♪♪ >> ERIC: SKI JUMPING IN THE U.S. IS KNOWN TO HAVE ORIGINATED RIGHT HERE IN MINNESOTA.

THE SPORT IS NOT AS POPULAR AS IT ONCE WAS IN ITS HEYDAY.

ONE SKI JUMPING CLUB IN COLERAINE IS KEEPING IT ALIVE FOR AREA KIDS.

REPORTER KAOMI LEE WENT TO MOUNT ITASCA TO FIND SOME YOUNG THRILL-SEEKERS WITH BIG DREAMS.

>> Cathy: IT'S ANOTHER NIGHT.

SIX-YEAR-OLD PIPER CHRISTIANSON OF GRAND RAPIDS SUITS UP.

SHE'S ALL BUSINESS.

IT HELPS THAT OLDER BROTHER FIN BEGAN IS THERE TOO.

AND WITHIN MINUTES, THIS FIRST GRADER HAS SPEED.

>> I THINK I'M GOING TO, LIKE, MAKE IT TO THE TOP.

THE TOP ONE.

>> Cathy: YOU WANT TO GO TO THE OLYMPICS?

>> YEAH.

>> Cathy: HER MOTHER SAYS SKI JUMPING IS IN THE FAMILY.

>> MY DAD SKI JUMPED AND HE TOOK OUR OLDER SON WHO ISN'T HERE OUT TO A COMPETITION.

>> Cathy: AT FIRST HAVING ALL HER KIDS TAKE ON THE SPORT WAS UNSETTLING.

BUT SEEING HER KIDS CONQUER THEIR FEARS MAKES IT ALL WORTH IT.

>> LL CLEAR?

>> CLEAR.

>> Kaomi: THE SPORT CAN BE EXPENSIVE WITH GEAR, COACHING, AND TRAVEL TO TOURNAMENTS.

IN COLERAINE, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITION BETWEEN DIFFERENT SPORTS FOR ONLY SO MANY KIDS.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THE SKI JUMPING CLUB AT MOUNT ITASCA COVERS LL OF THE COSTS FOR THE KIDS.

SUE KAVANAUGH IS THE VOLUNTEER COACH AND PART-TIME DEN MOTHER.

WITH THE CLUB'S NUMBERS DOWN TO 15 KIDS THIS YEAR, SHE SAYS THEY HOPE TO GET THE WORD OUT.

>> OUR NUMBERS ARE LOWER THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE BAD WINTER LAST YEAR.

SO MANY TOURNAMENTS WERE CANCELED.

WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE OURS BECAUSE WE MAKE SNOW AND WE'RE FURTHER NORTH.

>> Kaomi: THE ITASCA SKI AND OUTING CLUB AS FOUNDED IN 1905.

IT SENT SEVERAL SKI JUMPERS TO THE OLYMPICS INCLUDING THE MOST RECENT JIM MAKI IN 1976 AND 1980.

IN FACT, AMERICAN SKI JUMPING ORIGINATED IN MINNESOTA.

SOME OF TEAMMATES ARE INVOLVED WITH THIS SKI JUMPING HALL OF FAME IN RED WING.

THAT'S WHERE THE FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WERE HELD.

>> RIGHT HER IN RED WING, 1887.

SOME NORWEGIANS CAME OVER AND GOT BORED IN THE WINTER AND WANTED TO KEEP THE SPORT GOING AND CAME OVER HERE AND STARTED IT UP.

>> Kaomi: SKI JUMPING GREW IN POPULARITY.

NORWEGIAN IMMIGRANTS OF THE AURORA SKI CLUB WERE SOME OF THE EARLY STARS IN RED WING.

THAT'S WHERE MIKKEL SET THE FIRST RECORDED DISTANCE RECORD.

IT'S ISTORY THAT THESE LIVING OLYMPIANS SAY SHOULD BE PRESERVED.

>> VERY IMPORTANT TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THE PAST WHERE WE CAME FROM AND WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

THAT THE ACTUAL ON ON ORIGINS OF THIS SPORT HAPPENED RIGHT HERE IN RED WING AND NOW WE GO FORWARD AND TRY TO SPREAD THAT GOOD NEWS AND SHARE THE OLDER STORIES.

TO HE YOUNGER KIDS.

>> Kaomi: TODAY THERE ARE ONLY FOUR SKI JUMPS LEFT IN THE STATE.

IN BLOOMINGTON, MAPLEWOOD, CLOQUET, AND HERE IN COLERAINE.

THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN OTHER CHANGES INCLUDING SAFER EQUIPMENT AND CONDITIONS, NEXT TECH FOLKS AND ALLOWING FEMALE COMPETITORS STARTING WITH THE 2014 OLYMPICS.

>> IT'S VERY EXHILARATING COMING OFF THE JUMP.

IT'S LIKE I WANT TO DO THIS AGAIN.

LIKE, IT'S THE FUNNEST THING EVER.

AND JUST THE FEELING OF FLYING THROUGH THE AIR IS UNEXPLAINABLE.

>> 18-YEAR-OLD GAVIN IS A FIFTH GENERATION SKI JUMPER.

HE DEMONSTRATES THE TELEMMARK STYLE PREFERRED LANDING, WHICH HIS CLUB CALLED THE RED WING.

HE SAYS JUMPING FROM 70 METERS HIGH IS A MIND GAME.

>> A LOT OF IT IS OVERCOMING YOUR FEARS.

MOST SKI JUMPERS ARE AFRAID OF HEIGHTS.

SO IT'S KIND OF WEIRD THAT WAY.

>> Kaomi: DON'T TELL PIPER CHRISTIANSON THAT.

SHE'S NOT INTIMIDATED BY THE EIGHT PETER BEGINNER JUMP.

>> I WAS THINKING I WAS GOING TO BE LIKE A BIRD FLYING.

>> Kaomi: AND IT WON'T BE