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Show Kids work out with Wakley Future X-Country Champs If seriousness about the sport is any criteria, the Marsac basketball basket-ball court on Friday afternoons is a gathering place for future cross country ski champions. Half a dozen students of all ages take turns pushing themselves uphill on roller skis and exercising arm muscles on homemade exergen-ies. exergen-ies. While waiting turns on the equipment, they run a few laps, or shoot baskets with Coach Ralph Wakley. Ralph Wakley, former U.S. National Cross Country and Decathlon Team member, doesn't really call himself a coach. "I'm just helping out kids who're interested in cross country," he said. "I started working with my own boy, and a couple of his friends, and when others became interested, we began this program pro-gram through the elementary school." The program is geared to four levels: racers in training, those who would like to begin racing, those who want to go up in the mountains and just walk around, and those who've never been on cross country skis before. "The important thing is physical physi-cal fitness, not trainig all the time at this age," said Wakley. "I encourage them to ride their bikes, swim, hike at least three times a week. "After the snow . falls, we begin work on technique. techni-que. The younger they learn the technical aspects of cross country, the better. That way, if they decide at the age of 13 or 14 that they want to compete seriously, they can concentrate on racing techniques without having to worry about the basics." This is the third year of Marsac's cross country program, and considering how well some students have done in citizen's races thus far, they are well on their way to commanding those basics. Cross country lessons for beginniners will start as soon as there is sufficent snow. Lessons will be relatively inexpensive, depending on the cost of the expert instruction which will be offered. Bob Kassow will be one of the instructors for this program. Park High also will offer cross country ski classes, which will be held right on their football field, as part of regular physical education. |