Devo Program Free Trial

Come check us out! Drop in anytime to meet the Coaches and other Members and experience the program for free. The free trial is one week’s worth of practices. Contact Coach Tegan Thorley for more information.

The Mat-Su Nordic Devos program seeks to develop ski skills and fitness for middle school aged athletes through a combination of ski-specific sessions, endurance cross-training, and fun-focused exploration of our Alaskan trails. While our program is structured with the intent of supporting racers, race experience is not required, and we encourage multi-sport versatility for our athletes. So, if your middle schooler is stoked on skiing and pushing the family pace on hikes, send them our way! We’ll rollerski, trail run, build strength, swim, and generally get muddy until the snow flies.

As we do rollerski for much of our training, prior ski experience (but not rollerski experience) is expected - if you’re looking to get into the sport, we look forward to seeing you at Mat-Su Junior Nordics for an all-ages introduction to the Nordic world! For families coming from Junior Nordics, Devos best suits skiers who can very comfortably participate in the Grizzlies group. For newer Grizzlies, Wolves, or Foxes, check out our Minis group!

An overview of equipment requirements is included below. For equipment and general questions, please contact tegan.thorley@matsuski.org. For administrative or pricing questions, please contact eric.strabel@matsuski.org. 

Year-Round and Seasonal Programs

The program year is divided into Summer, Fall, and Winter seasonal terms.  A year-round membership is offered at a discounted rate per session.

Free Week Trials are available.  Select the 'Free Trial' option in the drop-down to come check out the program and see if it's a good fit.  If you're not sure when you'd like to try out the program, sign up for the free trial to get on the mailing list and receive regular Junior program emails with upcoming schedules and plans.

Season Options

• Summer - $595

  • May 19th to August 17th (12 weeks)

    • Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:00-9:30 AM

      • Longer sessions on occasion with prior notice - we’ll sometimes venture up to Hatcher Pass for a longer run or hike. These may start as early as 7:00, or conclude as late as 9:45 AM. We get that summer is busy, and longer sessions may just not work with the family schedule - but please reach out if athlete transport is a barrier!

    • Two potential camps:

      • June 12-14

      • July 24-26

    • *No Sessions week of July 4th Holiday

    • Older Devos may have the option to join Juniors practices if level-appropriate. If you are interested, please contact the coaching staff and we can figure out the best fit!

• Fall - $390

  • August 18th to November 2nd (10 weeks)

    • During XC season: 2 sessions per week, scheduled around XC practices & meets.  Additional guidance offered if not running XC.

    • Post XC season: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 3:15 - 4:45 PM

• Winter - $995

  • November 3rd, 2025 - April 4th, 2026 

  • 21 weeks

    • Monday, Wednesday, Thursday

      • Occasional weekend practices and races

    • Early November camp (2 days on a long weekend)

    • Race ski planning and consultations for all races

    • Besh Cup race service

• Year Round - $1,595 (Best Deal!)

  • May 19th, 2025 to April 4th, 2026

  • 43 weeks (Summer, Fall, and Winter)

  • Semi-annual payment plan is available.  2nd half-payment due Oct 1, 2025.

Prorated Fees are offered for mid-season registration for new members.  Contact Eric Strabel (eric.strabel@matsuski.org) to receive the discount coupon or with any questions and to get the practice plan.

Family discounts are available for families with multiple year-round Mat-Su Nordic program members.  Contact Eric Strabel at eric.strabel@matsuski.org with your family's membership intentions for a discount code before registering.

• 10% off for 2 family members

• 20% off for 3 family members

• 30% off for 4 or more family members

Special Registration Notes:

• Be sure to support the Mat-Su Ski Club by being a MSSC member!  Except for the Free 1-week trial, a current family MSSC Membership is required to participate in the youth programs (Mini, Devo, Junior); Individual or Family membership is required for the Masters.

• You must be logged in to our website with your Mat-Su Ski Club membership identity to add these products to your cart (except for the free trial).

• If you're still having trouble registering or viewing the calendar (below) on your mobile device, please try a desktop browser.

Recommended Gear for Dryland Training

Running and Strength

• Trail running shoes

• Weather appropriate clothing

On Foot w/Poles

• Trail running shoes

• Weather appropriate clothing

• classic ski-length poles work okay, but a pair that are 2-3 inches shorter is ideal

Skate Rollerski

• High-vis/neon shirt

• Bike helmet is required

• Skate rollerskis (personally owned)

• Skate length poles with ferrules installed in place of snow baskets

• Knee and elbow pads if you prefer.  A few falls are expected if you're new to roller skiing.

Classic Rollerski

• High-vis/neon shirt

• Bike helmet is required

• Classic rollerskis (personally owned)

• Classic length poles with ferrules installed in place of snow baskets

• Knee and elbow pads if you prefer.  A few falls are expected if you're new to roller skiing.

Mountain Bike (potential)

• Appropriate clothing and shoes as you prefer

• Helmet is required

• A reliable and safe bike for the trails.  Please have your bike inspected by a reputable bike mechanic if you're not sure.  Suspension is nice but not required.  Fat tire bikes work well too.