By Gavin Kentch
I first received the following press release from Erin Moening, head coach of the new MPLS Pro Project, earlier this month. I was overwhelmed with first U.S. Nationals and then Olympics coverage, and didn’t have the bandwidth for this till now (thank you to Erin for her patience on this).
Following my delay, Minneapolis has… come to mean something different in the public consciousness now than it did on January 1 of this year, shall we say. I asked Erin a few days ago whether she still wanted me to run this, considering her city’s ensuing occupation by masked, murderous agents of the federal government.
She wrote:
“I think it’s okay to go out, but maybe this additional context is important.
“When people talk about why the Twin Cities ski scene is special, the community is always brought up. It was really obvious at the Minneapolis World Cup that Minneapolis has a huge, passionate endurance community that shows up, and that hasn’t changed the last couple of weeks. At local protests, especially this past weekend when things turned violent from Federal Agents, you see the local ski clubs, shops and event jackets, hats, and buffs and instantly feel a bit of comfort. These last couple of weeks have been awful for the Twin Cities area, but the community has proven again and again that they show up in good or bad, and that’s why being a part of this community is so special.”
Here’s the press release.
Minneapolis Ski Club Nordic Launches MPLS Pro Project: A New Pathway for Post Collegiate Nordic Skiers
Minneapolis, Minnesota — Minneapolis Ski Club Nordic proudly announces the launch of the MPLS Pro Project, a professional level Nordic ski team designed to empower post collegiate athletes who are passionate about Nordic skiing to continue their athletic journey beyond graduation, without putting their careers or lives on hold. The inaugural Pro Project Post Collegiate program kicks off in May 2026, and the application process is now open.
The MPLS Pro Project is being built on the foundation of Minneapolis Ski Club Nordic’s talented junior training program, which has a history of developing strong endurance athletes. Alongside launching this new pro team, Minneapolis Ski Club is also celebrating its second year of hosting an NCAA College Summer Training Program, further supporting collegiate skiers as they train and develop during the off season.
Minneapolis Ski Club has a proud legacy in developing endurance athletes at all levels. As Board Member and former Program Director Kevin Brochman shares, “Minneapolis Ski Club began coaching skiers with fall training and trips to West Yellowstone in the 80s, then summer training in the 90s and now continues supporting athletes year-round. These programs have helped thousands reach their goals,” including U.S. Olympians at the 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022, and 2026 Games. “We’re so excited to continue on this legacy.”
In the United States, aspiring and talented Nordic skiers often face a difficult choice: pursue elite level training or step away from the sport to focus on their careers. The MPLS Pro Project aims to change this narrative by providing an innovative program that allows athletes to train and compete at a high level while maintaining full time jobs, internships, or other commitments.
The Minneapolis area is an amazing place to train, work, and live. The Twin Cities is a large metropolitan area with abundant job opportunities across diverse industries. It offers a vibrant arts and culture scene, beautiful natural spaces, and is known for having one of the highest qualities of life in the country. Being in a big city, with its incredible bike paths, running trails, and nearby towns featuring excellent rollerskiing terrain, means athletes can train like professionals while enjoying all the benefits of adult life in an urban environment.
“Let’s end ‘Ski Career Retirement,’” challenges Head Coach Erin of the MPLS Pro Project. “Having talented athletes step away from skiing is causing Nordic skiing to lose valuable community members. Instead, change what your relationship to skiing looks like. You don’t need to dedicate your entire life to skiing to keep skiing. Have an internship or job and race at U.S. Nationals and local SuperTours. Or pick some races that sound fun to you. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing; we just have to be creative in training and race selection.”
The MPLS Pro Project is dedicated to improving the U.S. domestic Nordic skiing experience by filling critical gaps for post collegiate athletes who wish to continue training and racing seriously while still building their professional and personal lives outside of sport.
As part of its commitment, Minneapolis Ski Club will support professional level athletes at U.S. SuperTour races by covering costs such as travel expenses and providing comprehensive coaching and wax support at events.
The program features:
• Flexible Training Schedules: Practices are designed around research-backed methods and adapted for working athletes.
• Individualized Coaching: Training plans tailored for each athlete’s unique needs and schedules.
• Community Support: An environment that values long term athlete development both on and off the snow.
• Opportunities and Support for Competing: Participation in U.S. Nationals, SuperTours, and other events suited for each athlete’s goals with cost coverage, coaching and wax support
While some may believe supporting dual career athletes could lead to less competitive outcomes, the Minneapolis Ski Club believes that holistic support will foster longer, happier relationships with competitive Nordic skiing and ultimately benefit the sport as a whole.
We welcome any athlete who is passionate about Nordic Skiing Training and Racing and wants skiing to be a part of their life post college to reach out or apply at mscnordic.com/mplsproproject.
For more information or inquiries, please contact:
Erin Moening
MPLS Pro Project Head Coach
Minneapolis Ski Club
erinmoening (at) gmail.com
About Minneapolis Ski Club:
Minneapolis Ski Club is dedicated to empowering, supporting and guiding the next generation of endurance athletes. We develop and support young Nordic skiers of all abilities. Through individualized coaching programs and challenging training locations, we prepare our athletes to reach their goals at high level regional and national races. Our community of coaches and athletes embraces a culture that nurtures each athlete’s confidence, encourages self-discovery and promotes the enjoyment of this lifelong sport, while building new connections with athletes and coaches from across the Twin Cities and Midwest Region.
