Hometown hero at Tahoe XC: An interview with Casey Jowers

Tahoe Cross Country (Tahoe XC) has seen many bright spots amid an otherwise debilitating, year-long pandemic. For the second consecutive year, they have been ranked Top 10 Best Nordic Centers in North America by USA Today. They are celebrating an output of extraordinary athletes including World Cup skier JC Schoonmaker, who started at Tahoe XC as a Strider Glider, served as their Junior Development Team Coach, and is now a member of the US Ski Team. They’ve seen an increase in Nordic skiing’s popularity as a means of social distancing, staying healthy, and getting closer to nature; and they have experienced gracious community support and donations to their nonprofit Tahoe Cross Country Ski Education Association. Of all these highlights, perhaps one of the brightest joys are the humans who donate their time to Tahoe XC. One such generous human is Casey Jowers.

Jowers is an emergency room physician at Tahoe Forest Hospital, who in a time when his job has never been more demanding, offered to take on the role of Junior Development (Devo) Team Coach. With two young daughters distance learning at home and a wife who is also a doctor, they are a busy family. And yet, three times a week, Jowers wraps up a strenuous day at the hospital and heads to Tahoe XC…