Article I -- Organization & Purpose

The name of this committee will be the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Cross Country Sport Committee. The Cross Country Sport Committee, (CCSC) pursuant to U.S. Ski & Snowboard Bylaw Article VI (c), will work with the paid professional staff of U.S. Ski & Snowboard to develop plans, strategies, and policies for submission to the CEO for the development and operations of cross country skiing and to assist U.S. Ski & Snowboard in the operation of the cross country skiing programs consistent with FIS regulations, U.S. Ski & Snowboard bylaws and the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act.

Its roles include assisting in the development and supervision of programs for competitor development, improvement to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard pipeline; assisting with the decisions on interdivisional questions concerning cross country competitions; and coordinating scheduling of international and national events in conjunction with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard staff.  Additionally, the committee will work:

• contribute sport expertise leading toward the realization of the vision and mission of U.S. Ski & Snowboard in the cross country discipline. 

• provide support in the identification and training of young cross country athletes with the potential to become elite international competitors.
• nominate a representative to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors.
• support and assist the U.S. Ski & Snowboard staff in all programs and aspects of a National athlete development plan for cross country.

Article II -- Government


Section I: The Cross Country Sport Committee (CCSC) is comprised of and will strive to represent the interests of the cross country community within the United States. Only current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Cross Country members are eligible for election or appointment to the CCSC and its subcommittees and/or technical working groups.

Section II: The CCSC is composed of the following members, selected without regard to race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The vote for representation to the CCSC will occur at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress. All CCSC members have one vote.

• chairperson, elected by the sport committee membership every four years, who may serve as the U.S. Ski & Snowboard board representative
• U.S. Ski & Snowboard Nordic program director, named by U.S. Ski & Snowboard job position
• team development coach, named by U.S. Ski & Snowboard job position
• athlete representatives, elected in conjunction with U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Athletes’ Council
• to two at-large members, appointed by the CCSC
  • Ten divisional representatives, designated/elected by the respective divisional committees; Alaska, PNSA, Far West, Intermountain, Rocky Mountain, High Plains, Midwest, Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic and New England.
• members, each to be designated/elected by the membership of the standing subcommittees, including:
 Rules and Technical (Officials)
 and Coaches. 
Each of the above, except staff positions, is to be held for a period of four years.
Terms will be staggered.

Section III: The Cross Country Sport Committee will annually select at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress an executive committee that will consist of the following representation:

• chairman of the Cross Country Sport Committee;
• Cross Country Sport Committee members selected by vote of the CCSC who are members in good standing;
• member selected by vote of the CCSC who is a current athlete representative to the Cross Country Sport Committee;
• Nordic program director.

Section IV: Each of the elected subcommittee chairs will update on a biennial basis their committee representation by accepting nominees from the regional representatives. Selection to a subcommittee will be based on an individual’s area of expertise in leading a specific working group. The acting subcommittee chair will provide to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard CCSC the finalized listing of his/her subcommittee representatives.
Each of the main Cross Country Sport Committee subcommittees will offer the following working group leadership positions:

• Coaches' Subcommittee
• Calendar Planning

• Coaches’ Education

• Junior and Development Programs
• Divisional programs
• Rules & Technical (Officials) subcommittee
  • Rules & Tech
  • Education/certification programs 

  • Technical delegate assignments


Each of the appointed working group leaders has the assigned responsibility to form their own working group and name their representatives. The objective for each working group is to work within a specific area of expertise throughout the year and to prepare formalized resolutions, which are presented to their appropriate subcommittee for finalization and recommendation to the Cross Country Sport Committee for vote and approval.


Section V: Elections and appointments to the Cross Country Sport Committee and the subcommittees are conducted biennially.  Any U.S. Ski & Snowboard cross country member desiring to participate on a subcommittee or working group should contact a current representative on the CCSC or the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Nordic program director.


Section VI: There will be no limit on the number of terms that any Cross Country Sport Committee representative, subcommittee representative and/or working group member may serve.

Section VII: In the event of a midterm resignation by a Cross Country Sport Committee representative, subcommittee representative, or working group member, the CCSC Executive board may appoint an interim replacement until the next U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress. 


Section VIII: A Cross Country Sport Committee representative, subcommittee representative, or working group member (with the exception of those positions held by the staff) may be removed, with or without cause, by a two-thirds vote of the entire CCSC committee. The CCSC Executive board may appoint an interim replacement until the next U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress.

Section IX: The Cross Country Sport Committee will be responsible for the formation of a Cross Country Judicial Committee consistent with the provision of Article IX of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Bylaws. The Cross Country Judicial Committee will be responsible for the dispensation of judicial matters arising from protected competitions pursuant to U.S. Ski & Snowboard Bylaw Article IX if referred by the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Judicial Committee.

Article III -- Meetings


Section I: The Cross Country Sport Committee will meet at least once per year, with no less than 30 days notice by the chair, and that meeting will be held at the same time and place as the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress.


Section II: Additional meetings of the Cross Country Sport Committee may be called at any time and for any purpose by the Nordic program director, the chair or by written request of three members of the CCSC to the chair. A minimum of 30 days written notice of a special meeting will be given and specify the purpose for which the meeting is called. Action at any special meeting will be limited to considering the agenda item(s) specified in the written notice of meeting.


