A Message from your Board:
As temperatures start to dip we are happy to share that plans are coming together for our coming season. It will be different, for sure, but still fun and focused on developing great alpine athletes. There’s quite a lot of new information here, please read the whole update.
- Annual General Meeting – in case you missed it, we recently sent out the formal notice for a virtual AGM to be held on October 19 at 7:30pm using Microsoft Teams or dial-in. Members interested in being nominated to join our Board should email bod@miltonheights.com . We need your help – there’s a particular need for someone who could take over as the Club’s Treasurer starting in the 2021/22 season.
- Dryland Training – registered athletes in Competitive Teams will be able to participate in Dryland training starting on October 4. Additional details will be distributed soon. Reminder – AOA registration is also required for insurance purposes.
- Pre-season camp – we are planning to continue to hold a training camp at Mont Tremblant, tentatively December 11-13. There’s a link to a member survey below for families to express their interest in participating so that we can plan accordingly.
- Christmas camp – our plan is to offer something as close as possible to our ‘usual’ camp – with training days both at Glen Eden and Mount St. Louis-Moonstone. Tentative dates are December 27-31.
- Optional Additional Training – we would like to offer athletes the option for extra training, likely on Fridays but possibly other weekdays too. The member survey linked below will gauge interest in this.
- Apprentices – the club participates in Glen Eden Snow School’s apprenticeship program for instructors and coaches. Glen Eden is working out details for this year’s program. Athletes 13 or older who are interested can apply here or email head coach Brian Optiz at headcoach@miltonheights.com with questions.
When it comes to the core part of the season, we are committed to delivering the fun, camaraderie and high-quality coaching and training that our athletes are accustomed to. Based on what we know right now, members should expect differences along the following lines:
- Indoor spaces (including our Clubhouse) – physical distancing will be a reality this season and we will have to adapt our use of indoor spaces. We are working with Glen Eden to add additional spaces for breaks and warming up. It is likely that athletes and families will need to change into equipment at their cars instead of in the clubhouse.
- Canteen – we expect the canteen to operate during all program hours, with food that is entirely pre-packaged.
- Scheduling – we will make every effort to stay as close as possible to posted schedules for each team. Some schedule adjustments might end up being necessary if there are capacity constraints that we need to work within. This is beyond our control and contingent on public health guidance that isn’t yet available. Start, end and break times will be staggered to deal with capacity constraints on indoor spaces.
- Races – all AOA clubs are currently working through hosting and scheduling considerations. Race schedules aren’t typically available until December in a normal year and might be later this year. We expect that races will involve lower numbers of participants, with boys and girls in separate groups. We also expect that races are likely to be later in the season and probably mid-week, when on-hill density is lowest.
- Covid Safety Protocols, Cleaning and Sanitizing – we will be using new functionality in TeamSnap to have athletes complete a Covid assessment before all activities. We will be adhering to public health guidance regarding cleaning the clubhouse and other common areas.
- Volunteering – without the ski swap we realize that some are wondering about completing their required volunteering hours. We need our members more than ever! We expect that the changes to operational needs like cleaning will create additional volunteering opportunities.
All of this planning clearly might change or evolve as circumstances change with COVID-19. We know that many members would like additional details and definitive answers. Flexibility will be key for all of us as we navigate the changing environment around us and react to potential changes in government and public health guidance. We ask for your continued patience while we plan.
Registration
Haven’t signed up yet? Use this link to register. Some teams are filling up, be sure to do so soon. And be sure to remind friends and family who might be interested. It would really help the club with planning capacity if we have a better idea of registration levels by team as soon as possible. Have questions about the club? Check these FAQs.
Member Survey
Please take two minutes to answer a few questions on your interest in both the pre-season Tremblant camp and also in-season extra weekday training. There are two separate short surveys:
Club Jackets
For those who ordered new club jackets for this year, we got the order placed just before the Covid lockdown hit back in March. We expect delivery in late November or early December and will provide more information on timing and pickup details as soon as we are able to.
Glen Eden
Glen Eden continues to evaluate and solidify its operational plan for the winter season. It is quite likely that some form of pre-reservation system will be in place to help control crowding and ensure proper contract tracing is possible. Glen Eden staff are working hard on policies and procedures for keeping indoor spaces, guests, and staff all safe this winter. They are doing so with the aim of minimizing impacts on experiences; but as with most things this year, we should anticipate some change. There is a good likelihood that there will be a greater emphasis on outdoor rest areas, some temporary washroom facilities, some controls of skier / boarder capacity, as well as the standard physical distancing efforts we have become accustomed to. We are in close contact and Glen Eden will be keeping the Club’s board up to date with plans as they solidify, and we will be working together to find solutions where race programs are in question. All Glen Eden Members (which should be all of us) will receive updates directly from Glen Eden as well, so be sure to watch for email direct from them.
Don’t forget to follow Milton Heights and Glen Eden on Instagram and Facebook!
Our communications tend to ramp up at this time of year and we will be back in touch with more updates as they are available. Feel free to contact us if you have questions.
In the meantime, pray for snow – let’s hope for an impromptu ski day in November like we had last year.
Sincerely,
Your MHRC Board of Directors