Thank you for the recent coverage of the Region IV cross-country ski championships. Missing were narratives of overcoming challenges to triumph — a core reason we enjoy following sport — such as how a girl from Airport Heights rose from finishing outside 40th three years ago to become the senior captain leading her team to a rare second place title while clinching the coveted Skimeister award, thus ending a 15-year drought for East. Missing was context for the weekend team results, like acknowledging how few in the top girls squads for the weekend were seniors, indicating exciting racing in the future, or that the trails were lined with athletes cheering on their teammates. Included were quality first-person interviews from two great athletes leaving Region IV for bigger stages — the type of reporting we should have in sport coverage.
I hope that the coverage of the ASAA state championships in two weeks is equitable between boys’ and girls’ stories and page area, includes more voices and impressions, and recognizes these athletes who work so hard through the year. Instead of relying on bygone rivalries, I hope the articles highlight how crosstown teammates push each other every weekend to be the best they can at a sport they love.
We are so lucky to have cross-country skiing in Anchorage, and this is one of the most exciting eras of youth racing we have seen; please give these athletes the attention they deserve.
— Connor Scher
Anchorage
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