Ava Fonss, News Editor
@afonsscourant
The Ski and Snowboard Club, founded by Sophomores Cate Goldman and Audrey Carr, began its very first winter season in January. On Fridays after school, the club provides students with the opportunity to ski and snowboard recreationally, offering a non-competitive alternative to the ski team.
According to co-founder Cate, the club was created to offer students an opportunity to ski and snowboard as a group. “Audrey and I both love to ski, and we also knew that many of our friends did too,” she said. “We thought it would be a perfect opportunity to bring everyone together and spend our Fridays as a group.”
Cate added that the club provides students who ski with a more flexible alternative to the ski team. “Although there is definitely some confusion due to the fact that there is already a ski team, our club and the team are very different,” she said. “Personally, I love to ski, but I’m not necessarily confident enough to take part in the competition aspect of the ski team. The Ski and Snowboard Club is completely low-stress and is perfect for students who enjoy skiing but participate in another winter sport or activity that would conflict with the ski team’s practices and racing schedule.”
The club is also different from the ski team as it includes snowboarders. “We decided to include both skiers and snowboarders into our club because we wanted to give the opportunity for as many people as possible to join,” Cate said. “Despite the difference between skiing and snowboarding, we all end up going down similar trails anyways.”
Sophomore Linley Zimmerman, a member of the Ski and Snowboard Club, views the club as a pressure-free way to ski and snowboard with friends. “The club is great because it doesn’t have to be a significant time commitment,” she said. “The only meetings are on Fridays after school when we go to the mountain. I know that the club is a lot more laid-back since the ski team races, whereas the Ski and Snowboard Club is only for fun and does not participate in competitions.”
As a snowboarder, Linley sees the club as an opportunity to practice in a group setting. “I snowboard, so I can’t join the ski team, which is another reason why I was excited to join the Ski and Snowboard Club,” she said. “My favorite part about the club is being able to snowboard with friends. We definitely split up and get lost sometimes, but it’s still always fun.”
According to Cate, the club currently has about twenty members, all with varying levels of experience. “There are some members who have hardly skied in their life, and there are others who are very talented and go down all of the black diamonds,” she said. “It has been really interesting to see everyone grow as both skiers and snowboarders.”
Linley has also recognized a variety of skills among members. “There is definitely a large variety of abilities in the club,” she said. “Some members are very experienced, while others are just beginning to learn. People with any capabilities are able to join the club.”
To accommodate varying levels, the club has planned four Friday night trips to Mohawk Mountain during the winter season. “One thing that makes Mohawk such a great mountain for our club is that it is perfect for every level,” she said. “It is a great mountain for beginners to learn on, but also ranges all the way up to blacks, which are a great challenge for more advanced members.”
For Sophomore Katelin McGloin, the club also provides an opportunity to socialize outside of school. “My favorite part about the club is being able to hang out and catch up with my friends, especially since I’ve been so busy with school work,” she said. “Besides skiing, we also get to eat dinner at the lodge together and socialize.”
As a member of both the ski team and Ski and Snowboard club, Katelin recognizes differences between each group. “The ski team starts with dryland practice in December, practices once a week on the mountain, and races once a week,” she said. “The ski club is more for fun and is welcoming for all ski levels, and you are also invited to bring as many friends as you would like to the club.”
According to Cate, social media has been used to attract attention to the club. “To gain more members, we have been trying to advertise and spread the word,” she said. “We have created an Instagram account where we share pictures from each trip and update our members with information.”
The club also has plans to expand in future years. “Audrey and I would love to continue the club and hopefully pass it on when we graduate,” she said. “In future years, I hope that our club will grow in members and reach a point where all of the students in the club feel comfortable with each other and feel like they have built friendships from it.”
