Annual Junior Awards Banquet Held Tuesday April 3     It’s our night to recognize the season-long achievements of our junior jumpers! Snow in April? What a fitting backdrop for this year’s Junior Banquet. While the roads iced over, the 2018 winter season melted into the memory books. Over 90 people attended this year’s banquet. It was a night to recognize achievement and say a heartfelt “thanks” to everyone who made this season a success.  As usual, the awards presentation was the highlight of the evening.  One by one, the smiling faces of our junior jumpers received their age class trophies from the coaches.  Each skier also received a new, St. Paul Ski Club printed buff and a club cowbell. So many of our young jumpers made huge improvements under the care and instruction of our dedicated coaching staff.  In recognition of their commitment, the coaches were given gifts as well. Head Coach Brian Wallace, and Assistant Coach Mary Lu Kavanagh-Beltman were given personalized photo blankets. Assistant Coach Joe Berens, who also judges and competes at our Friday night tournaments, was given a plate decorated with photos that commemorate his special role in our club. The evening concluded with the traditional singing of the ski jump song and a group photo.  Snow is still in the forecast well into April. Hard to believe we are left to hoping it melts in time for summer jumping on plastic. Competition Season Concludes With Slush Cup March 9     Rare to end season with excellent conditions!         Results:  all hills Mother Nature provided some early March snow, so all our hills were in top shape for our traditional season finale, the Slush Cup tournament on Friday, March 9.  We want to thank all our jumpers who turned out for action on our 10, 20, 30, and 46 meter jumps.  And a big thank you to all the kids and parents, as well as our adult competitors, who made it another great year at the St Paul Ski Club! Brrrringing in the New Year at the John R Lyons Tournament     70 jumpers on 4 hills … Results:  small hills (K10, 20, 30)       46-meter Hill New Year’s Eve Day and the lyrics, “Baby, it’s cold outside,” kept replaying in everyone’s heads. The John R. Lyons Tournament brought plenty of red-cheeked, and smiling ski jumpers out to Harrington Hill. St. Paul Ski Club’s amazing volunteers had the jumps in excellent condition.  Everything was set for a great tournament. We even had a little extra inspiration: cheering on the central skiers and hometown heroes competing in the televised Olympic Trials.  The youngest jumpers eagerly strutted their stuff on the 10m and the 20m hills. The subzero temperatures seemed to increase their competitiveness (as well as their appetite for Icees). Who knew that frozen treats taste better in winter than summer? Not to be outdone, our older jumpers put on a good show on the 30 and 46 meter hills. Then our Masters took center stage to end the day. The John R. Lyons Tournament is always a great time for catching up with all our friends from around the division.The club would like to thank everyone who spent their New Year’s Eve traveling back home (or staying until their van’s engine thawed enough to drive). We’d like to give a special thanks to our small, but strong, core of volunteers who collectively put in over 300 hours to make our tournament happen.  Shinola! CLICK TO VIEW PHOTO GALLERY  (credits to Chip Berniard) The Masters Class begins with Masters 1 for jumpers age 30-39, then progresses in 10-year increments with Masters 2 for jumpers age 40-49, etc. There is also a pre-Masters class for ages 25-29.  Jumpers don’t have to hang up their equipment after their early 20s, they can keep jumping for fun; it can be a lifetime sport!  2017 Wally Wakefield Beginners Camp a Big Success!     Annual Christmas week beginners camp renamed for SPSC Hall of Famer The St Paul Ski Club just wrapped up the 2017 newly named Wally Wakefield Learn to Jump Camp  (December 27-28, 2017).  Click links at right to view photo galleries … WEDNESDAY … THURSDAY New jumpers and several returning jumpers took many rides on Wakefield Hill (10m jump/bunny hill) thanks to the new tow rope!  Many THANKS to Tim Schwartz and Jack Myhra for their work in building and installing the tow rope; it was a HUGE SUCCESS!  We also want to thank our coaches:  Brian Wallace and MaryLu Kavanagh-Beltman The skiers enjoyed both days despite the frigid temperatures.  No one asked for hot chocolate, the biggest request was for Icees!!!   You know we have a hearty group of jumpers when they ask for a cold treat after being outside in the cold!       CLICK PHOTO AT RIGHT TO ENLARGE We can't forget to send a GIGANTIC THANK YOU to ALL our hill crew who got ALL our hills ready for jumping. You guys are the BEST! 2017 Hall of Fame Banquet Held on Friday Oct 20     Chris Venaglia and Jay Martin were inducted as Class of 2017 Once again our major fall event, our annual Hall of Fame Banquet, provided the opportunity for club members and friends to honor our new inductees.  More than 80 attendees enjoyed the chance to renew old friendships and reminisce about their years in the sport.  Long-time club member, competitor, and volunteer Chris Venaglia was presented for induction by Kurt Schulstad, and Jay Martin, long-time competitor, US Olympian, FIS judge, and coach who has contributed   to the sport for many years, was presented by Tim Denisson.  