Editor’s note: For those who missed our 2016 Youth Excellence publication, we will be publishing each of the 25 features of our local youth in the coming months in our newspaper, and online, as well. This is the sixth on cross country skier Cole Turner, sponsored by Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett. The publication is still available at the Tribune for those who would like a magazine.
When it comes to dedication, cross-country skier Cole Turner of Williams Lake is an inspiration.
In the fall of 2016, the Grade 10 student moved to Prince George to attend the Canadian Sports School/UNBC so he could cross-country ski and train with professional coaches.
“We don’t have a big enough club to pay coaches in Williams Lake,” Cole said. “That was my biggest reason to come up here.”
While enrolled at the school he spends the morning doing academic work and the afternoons at UNBC from noon until 4 p.m. doing strength and cardio training.
“I think it’s great,” he said when asked what he likes about cross-country skiing. “It’s a distance sport that uses your arms and legs. It is really fun and really fast.”
Cole began cross-country skiing when he was five years old and was racing by the time he was 12.
In 2015/2016 he won overall aggregate for boys born in 2001 at the B.C. Championships in Whistler, a gold, silver and bronze at Westerns in Prince George, golds at the B.C. Winter Games, and gold, silver and bronze at Norams in Canmore and Vernon.
During the upcoming season he will compete as a member of Caledonia Nordic Ski Club and is part of the B.C. Development Squad.
His goal, he said, is to win overall aggregate at Nationals in Canmore, Alberta.
“Next year I will be old enough for the B.C. Ski Team, but as part of the development squad we train in the summers and the winters, mostly in Whistler and I spent 10 days on Haig Glacier out of Canmore.”
Up until he moved to Prince George for school, Cole practiced regularly at Bull Mountain, north of Williams Lake. Aside from training for skiing, Cole plans to join the basketball team at his school, and just recently finished up the soccer season. He was also a member of the Blue Fins Swim Club in Williams Lake for two or three years.
“That was great, and was probably a big reason I’ve done as well as I have with skiing, because of swimming,” Cole said.
Cole said he cannot wait for snow and winter to arrive so he can hit the ski trails.
“I’m excited,” he said.