Abstract
Record high temperatures and low snowfall disrupted youth Nordic skiing in the Midwestern United States last year. To understand impacts of the anomalous weather, we explored: 1) Nordic ski coaches’ perceptions of how weather conditions in the 2023-2024 season influenced youth skiers’ performances, mindsets, and enjoyment, and 2) how coaches anticipate climate change may affect the future of Nordic. Coaches from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan (n=115) completed an online survey, indicating their agreement with 14 statements (e.g., “The weather conditions caused skiers to be less confident to compete than in years with more snow and lower temperatures”) on a 5-point scale. Performance-related statements addressed fitness and technique; mindset-related statements addressed psychological preparedness and motivation; future-oriented statements addressed accessibility, recruitment, fairness, and performance. We calculated frequencies and percentages of item responses. Overall, most coaches agreed the 2023-2024 weather conditions contributed to poorer experiences. Over 60% agreed skiers’ fitness levels and technique were worse; over 70% agreed skiers felt less psychological preparedness, motivation, and enjoyment. Regarding the future of Upper Midwest skiing, over 65% agreed national competition fairness and performance would decline if low snow and warming patterns continue. Nearly all coaches agreed continued weather disruptions would make it difficult for Nordic teams with fewer financial resources to remain competitive; 78% agreed it would become harder to recruit skiers from diverse communities. Nordic coaches may benefit from learning practical strategies to support youths’ performances, mindsets, and enjoyment amidst challenging seasons. Climate-related impacts on youth sport psychology and accessibility deserve continued attention.
