Northern Division Fall Meeting Minutes
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Quality Inn Conference Center, Missoula, MT

Welcome/ Identification of Members present:  Rick Duncan, Bob Petitt, Tony Nunnikhoven, Jeremy Euland, Craig Krueger, Richard Kramer, Cole Greer, Sheri Hale, Susan Krueger, Jerry Wolf, Doug Nelson, Jarod Roberts, Greg Kazemi, Renee Berglund, Jeff Haller, Rick Jacobs, Roy Loman

Approval of Minutes from Spring Meeting:  Minutes approved with one revision.

Old Business:

• President’s Report -- Our slight drop in numbers, 2%, is similar to the nationwide trend.  However, our younger athlete numbers are steady or growing within each club.  Sherri Hale has managed our financials into the black, we owe no money, and are very healthy.  All hills are homologated, and most of our officials' recent history and status are up to date, thanks to Bob Pettit.
• Program Status/Club Reports
  • WMRT, Whitefish - 2 upper athletes leaving, numbers and parent involvement good.  Hiring 1 new coach.
  • SDST, Showdown - Jeff (Duck) McLaughlin new club president, good energy.  Numbers similar to last year.  New mountain management staff much more supportive of racing.  Training a new head coach.
  • BSSEF, Big Sky - Younger coaches returning.  Eric Becker new board president.  Overall good relationships with the mountain.
  • GDST, Helena - 18 traveling racers.  Appx. 150 younger, all-mountain skiers.  Homologations completed.
  • SRST, Red Lodge - Appx 60 racers, 10 new younger racers.  Only a few coaching changes.
  • MSSEF, Missoula - 2 new board members, new female coach.  Similar numbers to last year.
  • BSF, Bozeman - Tony Nunnikoven is the new Head Coach/Director.  Heidi Bowes Nunnikoven new coach working with FIS athletes, other main coaches returning.  Expecting appx. 135 YSL and Devo athletes in the race program.  Bridger Bowl is completing snowmaking on training/racing run.  Full length GS with man-made snow, hopefully injected.  Lighting in by next summer.
  • Lost Trail Race Team - Stu Hoyt is head coach.  Doug Nelson representing.  Good support from management, timing and other training equipment in place.
  • Terry Peak, Rapid City - Not represented; but the program is growing, not hosting a ND race this year.
  • DART, Discovery, Anaconda - 85-100 all mountain skiers.  YSL similar, plus one J2, one J1.  Race courses are homologated.  Ken Manchester head coach.  Leif Cox coaching younger ages.  New mountain management staff much more supportive of racing.
  • Rocky Mountain College RT, Billings - All athletes returning; plus a few new athletes; 16 men, 10 women, some very low points.
• ACC overview –Jeremy Ueland
  • Policy and rules updates/ND handbook - Parents please read.  FIS licensing in 2012-2013 will increase the minimum age from 15 to 16.  See the Western Region Manual.  Single pole GS will be addressed this fall.  Level 100 coaches clinics may add a speed component, level 300 clinics will most likely add it this year.  WR Foundation monies may be allocated to the base line impact tests to assist in the evaluation of head injury.  Jen Stielow is working on this.  AK in J3 JO’s.  We can bid for 2012, bids due Spring 2011.  No more AK subsidy, parents be aware if they have athletes that may qualify for the 2013 Alaska Junior Olympics.
  • WEST Team and camp reports up to date at regional and NDS levels (Craig).  Chile camp cancelled.  Slalom camp for 2 ND athletes, in October , will be at Mt. Hood.  Topolino will be Jan 21-23.  No ND athletes listed officially at this time, but our 2 YSL champions will be added this fall.
  • WR athlete tracking program:
    • Physical Assessments - Geographical limitations have resulted in most evaluations administered within each individual club, however, any J3 athlete is welcome to any different club’s assessment session.  Sit Height data has been skipped, and it is an easy measurement, make sure to convert weight to kilograms!
  • Divisional Wax ND supplies overlays, but not base wax.
  • Divisional FIS Races:  $2 Division FIS race head tax had been dropped.  Divisional FIS races are restricted to their own divisions only, with the exception of ND and AK, which will have 10 men/10women quotas at other Divisional races.  See the calendar for the Divisional vs. Regional races.
  • J3 Junior Olympics:  See ND and WR handbook for changes.  Our Quota is now 7 men and 9 women.  J2 JO’s are 9 men and 9 women.
  • USSA Training System-Long-term Athlete Development information link is a good overview for new racing families: http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/dms/athletics/comp-services/docs/athletetrainingsystem/athletetrainingsystemmatrixalpine/ats_september_09.pdf (Edit, 2011.  That link no longer works.  Try:  http://archive.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/dms/athletics/comp-services/docs/athletetrainingsystem/athletetrainingsystemmatrixalpine/ats_september_09.pdf
  • Chair of WR ACC: Craig Krueger reviews pending changes.  Western Region handbook: http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/ussa/en/sports/alpine/development/westernregion.html (That link no longer works, try:  http://www.ussawest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Western-Region-Poicies-and-Procedures-2010-2011-Final.pdf)
