Southern Ontario Division of Cross Country Ontario (SOD) - Cross Country Ski Ontario

Southern Ontario Division of Cross Country Ontario (SOD)
                         Annual General Meeting
                    Saturday April 27th, 2019 at 13:00
 Highlands Nordic -1182 Nottawasaga Concession 10 South – Duntroon ON

1. Call to order: 1:09 p.m. Introductions of all in attendance.

2. Appointment of scrutineers – Deferred until needed.

3. Confirmation of a quorum - Quorum is 5 clubs. Twelve clubs are represented in
person or by proxy so there is a quorum.

4. Approval of agenda – Addition to the agenda of 6c: PN report
Motion to approve John Cowan, Second Colin Rhodes          Carried

5. Approval of the minutes of the April 28, 2018 Annual General Meeting: Motion to
approve: Ken Norris, Second: Colin Rhodes                 Carried

6a.   Chair’s report on 2018/9 activities: presentation on Power Point will be on the
SOD website:
      - Constitution of SOD board
      - Toronto Ski and Snowboard Show – promote SOD ski locations
      - Snowmaking subsidy offered to SOD clubs. Four expressed interest; two filed
          full applications. Highlands Trailblazers was the successful applicant and
          work is in progress to have it working for next season. Delayed due to
          requirement for “take water” permit from the NEC. Next step: getting
          piping and electrical cable buried. We expect to be able to cover a little
          more than 1 km including up to the hairpin turn including the width of trails.
          In open field (upper stadium), big fan guns will cover large areas. Question:
          How do other clubs get access? Criteria will be distributed by SOD to the
          clubs. We will schedule team access with priority to SOD clubs. Historically,
          we should be able to make snow in mid-November. Question: How much is
          funded? Total budget $100 - $110 K with SOD having committed up to
          $80,000.
      - SOD communication – Target was to enhance our website. We are now
          linked with the XCSO website. Thank you to Bryan Dubeau for pursuing this
          effort. We will consider social media in the next year.
      - Paraffin Series – 2 races relocated, 1 race cancelled, new event, 300+
          athletes participated in the series, high calibre racing. Thank you to Colin
          Rhodes for shepherding this series. A survey has been distributed. Feedback
          is that scoring needs to be revisited. Races at Muskoka and Kawartha next
          year? Why did Muskoka pull out at such a late date? Races were to be

shorter and faster. Muskoka did not like this decision and wanted the longer
    races. They also don’t like the wax protocol limitation since most of their
    participants do not participate in SOD series. Masters, in particular, are not
    in agreement with the restrictions. Colin’s report later will have more detail.
    John Cowan added that Muskoka’s race has historically been a Loppet
    (distance) with limited categories and want to keep it that way.
    Internationally, wax limitations: ski wax manufacturers are adjusting.
    Europe’s fluoro regulations are tighter than ours. Application methods are
    changing so heat is not required. Testing for fluoro is expensive and it turns
    out that skis come from the factory with fluoro treatment so it is not possible
    to do proper testing. (Our races depend on the honour system so testing is
    not an issue.) XCSO has determined that Tier I races will ban fluoro waxes.
    How do we enforce? Peter Jakl commented and mentioned the option of
    centralized waxing at events so that it levels the playing field. Rick Dickey’s
    experience at Quebec Cup: Low fluoro was ignored but wax teams were all
    parent volunteers instead of the coach waxing and not coaching. He also
    added that we have to pay attention to LTAD. We didn’t have a 15 K event to
    practice this year and thus did not make our goal at Nationals. Rick says we
    need a distance event in the Paraffin series. Gord Salt said that if Muskoka is
    part of the Paraffin Series, then it is unacceptable that they pull out at such a
    late date. They knew the requirements at the beginning of the season. Colin
    explained that he was looking for commitments. Arrowhead committed but
    had not agreed to the requirements by the time a calendar had to be
    published. Richard Lemoine added that Ski Nordiq is reducing # of high
    fluoro races. Why not make the race categories reflect whether they are low
    fluoro or not? (i.e. offer both with only low fluoro competitors qualifying for
    SOD points)
-   Ski, Learn and Explore (ski lessons after SOD race to introduce people to
    skiing and different venues) – Katarina Jakl planned two learn to ski sessions.
    One event had to be cancelled since the race was cancelled. The event that
    happened was successful and should be continued. Greg Gregoire (Mono)
    mentioned that communication with host club should be improved as Mono
    was not aware that the learn to ski event had been added to their race day.
-   World Snow Day – Event sponsored by SOD at Highlands was cancelled
    because of bitter cold. Fernanda worked with Kelly. Will try again for 2021.
-   CCC rebranding – funding provided by COC. Now called Nordiq Canada.
    XCSO will not be rebranding since they went through a rebranding in 2017
    and CCC did not acquire the rights to Nordiq Ontario (or any other province)
    before someone else grabbed them. The CCC website will be converted by
    September 2019. Delayed at the request of the coaching community.
-   Race Categories – 2020 – Changing from names to age (e.g. Atom = U8). The
    full chart is available on the national website and is part of the SOD Chair’s
    presentation which will be posted to the SOD website.

