For the week of April 23 - 29, 2003

Nordic team
salutes its best

At River Run Lodge

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By JODY ZARKOS
Express Staff Writer

About 225 people showed up at River Run Lodge Monday night for the season-ending banquet of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation’s Junior Nordic ski program.

Head coach Rick Kapala thanked the parents for their support and noted in his remarks that the program has grown from 30 kids to 120. "I don’t know how we got here, but we did," said Kapala.

Kapala added, "We challenge kids to race, not because we are concerned about winning, but we are concerned with trying."

Parents and athletes gave Kapala and his coaching staff several standing ovations during the lengthy ceremony. Kapala was given a Postal Service bike jersey signed by Lance Armstrong and a Specialized road bike, presented by the senior team members and parents.

Awards by each team were:

·  Competition team: Rookies of the Year—Morgan Arritola and Reid Pletcher. Most Improved—Erin McQueen and Alex Hamlin. Coaches Awards—Devyn Parnes and Robert Slough.

Most Outstanding—Alexa Turzian, Mike Sinnott and Matt DeCarufel. Most Inspirational (voted on by the team)—Morgan Arritola and Matt DeCarufel.

Peggy and Sigi Engl awards for outstanding student-athlete-leaders—Alissa Praggastis and Hannes Thum.

·  Prep team: Most Inspirational—Nima Sherpa and Diki Sherpa. Most Improved—Mikey Matteson and Diki Sherpa. Coaches awards—Scotty Phelan and Keller Gibson. Most Outstanding—Scotty Phelan and Mali Noyes.

·  Devo teams: Most Improved—Zoe Valvo, Syringa Hansen and Jake Adicoff (Lake Creek team); Shyla Jones and Joey Stellars (Quigley team).

Most Outstanding—Maggie Williams and Max Durtschi (LC); Kaitlyn Landis and Chase Josey (Q). Most Inspirational—Emily Williams and Nicol Wheeler (LC); Kathryn Henry and Gardner Cord (Q).

Coaches Awards—Tate Reed-McDorman and Calder Zarkos (LC); Brooke Lawrence and Jordan Niedrich (Q).

Dubious Coaches Award: The NARDO award for the Most Boneheaded Act of the season went to Pat Casey for impaling himself on a log after jumping off a cat track.

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