Skiing Through The Seasons

Falling leaves, dry land, and an autumn breeze are characteristics seldom associated with skiing. For Harvard Nordic Ski, this weather is the ideal setting to kick off their team training. “We use dryland training in the fall to mimic different aspects of on-snow skiing and to build strength in a manner that will enable our student-athletes to translate their dryland training into on-snow technique as quickly as possible,” said Cate Brams, the Paul J. Finnegan Head Coach for Nordic Skiing.

While roller skiing is not a perfect recreation of Nordic skiing, this training allows for the team to develop one of the most important skills relating to Nordic skiing: adaptability. No two Nordic ski races are identical. Performance relies on adapting to constantly shifting variables such as weather, surface conditions, and course design. Roller skiing allows student-athletes to hone their technical skills, playing a key role in allowing student-athletes to increase their versatility when they get back on the snow.

Harvard’s location also serves as an immense benefit for the Nordic ski team. Brams described “In the fall, we rollerski at around 10 different locations in the Greater Boston Area, most of which are within a 25-minute drive from campus.” In the fall, the Nordic ski team trains in various locations. Whether they are on bike paths in Cambridge or the rolling hills of Weston, the coaches ensure each training location focuses on the specific needs of each student-athlete.