About
CXC Ski Team is an Olympic Development Program. It creates an opportunity for top post college Midwest and other U.S. cross country skiers to continue to enhance their performance and to maintain personal financial stability. CXC Skiing guarantees the quality of the program.

CXC Team will consists of up to 12 athletes (male and female) selected by position on the USSA National ranking list. The Teamincludes a full time professional coaching staff and wax support at the highest level. CXC Skiing and CXC Team partners provide the state of the art facilities for training and testing that are necessary for high performance on the international level.

CXC Team athletes reside in cities of their choice throughout the Midwest. They work at least once a week with local junior and master groups when they are not involved with group training camps or competitions. All members of CXC Team are cross country ski ambassadors. Theyl support local ski communities with the latest training philosophies,
technique and strength training and will be role models for young athletes.

Vision
The vision of CXC Team is to close the gap between junior and senior athlete’s development by providing professional world class training and coaching opportunities. The vision objectives are critical elements toward the drive for the United States Ski Team’s achievement of Cross Country Olympic podiums by 2010 and Olympic Gold by 2014.

Mission
The mission of CXC Team is to make the vision a reality by selecting, training and supporting a team of world-class athletes and by involving those athletes in the regional ski communities. The team will deliver role models, ski specific education and motivational support for young athletes throughout the Midwest.

Why
Success in international ski racing is dependent upon how well we prepare our athletes. The preparation of athletes is dependent upon the quality of their programs. The quality of programs can be measured by the coach’s commitment, enthusiasm and understanding of the sport and by the nature of appropriate preparation.

Junior skiing organizations in the U.S. have improved and are continuing to improve. There are many clubs that are making positive progress in coach and athlete education and in supplying athletes with the opportunities they need to train properly. There are a growing number of top clubs nationwide supplying young athletes with the training and racing opportunities needed to become top international athletes. For these clubs and these athletes the only major task left is taking maximum advantage of these opportunities and fulfilling the training needed to become top international athletes.

For those fortunate athletes involved in top level programs the two real voids in the system are at the transition point between junior and an “under 23” athletes and again at the transition from U23 to elite senior racer. College programs provide excellent support during the college years. Post collegiate and alternative opportunities to follow the continuum are critically few. While there are a growing number of quality youth programs in the U.S. there are probably only four programs in the country, including the U.S. Ski Team, for U23 and senior athletes.

The solution to this shortfall is to combine our strongest junior programs with U23 and senior programs. This will provide older athletes program support and offer the critical continuity from one level to the next.

Having senior athletes involved in the same program as youth athletes offers youth athletes the best possible training partners and role models. At the same time, working with a combined junior/senior program gives the senior athletes an opportunity to involve themselves in something larger than themselves and to give back to the sport.

By creating and supporting top level programs that supply continuous coaching, training and racing opportunities to both youth and senior athletes we will find success in international ski racing. Without these programs there is no hope for success.