Even though we haven’t had much snow in this region of Michigan since winter officially began, the Oxford-Brandon varsity co-ed ski team has been trying really hard to get the flakes to fall.
‘I’ve been trying to get my ski team to do a snow dance, but I guess nobody’s listening to us,? Head Coach Ed Haley joked.
So far, Haley’s team of 20 (10 are from Oxford) have been practicing on dry land using ? rollerblades, of all things.
Haley said he began using rollerblades for practice a few years ago in cases of a dry snow spell.
‘With rollerblades you can do the same elements of skiing,? he said. ‘You can work with the pressure and angulation. The only thing you can’t do with rollerblades is edge.?
Haley also said both rollerblading and skiing focus on the body’s quadriceps muscles and can use the same amount of gravity force at times.
Although his team is a very young one (there’s only one senior, Dylan Moore, on the team), Haley is positive they will become a highly competitive team.
‘As far as accomplishments go, I’d like to see them win meets…to ski to the best of their abilities and to enjoy what they’re doing,? the coach said.
Captains for Oxford this year are sophomores Olivia Tyler and Anthony Sottile.
Haley, who has coached skiing in Oxford since 2002, said the most challenging teams Oxford is up against is usually Flushing and Grand Blanc, but that he has a feeling ‘Holly is going to throw something at us this season.?
Even though the season has just started, Haley predicts that Brandon sophomore Casey Drayton and Oxford junior Justin Hickmott will have strong potential to make it to state finals.
The Oxford-Brandon team begins their season Wednesday, Jan. 10 against Holly at Mt. Holly at 4:15 p.m.