Coaches’ Guide to Championship Team Selection

This guide is aimed as a reference for coaches seeking to help their athletes qualify for U16s and EHS. It is complementary to the qualification overview and to the technical reference describing how points and rankings are calculated.

Coach responsibilities at a glance

Coaches play a key role in setting athletes up for success in the Massachusetts juniors skiing ecosystem and serve as advocates for their skiers in the team naming process. In practice, this involves the following responsibilities:

Before the MA Nordic Cup

Confirm that all athletes interested in a championship team are registered for the MA Nordic Cup.
Prepare athletes to race in classic and skate technique.
Submit waiver requests in advance for any athlete who expects to miss any part of the MA Nordic Cup.

During the season

Make sure athletes are on track to complete at least one scored classic race and one scored skate race.
Review posted results and the MRL regularly for accuracy.
Report errors or omissions to the Mass Nordic Board as soon as possible.

Note for 2026: This year, the MA Nordic Cup fulfills the classic race requirement for all athletes. The Cup does not include a skate race, so every athlete must finish at least one scored skate race elsewhere to remain eligible for objective team selection.

Team naming period

Advise athletes on whether a discretionary petition may be appropriate.
Submit discretionary petitions by the stated deadline when warranted.
Help athletes understand the timeline and process for final team selection.

Eligibility and participation

Coaches should confirm that athletes are registered for the MA Nordic Cup, as only athletes who have registered are considered for team selection. Athletes who anticipate being unable to complete any portion of the MA Nordic Cup should still register for the race and their coach should apply for a waiver (see “Waivers” below).

Other scored racing

Public and private high school races, Eastern Cups, the MA Nordic Cup, and other statewide races are scored for MA Nordic Points. Every athlete who’s registered for the MA Nordic Cup receives points for finishing any of those races.

Additional racing beyond the MA Nordic Cup can only improve, not hurt, an athlete’s point average.

The MA Ranking List (MRL)

The MA Ranking List (MRL) ranks skiers based on an average of their best results across the season, with a special nod to performance in the MA Nordic Cup. Classic and skate averages are tracked separately and then combined. Lower point values indicate better performances.

If a skier competes in the MA Nordic Cup in a given technique, the points average is taken over the Cup points and up to three better results of that technique, with the Cup result serving as a placeholder for other races when fewer than three are available.

If a skier has a pre-approved waiver to miss the MA Nordic Cup in a given technique, then the points average is taken over their best races of that technique (up to three are counted). At least one scored race in each technique is required to appear on the ranking list.

The ranking list is published after the MA Nordic Cup and updated regularly through the end of the Eastern Cup season. The final list used for team selection is published after the final Eastern Cup weekend.

Team naming and discretionary petitions

Of the 24 available spots on each championship team, twenty are awarded based on placement on the MRL. The remaining four are reserved for discretionary selection. If a skier declines an objective slot, that slot is offered to the next eligible skier on the MA Ranking List.

Discretionary selection is intended for a small number of cases where a skier’s competitive ability is not well represented by their position on the MA Ranking List. Examples may include late-season return from injury or illness, limited race opportunities due to circumstances beyond the athlete’s control, or performances at major events that are not fully reflected in the scoring system. Discretionary selection is not intended to broadly reorder the ranking list or substitute for consistent season-long results.

Coaches may submit petitions for discretionary selection of an athlete via this form. The deadline for petitions is the Monday following the final Eastern Cup of the season.

Waivers

Under certain circumstances, athletes may apply for a waiver to miss any part of the MA Nordic Cup while remaining eligible for championship teams. Waiver requests must be submitted by coaches prior to the MA Nordic Cup via this form. Coaches should submit one form for each athlete.

Waivers may be granted for illness or injury on the day of the event, for family commitments that prevent participation, or for skiers on the bubble of Junior Nationals qualification. Other extracurricular activities generally do not qualify. More detail is provided in the technical reference

The Mass Nordic Board reviews waiver requests and communicates decisions to the athlete and coach.

Athletes who miss the MA Nordic Cup with an approved waiver should plan to race at least one scored classic and one scored skate race over the course of the season. Doing so will place them on the MA Ranking List (MRL) and maintain their eligibility to be selected on objective criteria. Athletes who do not complete scored races in both techniques are eligible for team naming only as discretionary selections.

Data submission and review

Race results from points-eligible events are submitted to Mass Nordic and used to calculate MA Nordic Points and update the results database, which is updated regularly throughout the season. Coaches typically submit results by emailing them as an attachment to [email protected].

In the 25-26 season, the designated representatives responsible for submitting results for each league or circuit are:

Mass Bay West: Chris Li
Mass Bay East: Susannah Wheelwright
Berkshire League: Hunter Greene
Lakes Region: Evan Kendall
Eastern Cups: Chris Stock

Coaches should review posted results promptly and report errors as soon as possible. Reasonable efforts are made to resolve verified errors prior to final team selection.