Ishpeming Ski Club continues to practice throughout summer months

ISHPEMING, Mich. (WLUC) - Nordic skiing has a deep-rooted history in the Upper Peninsula, and there doesn’t need to be snow on the ground for Ishpeming Ski Club members to take a leap. Even during the summer, they’ve been able to make progress toward their goals.

“It’s just kind of a different feeling than jumping on snow,” 13-year-old skier Max Larson said. “You just got to worry about not standing up when you hit the grass, so you don’t face plant.”

ISC coaches, including junior coach Logan Gundry, preach that believing in yourself is key, especially during the offseason.

“One big thing on these smaller hills is just making sure these skiers are jumping with confidence, and they really are working on what I’m telling them to do,” Gundry said.

That approach has led to success for Larson.

“I’ve kind of been working on the 40, so I can go on more like 70 meter and 60 meter hills,” he said.

Larson, along with other skiers in the club, spent time earlier this summer training in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. There, he also practiced on a 40-meter hill. His older brother Isaac has already moved up to Olympic-size hills, traveling all the way to Norway to train after their trip to Colorado.

Max pointed out that there’s only one main difference between the U.P. Nordic Ski Complex and the Rocky Mountains.

“Out there, the air is thinner with the high altitude, so it’s kind of harder to breath up there,” he said.

ISC skiers are taking a break from practices now while kids go back to school, but they’ll be back in the fall to prepare for their winter competitions, including the tournament they host in January.

Gundry wants his skiers to be on par with successful clubs from across the country.

“When you go from just training locally to competing with other athletes from around your state or division or sometimes the country, you slowly kind of step up in terms of the level of competition that you’re competing in,” Gundry said.

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