MADISON, Wis. (April 17, 2023) – Central Cross Country Skiing (CXC) has announced a lineup of new and returning coaches, mentors, and advisors for its CXC Academy program.
CXC Academy has named Matthew Clarke, Team Birkie Assistant Coach, and Brian Gregg, a 2014 U.S. Olympian in Cross Country Skiing, to its team of guest coaches and mentors.
COACHES & MENTORS SPOTLIGHT
MATTHEW CLARKE HAS JOINED CXC ACADEMY AS A COACH AND ADVISOR. HE WILL OFFER TRAINING ADVICE THROUGH TRAINING PLANS, MONTHLY ZOOM CALLS, AND VIDEOS COVERING SPORT-SPECIFIC TRAINING TIPS LIKE RACE TACTICS AND PREPAREDNESS, SKI SELECTION, AND TECHNIQUE.
I am Matthew Clarke, an assistant coach with Team Birkie, a professional ski team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I have been lucky enough to work with high-level coaches like Caitlin Gregg and Leo Hipp to help foster and improve the skiing community in the Central Region.
I am from Bloomington, Minnesota. I skied competitively and continued my athletic and academic journey at The College of Saint Scholastica in Duluth, MN, where I majored in Exercise Physiology. There, I competed at the collegiate level, which gave me many valuable opportunities to improve my athletic and coaching experience.
Like you all, I find much joy in racing in the Midwest marathons. If I had to pick a favorite, it would have to be the Great Bear Chase. When I first skied the course, I was instantly drawn to it. I really enjoy the rolling of the course, and the environment surrounding the race is spectacular. The pasties at the end of the race are almost impossible to beat too.
When I was training as an athlete, I found myself getting into a rut of doing the same thing over and over again. One thing that I found a lot of joy in was delving more into cross-training. I think it is very important that we make sure training stays fun and doesn’t begin to seem like another job we must complete. My goal is to make this coming year a time when you can think of your training differently than you have before.
I am excited about training to start up again soon, and hopefully, I will be able to meet some of you out on the ski trails!
BRIAN GREGG HAS JOINED CXC ACADEMY AS A VOLUNTEER MENTOR AND MOTIVATOR. HE WILL OFFER TRAINING ADVICE THROUGH SPECIAL SUBSCRIBER-ONLY LIVE VIDEO BRIEFINGS, IN WHICH HE WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY YOU AND SHARE A FEW TIPS OF HIS OWN.
Brian moved to the Midwest after graduating from the University of Alaska Anchorage to join the CXC Professional Team. Brian ski raced professionally for 12 years and, in 2018, started working full-time. Brian is a Certified Financial Planner™ and LPL Investment Advisor Representative with PRG Financial. Brian likes to work hard and play hard. He and his wife Caitlin Gregg, a 2015 World Championships medalist, live in North Minneapolis with their daughter Heidi. Brian also guides ski trips to some of his favorite ski destinations with Endurance Adventures.
“As a professional skier for 12 years, my top focus was my athletic performance, then my family, then my work. Now my top priority is my family, my work, then my skiing. That being said, I love to race the fastest version of myself on any given day. I believe in preparing well and systematically, which requires strong planning and time management. I enjoy the pursuit of excellence and being creative to reach one’s goals.” – Brian
CXC Academy is one of the flagship programs of Central Cross Country Skiing (CXC). Recognized as the governing organization for cross country skiing by U.S. Ski & Snowboard in the North Central States of the United States, CXC has a long track record of helping skiers at any level.
CXC Academy is an online subscription service that provides professional training plans and targeted online training resources for cross-country skiers. Now stepping into its 16th season, CXC Academy has been a valuable tool for athletes and coaches around the nation and internationally. Whether a skier is a beginner looking to finish their first 5k, a Master skier training for a big ski event, or simply looking to improve overall strength and fitness, CXC Academy has a training program to meet these goals.
To learn more about CXC Academy and how it can help you improve your cross country skiing, check it out at www.cxcacademy.com.
We’d love to have you along as we look forward to training for the 2023-2024 ski season!
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