On Feb. 12 at Giants Ridge, the boys Nordic ski team won first place at State for the first time since 1996. The team’s big win was fueled by senior Talbot Ward and junior Wyatt Wolfe’s win at the team sprint the day before. Although this was the team’s 17th state title since its creation in 1974, this year was incredibly notable, especially for some of the seniors.
Since the beginning of the year, a majority of the skiers had had State on their mind. They worked tirelessly to reach their goal, having started training the summer before.
Senior and captain George Nelson shared how winning State had been his goal since the beginning of the season, and that it had been his dream years before that. He noted how special it felt to win with a team of so many great people.
For the varsity team, the preparation required to achieve their goals was a vigorous process. To prepare for State, the team skied Monday through Saturday, and some skied even outside of their scheduled practices.
“We trained for hours over the summer, whether that was running or skiing. You also have to put in days where you just ski for 3 hours straight,” Nelson said. Even though it was a lot of work, their love for the sport never ceased.
Nordic skiing is an incredibly competitive sport. It is about being the fastest and having a strategy to be just a little bit better than the other skiers. In the moments before and during a race, there is a lot on the skier’s minds.
“I was very nervous about State, just because it’s so stressful when all that weight is on your shoulders for your whole team,” Ward said. To help manage that stress, he said he thinks about music. “I have like songs in my head almost every single race. To keep a good tempo.”
Although Ward and Wolfe had won first place the day before, the moments after finding out they had won were incredibly emotional, especially when the team is made up of so many friends. There is nothing quite like winning with friends by your side.
Nelson shared how, in previous years, he had watched the winning teams, “just stand there and celebrate.” He felt proud that he and some of his closest friends could now be that team.
Because it is not something an audience can just sit and watch on their TV, Nordic skiing is not a sport that gets a lot of attention. Winning at State finally provided them with some well-deserved attention.
“We don’t get as much appreciation as other sports,” Nelson said. “There’s a lot of work that you just don’t see. In the shadows. In the woods. I think that’s really what makes us special.”
Even with the season having come to an end, skiing is still a big part of these athlete’s lives, especially for those seniors. Nelson said he plans to “ski until he drops,” and will likely be a part of the ski team when he heads off to college. Ward explained how skiing will always be a fun activity for him, even if he does not join a college team. After such an eventful season, paying the boys Nordic ski team a little more attention next year is sure to be a common occurrence.
