Apple Valley High School Skier Competes in Utah at Junior Nationals

Right now, sophomore Rhett Carlson is experiencing Minnesota's summer-like weather with the rest of his classmates and local residents.

But a little more than a week ago, Carlson was skiing across snow-covered ground in Utah, competing in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's Junior National Cross Country Ski Championship.

The competition, held at 2002 Winter Olympics venue Soldier Hollow, was the first national-level competition for Carlson, who is a member of District 196's nordic ski team. He competed with a Midwest Junior National Team of eight boys.

Carlson was in Utah for about a week and a half, and competed in a 1.3-kilometer classic technique sprint, a 5K skate technique race, a 5K classic race and a 3K skate relay, he said.

His best finish came in the final freestyle competition with the skate relay team, he said, which finished 15th; he had the third-best time on his team of eight.

The altitude affected the racing for a lot of the Midwesterners and East Coasters, Carlson said. But the finishes didn't detract from what Carlson's mom, Mary Carlson, called an "incredible" setting and experience.

"It's just really fun to watch," she said.

"The mountains were like nothing I’ve ever seen in Minnesota," Rhett said. The experience, he said, has inspired him to work harder on his skiing and return next year.

A Ski Team Support System

Carlson has been on the District 196 nordic ski team since he was in sixth grade—at that point, he was the only sixth grader the team had ever had, he said. Though he had skied a little before, needless to say, he was apprehensive.

"I don’t think I even competed the first year I skied," he said.

But he kept practicing, and looked up to the older team members; his mom said she was a bit nervous about her son being on a team with high school kids—a different setup than other school sports—but the experience has been good.

"It’s so amazing to see all those great kids come together … to support each other," she said. She said past District 196 skiers have come back and kept in touch with the current high school skiers.

By eighth grade, Carlson had been on the team longer than most of his high school teammates. Now he's one of the older students and hopes to help his younger teammates.

He also hopes to do well in state the next two years (he made it to state competition this past season), and to make the next level of junior nationals the next two years, he said.

He'll forgo his spring track and field season to do some rollerski training for skiing. In the summers, he works with the Minnesota Valley Cross Country Ski Team.

Though he wants to continue improving at the sport, Carlson said it's not easy—or even enjoyable—at all times.

“It hurts and it’s tough, and I kind of question why I really do this sport" while he's in the middle of a race, he said.

But there's always gratification in finishing a competition, Carlson said, which makes it worth it. He'd encourage other students to try nordic skiing for the experiences that he's had, even though the sport doesn't get a lot of public attention.

"[Utah] was one of the most fun and interesting experiences I’ve ever had in my life," he said. "I wouldn’t have traded it for anything."

To see full results from the junior nationals races, visit the USSA website.