Ice Badgers Nordic Ski Team

The focus is on fun, adventure, skill development, and building confidence through skiing.

Welcome to the Ice Badgers Nordic Ski Team! 

We are a youth ski team based in Missoula, MT.  The season runs January 4th - March 3rd.  We practice at the Pattee Canyon and Lubrecht.  If there is no snow at those places we extend practices to Lolo Pass and Gold Creek ski areas.  We practice 50% classic and 50% skate.

1. Ice Badgers - Mondays/Wednesdays - January 4th - March 3rd - 4:30-6pm

2. Ice Badgers Adults - Mondays/Wednesdays - January 4th - March 3rd - 4:30-6pm

3. Ice Badgers Travel Race Team (IBEX) - October 1st - March 3rd - Follows IMD JNQ schedule - 1-6 days a week

2026–2027 Ice Badgers Programs

1. Ice Badgers Main
Vibe: Slightly aggro, push yourself, have fun, ski fast.

Grades 4–12
Classic practice: Mondays at Lubrecht
Skate practice: Wednesdays at Pattee Canyon
Race entries included: Nordic Dance, Randy Beckner, and Follow Your Heart
Coaches: Anne, Shaun, Abby, Jenny, Atty, Jonathan, and others

2. Ice Badgers Travel (IBEX)
Vibe: Nordic is your main winter sport. You love training, racing, traveling, and being part of a team. This is not a learn to ski team, your skier should have experience in both skate and classic techniques prior to joining Ibex. 

Grades 7–12
Classic and skate practices 3–5 days per week
Racing most weekends, primarily on the Intermountain Division Junior National circuit
Season: October–February
Head Coaches: Mike Lessard and Orion Berryman, Coaches: Ella, Payton, Chris, and Shaun

3. Ice Badgers Adults
Vibe: Relaxed but motivated. Improve your skiing, ski lots of kilometers, and enjoy the community.

Skate practice: Mondays at Lubrecht
Skate practice: Wednesdays at Pattee Canyon
Season: January–February
Race entries included: Nordic Dance, Randy Beckner, and Follow Your Heart
Coaches: Jeff Bookwalter and Ruby Zitzer

PRACTICE CONCEPT:
Practice will always have a group chat and game and snack, followed by getting with your smaller animal groups and working on the skill of the practice or getting after the adventure ski!  We will always end with a chat and coco.  Teams are important, they keep athletes engaged.  We will continue to push the team while working on individual skier development within their smaller groups.  We follow the Ice Badger Curriculum which is a combination of our learned experiences and L100 training.

Race expectations and attendance will be different for each program.

Ice Badgers Main and Ice Badgers Adults will follow the Montana Nordic Cup Races Below and all registered skiers receive a free entry to those events.  

Ice Badgers Travel will follow the IMD Junior National Qualifier races and the Montana Nordic Cup Below.  Race entries will be the responsibility of the families.

Snow Owl (4th/5th grade boys), Coach Jonathan

• Learn to V1 and the differences between 1 and V2
• Attend 2 races
• Can continuous skate for 2k, non stop
• Can skate to the first flat on Lubrecht epic
• Classic kick and glide rhythm
• Proper double pole without hurting back
• Proper DH cornering technique
• Stopping from a fast DH
• Can start proper
• Successful nutrition for practice and event day

Artic Fox (4th/5th grade girls) Coach Jenny

• V1, V2, and V2 alternate all mastered, intro situational on these
• V1 poling on both sides
• Lubrecht epic to the otter slide junction past the first
• Classic kick and glide rhythm
• 1 classic, 1 skate event
• Pacing at and event and nutrition at an event
• Double pole without hurting back
• Fast cornering
• Flat ski, long glide master

Swift Fox (4th-12th boys and girls - IBEX Devo) Coach Anne

• V1, V2, and V2 alternate all mastered, intro situational on these
• V1 poling on both sides
• Lubrecht epic full
• Classic kick and glide rhythm
• 1 classic, 1 skate event
• Pacing at and event and nutrition at an event
• Double pole without hurting back
• Fast cornering
• Flat ski, long glide master
• 2 days a week

Polar Bear (Middle/HS Boys) Coach Shaun

• 2 skate races, 1 classic race
• Can sprint for 30s
• Proper double poll and starts
• DH without limits
• Flat ski glide challenge
• V1 on both sides
• Master V1, V2 and V2 alternate, start to know when to use them
• Nutrition for practice and racing
• All the way to the top Lubrecht Epic
• 2 days a week

