We break down everything from ...

- the 2025 Birkie Classic

- how to go from NCAA All-American to a Ski Classics pro

- DP technique

- intersection of scientific research and ski content creation

- SKIMO

- Which Americans would be good ski classic athletes (actually, JK, we kept that stuff off the record)

You won't want to miss this show!

Last month, we brought on Spud Nordic ski coach Eric Wicklund to chat about how he makes things work in Moorhead.

Inspired by that conversation, we decided we needed to hear more about how the team started.

Today's guest is Tom Dooher, who coached cross-country and track and field at Moorhead High before starting the Nordic team in the fall of 2014. We picked his brain on how he built a program capable of sustained success, navigated challenges and built a culture where every athlete matters and relationships are what really matter.

Enjoy!

Moorhead High School Nordic competitive history

Girls

State Qualifiers Pursuit

Celine Kjernsval (2016)

Sofie Overturf (2017,2018) (2)

Kate Ludwig (2017,2018) (2)

Abbie Ishaug (2020*, 2023)

Kennedy Olson (2020*,2022,2023) (3)

Octavia Nerguson (2020*)

Olivia Watson (2020*)

Siri Overturf (2020*, 2022) (2)

Jamie Raske (2020*, 2022) (2)

Ava Nelson (2020*)

Jacki Johnson (2025)

Addy Stordahl (2025)

*Denotes team qualifiers

State Sprint Relay Qualifiers

Jamie Raske & Siri Overturf (2022)

Abbie Ishaug & Jackie Johnson (2023) (Fifth place finish)

Chloe Pesek & Izzy Kupitz (2024)

Team Section Championships

Girls - 1st (2020)

Individual Section Champions

Abbie Ishaug (2020)

State Team Finishes

Pursuit - 12th (2020)

State Relay Finalists

Abbie Ishaug and Jackie Johnson - Sprints - 5th (2022)

All State

Abbie Ishaug 17th (2020)

Northstar Conference

Team Champions (5) (2018, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025)

Boys

State Qualifiers Pursuit

Isaac Wicklund (2018)

Jack Lee (2018, 2019)

Max Rogers (2022)

Zaine Braaten (2022, 2023 - all-state) (2)

Logan Olson (2024, 2025*) (2)

Wes Brouillard (2025*)

Eli Schlichting (2025*)

Ian Schimmelpfennig (2025*)

Barrett Hicks (2025*)

*Denotes team qualifiers

State Sprint Relay Qualifiers

Tavan Schlichting & Jack Holston*

Best Team Finish at Sections

Boys - 2nd (2025)

Individual Section Champions

N/A

State Team Finishes

Pursuit / Relay - 9th (2025)

State Relay Finalists

N/A (Best finish - 17th (2025))

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Joining us on the show today is Steamboat Springs WinterSports Club head U20/U18/U16 cross-country ski coach Josh Smullin!

Show notes:

start - 20 min: SederSkier fitness update/Double UP Winter Park race report/ Mt. Massive trail run

20:00 - end: Josh Smullin!

Smullin's illustrious ski career spans top-level junior national showings, a 4-year career at CU and numerous SuperTour and American Ski Marathon Series podiums and wins as a member of Team Rossignol. The father of two holds degrees in kinesiology and sports psychology and was an assistant coach at the University of Utah before landing at SSWSC, where he has guided countless athletes to junior, college and international successes.

Josh is has also been the de facto KING of Colorado loppet ski racing for the better part of almost two decades. Let's just say, if he shows up at the starting line, the rest of the field is fighting it out for second.

If there is anyone who can speak to the state of xc skiing and development — and share a fun race story or two — it's Josh. We picked his brain on his upbringing, philosophy, opinions on the current JN/U16 "controversy"/conversation and more....and we already thought of 100 more questions we probably should have asked!!

Nonetheless, we hope you enjoy the show!

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Keep on striving.

Keep on skiing.

Joining us on the show today is Steamboat Springs WinterSports Club head U20/U18/U16 crosscoach Josh Smullin

19:38 - start of interview

We have a great show for you today!

Kyle Steitz joins to talk about how he launched and grew the Poudre School District high school ski team from the ground up.

Growing up in Steamboat Springs as the son of the USA Nordic Combined head coach, Stietz was on skis from the time he could walk. By the time he was offered a DI scholarship, however, he was beyond burnt out.

Find out how starting up a team in Fort Collins — which receives 10 days or less of snow a winter — in 2018 reignited his passion for the sport. Hear how he navigated challenges to develop his first state champion, how he’s taken lessons from his youth and applied them to coaching today’s generation and how every season’s eager group of young athletes surprise him in the best of ways.

If you're an athlete or coach at any level, you've got to listen to this conversation!

Just some show notes:

Beginning: SederSkier health update

19:38 - start of interview

We've been talking to coaches across the country on 'how they make things work,' in terms of running a high school or club cross-country ski team. If you are or know a coach who is navigating unique challenges and would be a valuable guest for this series, reach out at sederskier@gmail.com.

Alayna Sonnesyn hops on to talk about a whole variety of interesting topics, from Trondheim to training, her ski and running journeys — dealing with pressure, successes and failures in high school, college and professionally in both — and what brought her to Team Birkie last year.

Enjoy!

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We take the 4Cs: cquestions, comments, concerns AND compliments at sederskier@gmail.com.

Keep on striving.

Keep on skiing.

Just 10 years after the team was formed, Moorhead High School qualified its first boys team for the Minnesota Nordic Ski State Championships this past February.

Head coach Eric Wicklund joins the show to discuss how he makes things work at a school more known for hockey in a town that is flat and frigid all winter and hot, windy and humid all summer.

We dive into the daily challenges of directing training, managing equipment, teaching technique and inspiring passion in a place where weather, culture and other factors aren't always conducive to growing the sport.

This was a really fun conversation with many powerful messages for athletes, coaches and master-blasters alike!

Enjoy!

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We take the 4Cs: cquestions, comments, concerns AND compliments at sederskier@gmail.com.

Keep on striving.

Keep on skiing.

A little fever/cold terrorism, but we show up to give you instant takes from day 1 of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Congress on May 13 anyway.

Kate Oldham got the U.S. cross-country skiing community's attention with her 10k individual start national title at Kincaid Park earlier this year. The Roaring Fork native wasn't done, however. The MSU senior competed at World Cups, the world championships in Trondheim, NCAAs and Super Tour Finals before calling it a year. And what a year it was.

Hear more about what was behind the 4.0 student's breakout season as well as her development, dreams (which might involve horses, not skis) and secret talent (kayaking?)....Kate also tells us what club she'll be skiing for in 2025-2026.

Support the Seder-Skier!

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EnjoyWinter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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We take the 4Cs: cquestions, comments, concerns AND compliments at sederskier@gmail.com.

Keep on striving.

Keep on skiing.