With the first rash of ski movies hitting Whitman and fall’s first dusting of snow in the Blue Mountains, the snow-hungry contingency of Whitman students begins grumbling about warm weather and dreaming of powder.

Yet new Nordic ski coach Calisa Schouweiler and the men’s and women’s Nordic teams have been training since school started amidst 100 degree heat.

“I’m so excited to get on snow,” said Schouweiler, who will be taking the men’s and women’s Nordic teams to West Yellowstone for Thanksgiving week as part of the yearly convergence of the American cross country ski world.

Throughout college and high school, Schouweiler raced as a cross country skier. She continues to compete in citizen races.

“My mom encouraged me to start skiing,” said Schouweiler, who grew up downhill skiing. “My family was split: half hockey, half skiing.” Her brother (a member of the hockey half of the family) began dogsled racing and competed in the 2006 Iditarod.

Schouweiler graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Minnesota’s Saint Cloud State University. She went on to complete her master’s in exercise physiology at Saint Cloud in 2006.

Schouweiler served as the assistant Nordic coach for both Saint John’s University and College of Saint Benedict for the 2004-05 season.

“I think it helps some that I have a background in physiology,” said Schouweiler in regards to being a first-time head coach. But Schouweiler stressed the psychological aspects of coaching. “Everyone’s an individual and we all have to train a little bit differently for success.”

Growing up in northern Wisconsin, Schouweiler was immersed in Nordic ski culture. In 2001, as an undergraduate research assistant, Schouweiler went to Norway to work with the Norwegian Olympic Training Center and the Department of Physical Education at the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences.

“Ultimately, I love the rush of flying across the snow,” said Schouweiler as to why she chose cross country skiing. “I love the places that it takes you…the woods that we get to go to and the venues we race in are all so unique.”
“I really enjoy the trails of northern Minnesota. There’s something about the skinny trails that make you feel that you found them: and there’s not massive crowds.”

Schouweiler spent the past two years at the University of Wisconsin doing research for the School of Medicine and Public Health and the Department of Kinesiology.

“The thing about [Whitman skiers] is they’re also students. Part of my job is understanding the academic load as well.”

While Whitman is a Division III school and cannot give out athletic scholarships, the Nordic and alpine ski teams race Division I and some Division II teams. Whitman is the only Division III school in the western U.S. that competes in skiing.

“The athletes come to Whitman knowing that it’s Division I: it’s not that you have to change their motivation to compete at such a high level. Also, there’s no other option since there’s only one division [in Nordic skiing],” said Schouweiler. Schouweiler sees most Nordic skiers as highly motivated and views her job more as helping student athletes achieve the success they are capable of.

“Many of them come in with different goals: individual and team goals. Going to nationals doesn’t have to be the only measure of success. With Nordic skiing many skiers don’t peak until their late 20s, so there’s still potential to succeed after college.”

Schouweiler is excited for the season of skiing ahead.

“We have [sophomore] Devon Spika who went to nationals last year, and on the men’s side, [sophomore] Warren Mc Dermott: he’s hoping to make it to nationals this year,” said Schouweiler.

“We also have four freshman women: that should make an immediate impact on the team.”

As the team prepares to head to West Yellowstone, Schouweiler praised the close-knit community of the Nordic ski world. “Yellowstone is a pretty fun environment with [Nordic skiing] being such a small world.”

Schouweiler’s favorite gathering of skiers, however, is the Birkebeiner in her native Wisconsin. “The last couple years the American Birkebeiner has become really a special race… it truly has become the family reunion of Nordic skiing. You walk down the street and you know almost everyone there: and there’s some 7,000 people there,” said Schouweiler.

“So far, getting to know the athletes as people, as we develop relationships,” Schouweiler said, has been the highlight of coaching. “And that’s only going to get better.”