-   Kudos to Shelby Dickey who is leaving as SOD coach, Katarina Jakl who is
           leaving the board and Debra Friendly who continues as the SOD recording
           secretary. We have applicants for a new coach and are proceeding with the
           interview process.
6b.    High Performance report - Bryan Dubeau – PowerPoint presentation to be
posted at SOD website.
       - Youth Championships – expanded the age range (U8). We had 30 PeeWee
           athletes start (43 per cent) from SOD. SOD club (Mono Nordic) won the
           banner. More than 200 athletes attended.
       - Super camp (Ottawa/Gatineau) – OST/QST/NTDC/CENPH ski teams plus
           universities and other Ontario clubs in a single training environment.
           Approx. 300 skiers with a roller ski emphasis and included hydration testing.
           Urine colour is not as accurate as we thought. Peter Jakl asked if results
           were available for review. Results are confidential so have not been
           published.
       - Canada Winter Games in Red Deer – Medal finishes – see details in the
           PowerPoint presentation on the SOD website.
       - FISU World Games – Alexander Maycock, Highlands Trailblazers qualified 19th
           in the sprint. Also attending were, Bryan Dubeau (coach) and Katja Mathys
           team leader. Unique experience in Russia.
       - Nationals – Notable results are in Bryan’s PowerPoint presentation at the
           SOD website
       - Coaching Development – 4 L2C coaches certified (1 SOD), 3 SOD coaches n
           mentorship program, Peter Wiltmann recognized with XCSO’s Heinz
           Neiderhauser award, XCSO selected to OST, 3 SOD athletes selected to
           district team (eligible for incentives to attend some training camps), regional
           super camp planned for SOD in July 2019 at Hardwood.
       - Community Engagement – combine OUA and OCUP, community update
           teleconference, stakeholders survey, outreach to First Nations, combined
           Quebec/Ontario Cup, website communication (NOD and SOD fully aligned,
           NCD is linked, LSSD is not linked to XCSO). Gord Salt added that the biggest
           obstacle to XC skiing at the university level is the athletic directors. Marilyn
           Suke felt that teleconference updates are good for those who are not
           otherwise directly linked through a board. Suggested focussed invitation –
           club presidents, groomers, for example. Bryan appreciated the feedback
           because he wasn’t sure that it had had an impact.
       - Looking ahead – review of wax protocol, Ontario Winter Games, strategic
           fundraising, cold weather cancellation review, refine OUA and OCUP
           combination roller ski racing, closer training/racing relationship with Quebec,
           coach conference in Ottawa May 31- June 2.
6c.    Para-nordic report – Ken Norris – SOD has 7 para athletes.
       - Training & Races:
               o Attended 4 dryland camps in Toronto, Sudbury (2) and Ottawa

o 1 on snow camp and qualifying race in Sudbury for Ontario Parasport
                   Winter Tames and Canada Winter Games
               o Races – Sudbury in January, Easterns and OPSWG in February and
                   CWG in March. We had 2 SOD athletes at CWG.
               o Canmore Prospect camp in November – 2 SOD athletes were
                   classified
       -   Recruitment & Development:
               o Ontario Blind Sport Association school sports days in Sprint 2018 at
                   York District School Board and Thames Valley District School Board
               o W Ross Macdonald School for the Blind sports camp – summer 2018
               o Special Olympics nordic day at Horseshoe organized by Julia Shannon
               o On-going introduction to recreation para-nordic opportunities
               o York Region District School Board student and family “try it on” day at
                   Horseshoe cancelled due to conditions. Will try again next year and
                   invite Simcoe District School Board
               o W Ross Macdonald/Highlands ski day cancelled due to conditions.
                   Will try again next year
               o April 11, 12, 13 – Kate Boyd from Nordiq Canada (aka CCC) was in
                   town and met with: a Grade 9 student in Peterborough, Jon
                   Grimwood of Kawartha Nordic, two athletes from Para Hockey (one
                   of whom will be looking for funding to USA Para Nationals next
                   January for classification, an athlete in Downsview.
       -   Upcoming Season:
               o Continuing recruitment and camps
               o OBSA May 6 at Thames Valley School Board
               o First dryland camp May 25/26
               o Camps in Sudbury in July, September and October and in Canmore in
                   November
       -   Equipment – We have acquired some additional sit skis and we have been
           able to trade with Sudbury allowing us to “best fit” current athletes. Need
           skis to go with the seats.
       -   Human Resources: Besides the on-going athlete recruitment, for Para to
           continue and to grow, we are in desperate need of coaches, guides, support
           personnel and funding.