  • Calendar for 2011-finalization. See calendar posted on ND website
• Officials’ Chair Report – Bob Petitt
  • Coaches & Officials Clinics.  Bob Pettit:  Charlie Burnam in Rocky Mountain Division has an Access program that will help us track each race official’s participation.  PNSA has an Oct 10 clinic in Spokane.  Must inform Bob if any of us want to test there.  Whitefish officials clinic on Oct 15/16, only during the evening.  Attendance at the clinic will count as an update.  Missoula clinic date TBA.  Clubs please confirm certifications for all coaches.
  • Homologations are all up-to-date.  Good Job Northern Division!!!  Thanks Bob!!
  • B-netting:  Transportation of B-netting will be critical to meet all the needs for the 3/5&6 Discovery race and the 2/10-13th Showdown race.  Netting needs to be hauled the weekend prior to give volunteers/staff enough time to position the rolls.  If you have a pick-up and/or trailer, let your head coach know, and please help haul B-netting!!
  • TD Schedule/Expense Policy Review.  See the ND handbook!  The TD expense reports need to be sent to USSA regardless of whether or not the TD accepts compensation or not.  ND manual states that the amount is $50/day including the travel day.  If lodging offered in private homes, no motel expenses are covered.  If no lodging offered, single bed, economy lodging is allowed.
  • Medical Service Plans must include the area’s injury response plan.  Include names and contact information for the ski patrol, assurance of location of trauma equipment, from sled to patrol/first aid room, to response times and location for ambulance and/or Life Flight, location and travel times to the nearest Emergency Room.  Refer to the FIS Medical Guide.  This must be available at the team captains meeting, and included in the team captain’s meeting minutes.
  • Coaches Clinics:  Need a minimum of 6 people to sign up for Lester Keller to justify a level 100 or 300 coach’s clinic.  Competition official’s clinic is the starting level.  All clinics will require the standard $25 registration fee.
  • SRST requests reimbursement for expenses incurred for the Fall 2009 officials clinic.
• Northern Division Manager – Sherri Hale - Financial Overview & Travel Issues
  • Where we stand currently.  ND was the only division with all receivables clean from last year.
  • Season report to date – (invoicing & reconciliation).  Reminder that all race expenses are estimated ahead of time, payments are due prior to departure, and expenses finalized and reconciled after the coaches turn in all receipts.  This is all open book; ask Sherri if any expense is unclear.  Refunds/balances due justified at the end of the season.  Either a deposit or credit card must be submitted prior to the beginning of the season.  Medical documentation may be required for late cancellations attributed to illness/injury.
  • Paperwork/liability forms submission and compliance were EXCELLENT in 2009-10.
  • Reminder:  ND does not carry liability insurance for transporting athletes, including championship events.  Each athlete must secure their own transportation.  Coaches transportation expenses are included in the bill for race expenses.
  • Budget 2011.  ND club dues are the primary source of income.  We anticipate lower income due to fewer families traveling, and the current national financial situation.
  • USSA charges 5% separately for managing membership fees and athlete data management.  We had to raise ND fees to offset this expense.
  • See the ND handbook for explanation of:  Race attendance confirmation, WR cancellation refund and ND cancellation policies.
  • ND Forms update
  • Coaches Expense/IRS Mileage Reimbursement/Coach Per Diem (IRS) Review
  • JO Coats will be similar to last year; this year it is a Columbia rain coat.
  • Head Tax Development Portion  In 2009-10, $6000 returned to athletes as scholarships, championship awards and Devo athlete travel awards.  These funds will be diminished this year, but the proportional allocations will remain the same.
  • Compensated Entries Review.  Head taxes need to be paid for all athletes, even compensated ‘rabbits’.  Each club needs to state in the race announcement which athletes will be compensated.
  • Online sanctioning agreements:  Each club will have a login and password with USSA.  The signature pages will incorporate mountain management.  All club dues need to be paid to USSA to be included in this program.
• ND Board
  • Sponsorship/Fundraising for Qualifiers
  • Sponsor for Biographies/Profiles for YSL Champs.  Paul Bussi is interested in pursuing this with us.
  • By-Laws/Forming Committee update
• Elite Pass/MSAA – Email update: Aaron Ruddick - Initial fee $600, dispersed as: 20% Montana Ski Area Association, 40% ND, 40% back to individual ski area, proportionally; this would be determined by the ND administrator as the number of days/month reported at the end of the year.  This would work only if there was enough time for the ND administrator to log all of the ski area attendance for each of the participants for the season.

New Business:

• Winter meeting tentatively scheduled during the Bridger Bowl A-J3 Qualifier January 28th (ACC) and 29th.
• New ACC Member is Tony Nunnikoven.
• Susan K moves to adjourn. Rick Duncan 2nds. Meeting adjourned at 11:30.
• Minutes submitted by Susan Krueger.