Pete Leonard
Head Coach/Program Director
Visit my blog: Coach's Corner
In May of 2006 Pete accepted an offer to come to Fairbanks to start-up and run the NSCF’s year-round junior program, which came to be known as FXC. At that point he had been living in Lake Placid, NY where he had been the assistant cross country coach for NYSEF in winter and working as a bike mechanic during the summer. With NYSEF, Pete worked with a wide range of age groups, putting on regular training and/or clinics for skiers from 8 to 60. He had also served two years on the staff of the Mid-Atlantic JO team including head wax coach in 2006, and as both trip leader/head coach and head wax coach in two years with the New York Eastern High School Championships team.
Before moving to the Lake Placid region, Pete had raced for Williams College, serving as captain of the ski team in 2004 on his way to earning a B.A. in Geosciences upon graduation that same year. His ski career at Williams was marked by only a couple of notable results, but it did provide him the opportunity to build some great friendships and to go to some amazing places, including a half-year spent studying in Norway. With this in mind, Pete has moved into coaching, hoping to provide similar opportunities for the skiers in FXC.
Pete in his element...
Nick Crawford
Assistant Coach
Nick moved to Fairbanks in the summer of 2009 to become FXC’s assistant
coach. He is a 2009 graduate of Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine
with a degree in Environmental Sciences and Geology and a minor in Biology. At
Bowdoin he was a four-year member of the ski team, and elected captain
his senior year. He has an extensive background in outdoor sports
and recreation, including leading canoe trips, working as a raft guide,
and taking advantage of what New Zealand has to offer during a semester
abroad. He also enjoys riding his road bike, assuming it is in one
piece.
Nick grew up on a cross-country ski area owned by his family in the hill
towns of western Massachusetts, and his life-long involvement with skiing
is evident in the passion that he brings to practice every day.