Snow Leopard (Middle/HS Girls) Coach Abby

• 2 skate races, 1 classic race
• One event 10k in length
• V1, V2, and V2 alternate master
• Situational skiing technique, when to use and demonstrate
• True kick and glide rhythm achieved
• Double pole dialed and when to use it
• Downhill limitless, can follow Coach Abby down Lubrecht
• How to start in a pack
• Fast cornering on flat and dh
• Can ski backwards
• How to pace for a long ski
• Lubrecht epic = top
• 2 days a week

Ice Badger Travel (IBEX 7th-12th) - Head Coach = Orion Berryman & Mike Lessard

• Work towards the Junior National Qualifier Races
• Attend 2 JNQ races
• Attend a 3rd practice during the week
• V1, V2, V2 alternate within a race, muscle memory
• 1 classic, 4 skate races
• V1 both sides, almost equal power
• Interval training
• Waxing your own skis
• Ski fit, ski temps, ski grinds
• Sprints and how to sprint, win one sprint during the year any place
• Starts and race tactics

You can reserve your rental gear through Shaun Radley the Team Director.  He rents gear for the season.  All programs are 50% skate, 50% classic.  Skintec or scales work great for classic skis.  Please email montanacyclocross@gmail.com to make your appointment for rental gear.  It can happen any time!

• Rental poles $25
• Rental skis $50
• Rental boots $50

Ice Badgers families can also purchase gear for 25% off retail through Shaun Radley, email montanacyclocross@gmail.com to order.

ZANY & PARKS AND REC

We've also been working closely with Meg from Missoula Parks and Recreation and Abby from Zootown Area Nordic Youth (ZANY). Our shared goal is simple: help every skier find the program that's the best fit. We've reduced overlap between programs and are working together to make registration easier.

Missoula Parks and Recreation offers an after-school, learn-to-ski program that includes scholarships, after-school transportation, and equipment. The program focuses on classic skiing and is a great introduction to Nordic skiing.

Zootown Area Nordic Youth (ZANY), operated by the Missoula Nordic Ski Club, serves skiers ages 6–12 at Pattee Canyon. The program starts with primarily classic instruction and also offers several skate ski groups where athletes can build skills in a fun, supportive environment. Coaches are experienced parent volunteers with strong Nordic backgrounds.

Both programs emphasize learning to ski while having fun.

*All Ice Badgers Coaches have current safesport training.  Here's a preview of some of our foundational coaches

Shaun Radley - I will return as the Team Director and Head Coach of the Ice Badgers.  My dad taught me from a young age about the peace, serenity, and adventure that xc skiing brings to your life.  In college I taught myself how to skate ski in Missoula and Badwax was invented.  I own MTCX Ski, a retail shop and my whole career is based around biking and skiing.  I have 3 kids.  Logan 14, Henry 11, and Freya 8.  Best recent results were 16th Boulder Mountain Tour and 22nd West Yellowstone.

Abby Wiggin - Abby will return as a Co-Team Director.  She grew up skiing in Vermont.  From an early age she raced skis and found it a bit miserable.  That experience ingrained toughness and grit especially for the winter months.  She brings a passion for fun, skill development, and figuring out your own racing voice.  Abby is also the head of ZANY, our youth partner program with MIssoula Nordic Ski Club.  She works at MTCX Ski as a tech and sales person and can help folks with fit and things.  Abby is part of the 9 person Badwax, 7 year club, and also won her age group in the 25k classic at West last year.  Abby has two kids Georgia, 15 and Eli, 12 on the Badgers.

Orion Berryman - Orion is our co Head Coach and is an amazing resource for youth and adult skiing.  He will return as the Head Coach of the Badger Elite Group.  New name, but it's our advanced middle school and high school group.  They race 5-7 times a year and Orion does an amazing job with them.  Orion skied collegiately for APU and is the best skier in Missoula.  I'm saying it not him.  He represents our town on the biggest stages.  Masters National champion, and multiple OSCR 50k winner and annual top 5 50k West skier, Badwax golden shirt 3x.  What people don't know about OB is his passion for coaching and youth sports.  He is the best.  Orion has Lark 11, Ender 14, and Odin 16 as Badgers.

Jeff Bookwalter - Jeff is the Head Coach of the Ice Badgers Adults.  Jeff is a life long skier and in the last 10 years has really seen his personal racing take off.  Jeff is a continuous learner and that has shown with his family and himself.  He will ask the right questions and then teach future generations.  He is also in charge of the Badger Coaches retreat and education.  As a masters racer and also a dad of racers he brings a good perspective on events and skiing.  Jeff has Wren 10 and Willa 13 as Badgers.

We are always looking for volunteer coaches.  Our process is to start as an Assistant Coach for a season and then if interested you take the L100 USA Ski Training, Ice Badgers Coaches Training and move towards being a Head Coach.  

Head Coaches receive free registration to Ice Badgers Programming.

If you are interested in volunteer coaching please email shaun@mtcx.org