Your source for cross-country skiing technique tips and analysis.
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XCSkiTips.com Your source for cross-country skiing technique tips and analysis. |
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Basic Tag
Primary Skill: Motion on skis
Secondary Skill: N/A
Drill Details: On flat terrain use poles/gloves/balls/flags/etc to define the boundaries of a playing field. One person gets designated as “it” and must chase everyone else. Touching any body or equipment part causes the person who was touched to become “it” in place of the first person. Done without poles for obvious safety reasons! To spice up the basic form place the playing field in an area which covers varied terrain.
1 Chases 2 Chases 3 Tag
Primary Skill: Motion on skis
Secondary Skill: N/A
Drill Details: Define a playing field as in Basic Tag. Divide the class into groups of three and designate members as number 1, 2 or 3 in each group (one of each number per group of three). On the start command the designated number “1” chases number “2”. Number “2” chases number “3” and number “3” chases number “1”. If tagged the person must go pay some kind of penalty (e.g. 5 jumping jacks, etc).
Linked Arm Tag
Primary Skill: Motion on skis
Secondary Skill: N/A
Drill Details: Define a playing field as in Basic Tag. Divide the class into pairs (without poles). Have each pair link arms and stand spread out over the playing field. Select one pair to start, designating one person as the chaser and one as the chasee. The “chasee” can at any time approach a pair of people with linked arms and link arms forming a chain of 3 people. The person on the far end of the “chain” must unlink arms and take the place of the “chasee” (i.e. they are now being chased). If the “chasee” is tagged the chaser and chasee switch roles with the chaser becoming the chasee. If the game becomes too stagnant start another pair chasing each other at the same time with the same rules.
Freeze-Unfreeze Tag
Primary Skill: Motion on skis
Secondary Skill: N/A
Drill Details: A modified version of Basic Tag. Ideally provide two soft items for tagging (foam pipe insulation, feather dusters, etc). One item is designated a “freezing stick” in that anyone who is touched with it must freeze in place. The other item is designated an “unfreezing stick” and can be used to unfreeze someone who has been frozen with the freezing stick. Give one stick to two different people and everyone else is trying not to be frozen (or calling for help if they are frozen!)
Ball-Passing Relay
Primary Skill: Motion on skis
Secondary Skill: N/A
Drill Details: On flat terrain mark a start and end line using ski poles or other objects. Divide the class into two equal groups (works best with at least 3 per group). Without poles, have the students line up one in front of the other so that both groups are lined up facing the same direction (the end line) with the lead person standing behind the start line. Give a ball to the first person in each line (nerf/foam football/soccer ball works well). The first person can either pass the ball through their legs or back over their head with two hands on the ball to the person behind them. The person behind them receives the ball and passes it to the next person in line in the other way (under or over). Passing continues in an alternating over/under manner until the person a the end of the line receives the ball. When they do the must ski to the front of the line and start the passing again. Forward progress is made by the person in the back of the line moving forward to the front of the line. The first team to cross the end line wins.
Relay Race (+Variations)
Primary Skill: Motion on skis
Secondary Skill: Various!
Drill Details: Pretty much anything goes, limited only by your imagination. In it’s most simplest form the class is divided into 2 equal teams. A start line and turn around point are defined with poles/flags/gloves/etc. On the start command the first member of each team skis out the turn around point and back and tags the next person on the team who ski out and back. The pattern continues until the last person on one team crosses the finish line. The path can be an out and back or a short loop. The relay is more exciting if different legs have to travel in different ways such as:
Skills Relay
Primary Skill: Motion on skis
Secondary Skill: Equipment basics
Drill Details: A
modified version of
the Relay Race. A standard relay where one person travels a course,
hands off
to the next person, etc. until the last person completes the course.
The course
in this case is a series of specific “skill” stations. Any
skills will do but a
suggestion is to ski without poles out to a marker hopping over a line
along
the way, then circling the marker. From there head to another marker
where one
ski is removed. From there ski with one ski back to the hand-off point.
Everyone
skis twice and on the second round they put their missing ski back on.
Duck-Goose Tag
Secondary Skill: N/A
Drill Details: On flat terrain and without poles have the class stand in a fairly loose circle, all with ski tips facing the center of the circle. One person starts as “it” and skis around the outside of the circle. Selecting one person in the circle they tag them at which point that person exits the circle and chases the first person around the circle back to their initial starting point. If the first person makes it back into the tagged persons place in the circle without being tagged they stay and the tagged person becomes “it”. If the first person gets tagged before they can get into place in the circle they remain “it”. Often accompanied by saying “duck”, “duck”, “duck” then “goose” upon tagging someone in the circle.
Back & Forth Tag
Primary Skill: Motion on skis
Secondary Skill: N/A
Drill Details: A variation on Basic Tag. Within a marked playing field split the class into 2 equal groups. Have them form 2 lines facing away from each other and designate each group with a team name (or have them choose a name). Initiate the game by calling out one of the team names. The named team all become the chasers and the other team the chasees. If someone is tagged they become a member of the other team. Periodically call out the other team name at which point anyone currently on that team suddenly becomes “it” and everyone else is now being chases.
Touch Football
Primary Skill: Motion on skis
Secondary Skill: N/A
Drill Details: Define a playing field as in Basic Tag. Add two more markers off the end of two opposite sides of the field defining “end zones” of equal size, outside of the original playing field area. Divide the class into two equal teams. Start with the teams lined up along the playing field boundary line defining each end zone. Use a football or other easy-to-handle sports ball. One team throws the ball to the other team who picks it up and tries to ski into the opposing end zone. The opponents try to touch any equipment or body part which ends the play. The team with the ball then lines up behind an imaginary line position at the point of contact, starts play and one designated quarterback tries to complete a throw to a player on his/her team who then tries to ski into the opponents end zone before being touched. If the pass is incomplete or the player is tagged play is stopped while the teams reset. Suggest 4 downs to score before the ball turns over. Basic touch football rules … you can figure it out.
Ultimate Frisbee
Primary Skill: Motion on skis
Secondary Skill: Throwing a frisbee
Drill Details: Define a playing field as in Basic Tag. Further define 2 end-zones as in Touch Football. Divide the class into 2 teams. Using a frisbee, teams are attempting to complete a pass to a teammate standing in the end zone to score one point. Progress down the field can only be made by throwing and completing a pass with the frisbee. If a pass is not completed (caught by an opposing player, frisbee knocked down by an opposing player, frisbee hits the ground) the disc is turned over to the opposing team who immediately try to complete passes towards their end zone.
Skills Figure
“8”
Primary Skill: Motion on skis
Secondary Skill: Various
Drill Details: Seems to work better with skating skis. Set up a figure 8 shaped course (the course can either cross at the center of the 8 or trace the outside of an 8). Have the class ski one after another in a line around the course. On crossing the middle section of the 8 have various"skill” challenges such a rope embedded in the snow to jump over or holding a pole/etc. out to ski underneath etc.
©
2005 Jeff Stainsby