7. Presentation and approval of financial statements – Richard Lemoine: 3 main sources
of revenue: National organization ($1 per member), $3 per jack rabbit, $5 per OCup
athlete when there is an OCup at an SOD club (none in the previous season, one this
year) as well as investment income with excess funds. Website conversion, ski show
and SOD team jackets were our biggest expenditures. We saved some money by not
having a co-ordinator but we do need to fill that position. Some numbers are not yet
final (Jackrabbit money and coaching development are estimates). We are in a good
financial position. Draft statements attached or at SOD website. Motion to approve the
draft statements: Richard Lemoine, Seconded by John Cowan         Carried

8. Election of directors for the current year: Slate proposed:
Dwayne Barber
Colin Rhodes
Bryan Dubeau
Ken Norris
Richard Lemoine
Rick Dickey
Fernanda Peyronel
A request for nominations from the floor. As there were none, there was a motion to
accept the proposed slate by Marilyn Suke. Seconded: Richard Lemoine
Carried

9. Discussion of plans for 2019/20: deferred some discussion due to time constraints
         a.     SOD Race series – see Colin’s report at the end of this document plus
there was some discussion about improvements. Help Midland organizationally. Ski
cross at a different time in the season. Coach advisory committee was started but still
needs some work to get more participation. Al White reviewed some participation
numbers (400 different participants, lots of age 12 and under racers).
         b.     SOD race team - deferred
         c.     Snow Making - discussed in Chair’s presentation
         d.     Fund Raising – Richard Lemoine - XCSO is about to introduce a new
option for clubs to obtain donations which qualify for tax receipts (rather than using the
onerous process at the national level). Richard Lemoine indicated that this would be
officially announced at the XCSO AGM and rolled out to clubs within the next 4 – 6
weeks. The biggest improvement will be the immediacy of issuance of the tax receipt
and timely transfer of funds to the clubs. It is a project-based system.
         e.     Jack Rabbit Programming – Dwayne Barber – There is usually 1 race at
the end of the 8-week program. Should we consider more “cookie” races to encourage
the youngest skiers to find racing fun? In Norway, racing starts VERY early and
performance is compared to the skier’s previous output not to another skier taking
away some of the stress. Question to be addressed: Why are the youngest and high
school skiers not transferring to club programs? Due to time constraints, this discussion
will be continued outside the meeting.

10. Other business – Greg Gregoire of Mono Ski Club raised the issue of emphasis on
racing versus recreational and the fees that are paid to national, provincial and regional
organizations. The largely recreational clubs do not see a benefit to these fees. Other
than insurance, what does the club get? There was some discussion and it was
mentioned that the board has several times addressed this issue at their meetings, e.g.
the attempt to promote World Ski Day.

11. Motion to adjourn – Colin Rhodes 3:20 p.m.

2018-2019 SOD Paraffin Race Series - AGM Report
Submitted by Colin Rhodes

Race Calendar
   ● 9 races originally scheduled, 7 races hosted
   ● Muskoka Loppet withdrew due to incompatibility with Paraffin Series
     requirements. They continued to run their event independently
   ● Kawartha Skiathlon withdrew due to snow conditions
   ● Midland Loppet and Mono Invitational relocated to Highlands Nordic due to
     snow conditions
         ○ Recommendation: We should put in place written expectations of
            the race host when their race is relocated. This should include
            guidelines for setting up Zone4 registration.

Formats
   ● This year’s series focussed on skiing faster over shorter distances, based on
     feedback from SOD coaches. We set distances ranges for each age group.
     This was a major factor in the Muskoka Loppet withdrawing.
        ○ Recommendation: We should review the distances for next year to
            decide on the balance between short & fast vs long distance.
   ● This year’s series expanded the race formats offered to athletes, including a
     team sprint at Georgian Nordic and a skiathlon at Kawartha (which was
     unfortunately cancelled).
        ○ Recommendation: We should continue to push for a wider variety of
            formats, especially including one earlier in the season.

Discussion Points
   ● Race start times: were they better this year?
   ● Team Captains’ meetings: were they useful?
   ● Waxing restrictions
        ○ The only negative feedback that I received was from Muskoka Loppet
            and one club coach
        ○ Recommendation: We should continue to watch XCSO decisions for
            OCups. If they move to LF across all races, then we should consider
            doing the same to simplify team wax inventories.
   ● Series Points
        ○ Currently sum of all races, with no best-of
        ○ This intentionally encourages participation and rewards dedication

○ This policy can be important to ensure sufficient attendance at new
       events
     ○ Some clubs expressed negative feedback for this policy
     ○ Recommendation: no change
● Recommendation: continue in-depth discussions in Coaches Advisory Panel