Cannon Falls Area Schools offers a wide variety of winter activities: basketball, dance, and even a math league. These activities all have one thing in common: they’re indoors. Minnesota winters are generally cold and harsh, and outdoor activities are limited when it comes to a small school district like Cannon Falls Area Schools. However, sports like skiing and snowboarding are extremely popular in the Midwest, especially among youth. The Cannon Falls Ski Club brings elementary through high school-aged students the opportunity and resources to partake in this hobby through the school.
Despite the district’s size being relatively small, Cannon Falls Area Schools was able to bring back the Ski Club after years of lying dormant. Bonnie Thoe-Austin, a Cannon Falls High School/Middle School shop teacher put in the effort to bring back the activity for students. Her reasoning for starting up the club was more than just to go snowboarding and skiing. “In life, kids live by a schedule; school, sports, bells, alarms, work… They retreat to a cell phone in moments of stillness… ski & snowboard club breaks those barriers, forcing kids to stay off their phone to be in the present moment of flying down the mountain,” she expressed. “Kids are released from a schedule, freedom of choice; on which trail to take, which chairlift to ride, a chance to be creative… a chance to feel accomplished at the end of the evening for embracing the cold, wind, snow or slush… students learn how to be adaptable, problem-solve and grow emotionally.” Thoe-Austin continued to talk about how having her own family who loves the outdoors motivated her to support the students through the club.
Ski Club was open to grades 4-9, and anyone in those grades was welcome; a total of 36 students joined the activity. Those who were younger had to stick with chaperones for safety, but middle and high school students were given more freedom to explore the skiing venues in smaller groups. The skiing and snowboarding season went from December to March, weather permitting. For the majority of the season, the group went to Welch Village, which is a skiing and snowboarding venue near Cannon Falls. The location is convenient, making it a very popular destination for youth in the community and making it easy for the Ski Club to access a place suitable for the age ranges. The skiers took a bus to the area once a week, alternating between Monday and Wednesday each trip. On one occasion, the club left school early to take a trip to Afton Alps, another ski resort, in Hastings. Snowboarder Aurora Udenberg, a Cannon Falls High School(CFHS) freshman, described the experience at Afton Alps as fun. “I would definitely join again knowing I can spend more time with friends after school” when asked if she would participate in the activity next year.
Addison Fogle, a ninth-grade skier at CFHS was an avid participant in the Ski Club and expressed her feelings about the opportunity. “I thought Ski Club was a great experience. If given the opportunity I would 100% do it again,” she explained. Fogle continued with her favorite parts, which were spending time with her friends and the amount of times they went to Welch Village throughout the season. She ended her comments with “I think this is a great program and gives kids an opportunity most don’t get. I am very appreciative to Mrs. Austin for creating this program.”
Next year, the Ski Club will shift its availability to grades 5-10, but Thoe-Austin stated that she would “encourage 4th graders to practice with the 4th-grade ski pass” despite not being able to join the club. The 4th-grade ski passport is a program available to students of that age, allowing them to access the majority of ski resorts in Minnesota for a low price. The Cannon Falls Ski Club is a wonderful and unique outdoor activity for interested students. Those who can, are recommended to watch for a sign-up next winter.
