At ETHS, there are over 100 sports and activities, a diverse range that allows students to discover new passions and connect with others. A new addition to the roster this year is the Ski and Snowboarding club, sponsored by math teacher Ivana Cuvalo, a club bringing together riders both old and new, making skiing and snowboarding more accessible for high schoolers.
Cuvalo’s idea to start a club for people interested in skiing and snowboarding didn’t form recently. As soon as Cuvalo started working at the high school, she knew she wanted to create a ski club. Skiing had been a part of Cuvalo’s life since the age of two, and with a deep love for the sport, she thought it would be a great opportunity to start a ski and snowboarding club at ETHS.
Once she began working here, however, the opportunity to begin the club took a while to present itself. Once COVID hit, the year the club would start up continued to be pushed back, until now.
Despite the club only being in its first year of operation, it ended up being able to put together three trips during the limited winter season. Two of which were at the Wilmot Ski resort, and one longer trip took the group all the way to Devil’s Head Ski resort.
“It was just so fun all around. From what I heard and saw, most people had a blast.” Remarked freshman, Amelia Schriner. “On the trips I went on, the mountains were fairly empty of people, so I got a ton of runs in, which was really nice. I personally thought the bus rides were pretty fun, especially when we went to Devils head, which is roughly 3 hours away, because we stopped halfway at the oasis for food there and back. A few times, I rode with strangers on the ski lifts, and they were always so nice and often joked with me about random things.”
Along with those who have had previous skiing experience, for many students, these trips were their first time trying out skiing or snowboarding.
“There were so many beginners this year, and none of them got injured; some even went on jumps and were doing terrain park stuff,” stated Cuvalo. “I’d say that a quarter of the students a part of the club this year were new skiers.”
Skiing and snowboarding are often not sports that are easy to just try out. The cost of skis, boots, and other equipment tends to be extremely expensive, along with the lift tickets needed to actually ski at resorts. Many families also don’t have the time to drive so far away only for a day of skiing. But the ski and snowboarding club moves past these obstacles, allowing students to try out this sport that is usually so inaccessible.
“Both my parents are usually pretty busy, and even just the thought of going skiing on a weekend is nonviable. However, the ski trips offered me a way to and from the mountain, along with a supervisor to ensure my safety. Moreover, it was nice to have set dates of when and where we’d be going,” commented Schriner.
Going as a group also qualifies the club for lift ticket discounts up to 50%, greatly reducing the cost to attend a trip.
With this year partially spent on developing efficient planning and preparing trip paperwork, Cuvalo hopes that next year she will see even more trips planned for the school, with more students attending.
“Any sport, especially the ones that bring you outdoors, I think, are great. It’s fresh air, it’s healthy, and you’re learning a new skill,” emphasized Cuvalo.
