The Gogebic Community College Board of Trustees approved to add Nordic Skiing as a club sport beginning this winter of 2020-2021. A thriving athletic department is a vital component of Gogebic Community College’s strategic and enrollment management plans. “While GCC currently offers four varsity sports in men’s and women’s basketball, softball and coed eSports, there is room for growth athletically with the advancement of snow sports beginning with a club coed Nordic Skiing team. A Nordic Ski team will not just boost enrollment and create new athletic and recreational opportunities for our students, it will also serve our community at-large by creating a team of athlete-ambassadors to highlight and draw new interest to the abundant recreational opportunities that exist to future students and visitors of the Gogebic Range,” said Dr. George McNulty, GCC President. Embracing the location and climate allows the college to take ownership of their college brand in a way that benefits the campus and community by furthering the notion that they are a destination college. With the renewed competitive United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) Midwestern Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Conference, (MSCA) Gogebic Community College will now have the opportunity to compete outside of the NCAA’s established leagues in favor of a much more competitive race schedule–an opportunity the nordic team lacked in the past.

GCC has approached both ABR and Wolverine ski trails in Ironwood, MI about partnering with the College to provide access to world-class nordic trails to these student-athletes for practices and competitions, and both are willing and excited by the opportunity to support this program.

The proposed coed nordic ski coach will be a stipend position. The stipend assumes six months of regular contact with student-athletes with a competitive season of October through March. The position will also provide candidates the option to reside in our campus suites at no cost should the ideal candidate prefer that accommodation. Prospective student athletes and coaching candidates should visit our website or contact Mike Boerman, GCC Athletics Director at: athletics@gogebic.edu for more information.