Jay is a member of the Minneapolis Ski Club  It was announced that Chris Venaglia has stepped up to be our hill captain while Paul Johnson is recuperating from recent injuries. SPSC Jumpers in Park City for Springertournee & Nationals     Edlund, Forrester, Swanson, Wallace represented SPSC     Results:  Fri July 28 - K90     Sat July 29 - K120 National Championships Trev Edlund, Daisy Forrester, Adeline Swanson, and Bryan Wallace were in Park City this week for the annual Jindro Mayer Springertournee.  On Friday, Adeline placed 9th on the HS42, and Daisy was 2nd on the HS42 in the Open Class.  Brian was 4th on the HS100, and Trev was 21st.  In Saturday’s 2018 US National Championships, Brian placed 6th and Trev 24th. Huge Crowd Attends Life Celebration of Wally Wakefield     Competitor, promoter, club official, inducted into SPSC HOF in 1993 Wally Wakefield passed away May 2, 2017.  He was a tireless volunteer with the youth programs at the St Paul Ski Club throughout his life.  He began his lifelong involvement with ski jumping as acompetitor back in the 1950s.  He was inducted into the SPSC Hall of Fame in 1993.  In addition, he was a columnist and sportswriter in St Paul and the eastern suburbs for many years, and the original pressbox announcer for the Minnesota North Stars.  He was also involved in youth baseball and golf.  His circle of friends was wide, and they weren’t just acquaintances.  To know Wally was to be his friend. Wally was one of the key people involved in the founding of Friends of American Ski Jumping, the parent organization of the American Ski Jumping Museum and Hall of Fame in Red Wing.  During the past ten years, he served as the chairman of the Selection Committee for the ASJ Hall of Fame.  There’s a link to Wally’s bio on our Hall of Fame page. The Wakefield family held a "Celebration of Life" for Wally on Sunday May 14, at the American Legion in North St Paul, which overflowed with attendees from all the many “walks of life” in which Wally had been involved.  Wally’s son Peter recalled memories, as did others, and his daughter Laura read a favorite poem of her dad’s, “Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein.  There was a gathering at the St Paul Ski Club in the evening to place Wally’s ashes near Wakefield Hill, our 10 meter jump, which is named after him.       Official Obituary (May 7, 2017)       2017 Annual Junior Awards Banquet Held Tues April 4     Always a highlight … recognizing achievements and progress of our athletes Our Junior Awards banquet, where each of our young flyers is recognized for what they’ve accomplished is always the final highlight of the season.  For youngsters just beginning, maybe it’s mastering our smallest jump or moving up to a bigger one.  For our kids who have been at it a season or two, it often involves moving up to bigger jumps again, and traveling to tournaments hosted by other clubs.  Individual progress is recognized, as well as competition results, and our young skiers get to see videos of the season’s action. It was held at Tinucci’s on the evening of April 4, and smiles were everywhere.  See you next year! St Paul Ski Club Promising Skier Scholarship Fund     Learn more about our education program … SPSC EDUCATION FUND     The primary purpose of the St Paul Education Foundation, Inc and the St Paul Ski Club is to provide facilities, equipment and training for young athletes interested in the sport of ski jumping. Throughout its 131 years, the St Paul Ski club has developed a number of ski jumpers competing at the national, international and Olympic levels.  When a young ski jumpers rises to the level of a top national competitor, the opportunity exists for competing in ski jumping tournaments throughout the United States and Europe.  There is a short window of opportunity for these skiers to compete at this level and the St Paul Education Foundation strives to give them that opportunity.  Fortunately, the St Paul Education Foundation is now in a position to provide additional skier support through the 2 to 1 donation match. Hopefully our skiers can count on your loyal support.   Bill Mahre’s 1980 Olympics Uniform on Display in Red Wing     Long-time SPSC member and officer served as Chief of Start in Lake Placid Visitors to the American Ski Jumping Hall of Fame banquet on Aug 6 were greeted by a blue uniform with yellow trim, worn by Bill Mahre in his capacity of Chief of Start for the 1980 Olympics.  Here’s a photo, captured from a Wide World of Sports video, showing Bill with Canadian sensation Steve Collins, who’s preparing to head down the inrun.  If you get a chance to visit the museum, in the mezzanine level at the St James hotel, you’ll find a lot of wonderful ski jumping memorabilia.           CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE Support our Club and Programs by Shopping Online!     Please consider this as holiday shopping season approaches ... We’re continuing to partner with Shop.com, which offers you convenience and good deals, and earns money to support our club throughout the year!  Click “S” logo below, for information about Shop.com, and click the Shop.com logo in the left column to enter the shopping portal!   ========================================= .

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