join a cross country ski club, and volunteer to help develop our sport. THANK YOU to YOU...the thousands of volunteers in our sport. YOU are Cross Country Alberta! On behalf of our Cross Country Alberta Board & Staff, we hope you enjoy a great winter of skiing! Yeee Haaw! Les Parsons
Cross Country Alberta (CCA) is the sport governing body for cross-country skiing in Alberta. As such, the Association partners with the other provincial/territorial sport governing bodies for cross-country skiing and together they constitute a national sport organization – Cross Country Canada. Cross Country Alberta is an incorporated, not-for-profit, club-based Association of over 6000 members. |
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