Coaches

We have excellent coaches with Brian Abery at the helm as Head Coach and several assistant coaches (in alphabetical order):

  • Nick Hall
  • Jacob Daubenburger
  • Kaitlin Lee
  • Derek Schlager

They each invest an incredible amount of time and energy into this large team of skiers. For that we are so grateful.

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Coaches
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About our coaches...

Brian Abery, Head Coach

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He's got some favorite quotes to share:

  • "Having fun and focusing on the process of skiing leads to much better outcomes than an emphasis on race placings and times."
  • "Nordic skiing is 110% perspiration (i.e. effort) with the remaining 20% based on the genes one gets from parents."
  • "Ski the tracks...they are your friend."

Jacob Daubenberger, Assistant Coach

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The photo above says it all.

Nick Hall, Assistant Coach

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Nick has five kids with two kids on the team - Ashlyn (9th grade) and Ethan 12th grade) - with some future skiers, Klee and Sevi (both 4 years)!

Nick has been coaching Nordic skiing for 17 years (7 years with ISD 196)

He states "It's always great to meet new skiers, reconnect with our returning skiers, and see what the new season brings to the table!" He also emphasizes, "There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices!" Truth!

He loves nordic skiing because of both the community and the values it instills where hard work, discipline, and commitment directly correlate with skiers success.

Kaitlin Lee, Assistant Coach

Coming soon...!

As a new coach to the ISD 196 Nordic Ski program, Kaitlin is excited to return to the sport she has loved since high school. After coaching for a few years out of college, she’s enjoyed skiing recreationally for many years since. Even though she is the head cross country girls coach at Apple Valley, she is a self professed fair-weather runner who would much rather be on the snow than on the road in the winter. During the day she teaches chemistry with an amazing team at Apple Valley High School.  She’s super eager to help grow the Nordic ski program at Apple Valley and share her passion for skiing with our team.

Derek Schlager, Assistant Coach

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Formerly a Burnsville High School cross-country, Nordic, and track coach for seven years, this year will be Derek's third year in the great ISD 196!  He was head coach for BHS's Nordic Ski team 2016 - 2020.  He also has been privileged to work alongside the great Andy Dodds through SSTG for the past several years.

Schlager is LOVING teaching mathematics at EVHS and looks forward to learning how to ski FAST with the ISD 196 Nordic Ski crew.

Some of his favorite quotes:

  • "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right." - Henry Ford.

  • "Judge a man by his questions rather than his answer." - Voltaire

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ISD 196 Nordic Ski Booster Club | email: isd196nordicskiteam@gmail.com

Head Coach: Brian Abery | email: abery001@umn.edu