Mitey Mite Prep Skiers,

We are looking forward to the first day of training this Saturday, January 9, 2010. The following information should help you prepare for the first day of training.

The group/coach assignments will be emailed to you later today. I have recieved many requests for kids to be grouped with their friends. Those requests have been noted and coaches will also be informed of the requests. We understand the value for kids to ski with their friends, and we do our best to make that happen. However, our first goal is to have groups that are technically compatible. While some kids have a great time skiing together, their technical skills may be different and therefore require a different approach to training. New friendships can quickly and easily be made, and coaches and parents can help facilitate this.

We will be meeting in front of the Crystal Mountain Alpine Club Shack at 8:30AM. If you are looking up at Crystal's main lodge from the parking lot, our shack is in the line of small buildings on the hill to the left, near the Silver Skis Condos.

IMPORTANT: Skiers should be geared up, have their lift pass, and ready to ski when they arrive at 8:30. Please be sure they have had something to eat and have already used the restroom.

We will have signs posted for the three major age levels: J4 (11-12), J5 (9-10), J6 (6-8). Please go to the designated area for your age group, and then look for the sign with your coach's name. If you are uncertain, the Head Coach for that group will show you where to meet your coach. Remember, several groups have mixed age levels, so do not be concerned if your J4 skier is with a J5 coach, etc.

Once we are out on the hill it is very likely that kids will get moved to a different coach and a new group. Getting moved to a new group does not mean that you are a better or worse skier, it simply means that other kids in the new group have a similar technique, or it may simply be to even out group sizes. By the end of the day (and sometimes the second week) the groups should be compatible and the kids will ski with that coach for the remainder of the program. Please talk with the coach at the end of the day so your child knows which coach to look for on week 2.

After a brief introduction, the skiers should be off to the lifts by 9:AM. Once the skiers are out on the hill with their coach, the coaches will then work together to organize the groups according to their abilities. Most of the morning and afternoon session will be free skiing, with some simple exercises while the coaches evaluate kids' technique.

Lunch for your skiers will be held from 11:30-12:45. Please meet them at the shack at 11:30. After a healthy lunch and another bathroom break, please return to the meeting area at 12:45 to meet the coach again for the afternoon session.

Skiing will conclude today at 2:50pm so coaches have time to answer any questions (other days between 3:00 and 3:15PM), back at the shack. Again, be sure to get the coach's name so you know who to look for week 2.

For the remaining weeks we will always meet at the shack at 8:45am, but the meeting point for lunch and end of day will be closer to the Discovery lift for convenience.

Finally, the CMAC Social will begin at 4PM at the Alpine Inn. This is an exceptional time to mingle with parents from the various programs (Prep, full season mitey-mite, and juniors), the coaches, and board members.

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

Paul Clarke
Director, Mitey Mite Prep
Crystal Mountain Alpine Club
Cell: 253.377.9281
www.cmacskiracing.com/MiteyMite/Prep