Section III: All notices of meetings will include the place, date, time, and agenda of the meeting. Any notice may be given by first class mail or by transmission by electronic means (fax or e-mail).

Section IV: A quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Cross Country Sport Committee will consist of a simple majority of voting members.


Section V: All voting members of the Cross Country Sport Committee are entitled to one vote only. At any meeting duly called and held, a majority of the votes cast on a question by members who are present will decide such question.


Section VI: Proxy votes will not be allowed; however, divisional representatives are allowed to have an alternate (the divisional coordinator) who will be eligible to vote.

Section VII: Members of the Cross Country Sport Committee may participate in a meeting of the CCSC by means of a conference telephone call or similar communication method that allows all members participating to hear each other at the same time. Participation by such means constitutes presence in person at the meeting. Any action of the CCSC may be taken without a formal meeting when/if all members of the CCSC consent in writing to the adoption of a resolution authorizing an action.

Section VIII: The chairperson in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order will decide questions of order, except in the event of a conflict between these operating procedures and Robert’s Rules of Order. In all cases, the operating procedures governing the actions of the CCSC and the bylaws of U.S. Ski & Snowboard will prevail.

Section IX: No member of the Cross Country Sport Committee will receive any form of compensation or reimbursement of travel expenses to CCSC meetings. However, the chair may request U.S. Ski & Snowboard to reimburse reasonable transportation expenses for an athlete representative of the CCSC.

Section X: It is the responsibility of every Cross Country Sport Committee member and or subcommittee representative to recognize and publicly acknowledge any issues of which they may have a conflict of interest, real or perceived, and to abstain from voting on any such issues.


Section XI: All Cross Country Sport Committee meetings are open to U.S. Ski & Snowboard members in good standing.

Section XII: An executive closed session of the Cross Country Sport Committee may be held if approved by a majority vote of the Cross Country Sport Committee members present to discuss matters of a sensitive nature.


Section XIII: U.S. Ski & Snowboard staff will be responsible for the accuracy of the minutes taken and their timely distribution to all cross country members.

Article V -- Amendments


Section I: Amendments to these procedures may be proposed by any member of the Cross Country Sport Committee or written petition by fifty members of U.S. Ski & Snowboard in good standing. All such amendments to the procedures are subject to the approval of the Cross Country Sport Committee by a two-thirds vote at a regular meeting and the approval of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard board.


Section II: Proposed amendments will be presented to the Nordic program director in writing at least sixty days before a meeting of the Cross Country Sport Committee and be mailed by staff to all members of the Cross Country Sport Committee at least thirty days before the next meeting of the Cross Country Sport Committee.

Section III: Proposed amendments shall be presented as follows:

1. State who is proposing the amendment(s). 

2. State in writing that portion of the existing text in its entirety, inclusive of all portions, which are to be considered for change. 

3. Within the text of the above statement, show any new phrases or addenda with all words to be added underlined, 
 new verbiage.
4. Within the text of the above statement, show any new phrases or addenda with all words to be deleted stricken through, 
 deleted verbiage.
5. A brief explanation of the reasons for the proposed amendment and the effect of the change, if adopted, must accompany the proposed amendment. 

6. Unless withdrawn, proposed amendments prepared and circulated to all members of the Cross Country Sport Committee less than thirty days in advance of a Cross Country Sport Committee meeting will automatically be placed on the agenda for action at the next meeting of the Cross Country Sport Committee, provided that there are at least thirty days before the next scheduled meeting. 


CROSS COUNTRY SPORT COMMITTEE (four-year terms, staggered)

• U.S. Ski & Snowboard Nordic Director
• Cross Country Committee Chair
• Rules & Tech (Officials) Subcommittee Chair
• Divisional Representatives (10)
• Athlete Representatives (8)
• Coaches' Subcommittee Representative
• National Team Development Coach
• At Large (2)

CROSS COUNTRY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (voted on annually)

The Cross Country Executive Committee will have the following composition: Five members including the chairman of the Cross Country Sport Committee, two CCSC members in good standing, a current athlete representative to the CCSC and the Nordic program director.

CROSS COUNTRY JUDICIAL PANEL (voted on annually)

The Cross Country Judicial Panel will have the following composition: Three members including one athlete representative: Three members and three alternates have been selected.
 

Cross Country Sport Committee

Rick Kapala, Chair

Adam St. Pierre, Coaches Subcommittee Chair

Allan Serrano, Officials SubCommittee Chair

Anson Moxness, Regional Rep. Alaska

Yuriy Gusev, Regional Rep. Central

Heidi Langs, Regional Rep. East

Eric Pepper, Regional Rep. Mountain West

Peter Leonard, Regional Rep. Pacific West

Rosie Brennan, Athlete Board Representative

Caitlin Patterson, Athlete Representative

Ida Sargent, Athlete Representative

Tyler Kornfield, Athlete Representative

James Southam, Athlete Representative

Kelsey Phinney, Athlete Representative

Joey Caterinichio, At-Large

Cami Thompson-Graves, At-Large

Kristy Maki, At-Large

Staff Liasion - Bryan Fish, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Sport Development Director

Cross Country Executive Committee

Chair: Rick Kapala

Chris Grover (U.S. Ski & Snowboard)

James Southam (Athlete)

Ida Sargent (Athlete)

Joey Caterinichio

Revised 03/14/2023