Season: Winter (November to February)
Email: snowshoe@somdmontgomery.org
Overview: Snowshoe is a running sport similar to track, but with snowshoes on. Typical events are a 50M run, 100M run, 4×100 Relay, etc. Level 1 Snowshoers run or walk short distances up to 100M. Level 2 Snowshoers run or walk distances of 100M or greater.
| Coaches | John Bogasky – Head Coach Debbie French – Assistant Coach Ray Moy – Assistant Coach |
| Season Dates & Times | Practices: Saturdays 9 am – 10:30 am starting 11/11/23 On-Snow Trainings: 1/6/24 and 2/10/24 at Whitetail Resort Qualifiers: (Time Trials) Sunday of Winter Games State Games: SOMD Winter Games: 2/25-27/2024 at Wisp Resort |
| Medical & Volunteer Expiration Date | February 27, 2024 The expiration date on an athlete’s Medical form, or a Volunteer’s certification, must be after the above date to participate in the upcoming Snowshoe season. Check athlete status here. Check volunteer status here. |
Special Olympics Resources for Snowshoeing
Equipment: SOMO will provide athletes with snowshoes. Athletes are free to bring their own snowshoes, and many athletes do so. Please talk with the Head Coach about the snowshoe rules before purchasing your own snowshoes.
Uniform Requirements: SOMO will provide athletes with a jacket, fleece, and hat. Families can purchase and keep their uniform or return them at the end of the season. Athletes are responsible for all other apparel. Sneakers are normally worn with snowshoes, especially in races. We recommend that athletes wear some form of water-resistant pants for Snowshoe.
Practice Overview:
Location: Bohrer Park, 512 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Meet at the picnic pavilion.
Timing: Practice occurs every Saturday morning from the season start until the Saturday a week before Winter Games. Practices on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years weekends, if they occur, are optional. On-Snow Training replaces regular practice on Saturdays where the team travels to Whitetail Resort.
Activities: Practice begins with warm-ups, generally to music such as the Cha-Cha-Slide. Once warmed-up, athletes put on their snowshoes to practice running on an oval we set up at Bohrer Park. Practices include drills and games, all with the aim of improving their running skill with snowshoes on.
On-Snow Training At Whitetail Resort: Once or twice each season, the team travels to Whitetail Resort for an on-snow training experience with athletes from other counties.
Qualifiers: Snowshoe Time Trials occur at Wisp Resort on the Sunday before SOMD Winter Games.
State Competition: SOMD Winter Games will be at Wisp Resort in late February.
Eligibility for State Competition: Athletes must attend at least 8 practices and participate in Time Trials to be eligible to compete in Winter Games. Athletes that cannot participate in Winter Games due to other commitments (e.g., school or work) are encouraged to participate in Time Trials in order to have an on-snow competition experience.
Participation in Other SOMO Sports: Snowshoers can participate in other SOMO sports so long as the athlete can maintain full practice and competition participation in all of their sports.
Athlete Participation Contract: Not Required
Housing Requirements for State Competition (Winter Games): Athletes participating in Winter Games will be housed for two nights in hotels at or near Wisp Resort along with chaperones and the coaching staff, at a ratio of 3 athletes per chaperone/coach.
Athletes participating in Time Trials alone will participate as Day-of Athletes, without housing.
Other Considerations: None