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Snowboarding club finds success despite struggles |
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Thursday, 31 January 2008 |
 Appalachian snowboarding club president Tom A. Miceli competes in a giant slalom and boardercross competition at the Hawksnest Ski Resort Sunday. Photo by Stewart Cox
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by ERIK RHYNE
Sports Reporter
People say money can’t buy happiness.
For the Appalachian State University snowboarding club, money may not bring happiness, but it could ease stress on current members.
“Right now we spend over $20,000 to compete over the season,” club president and junior industrial
design major Tom A. Miceli said. “This year, we got $1,200 from the school. It’s virtually nothing. Most
of the club sports get about the same amount. We’ve been working on that as the whole club sports
program to add more money.”
With over $18,000 coming just from the team, it can hurt membership - cutting numbers in what could
be a popular club sport at Appalachian.
According to the snowboarding club’s Web site, members spend $50 for club dues, $150 for
sponsorship fees, and $650 for a season pass and coaching lessons at Sugar Mountain Resort.
“We’re able to have 10 people to compete, an A and B team of guys and girls,” Miceli said. “We had full
A and B teams for guys and girls. Right now we have eight guys and two girls, and that’s mainly due to
money.”
If the club were able to lower the money requirement needed to compete, they would be able to fill out
a full team, Miceli said.
“I know it would be a lot easier to fill a team,” he said. “I know we could do possibly do more
fundraising events… It’s unfortunate, too, because so many people can’t afford [the costs].”
One avenue the team takes is the annual Ski & Snowboard Swap Shop held in the Plemmons Student
Union, which always brings in the most revenue for the team.
With the success of the swap and shop, Miceli hopes down the road, the team could possibly organize
a snowboarding competition to help the team’s expenses and gain more attention.
“We’re really working on it right now,” he said. “I think it would be great for the students to go to an
event on campus. We’re trying to get it done. We will not get much money from it but it will bring a lot
of attention to the team.”
Miceli said the event would be free. The only cost would be $10 for people who would want to compete.
When not looking for new ways to increase income, the snowboarding club can be found on the slopes.
The team’s dedication has shown in the success they encountered in recent years.
In its six-year history, the snowboarding club has finished in the top two every year in the Southeastern
Conference.
Last year, Appalachian finished second in the conference, behind the University of Virginia, which
Miceli said was due to not returning many members, and “starting from scratch.”
Starting from scratch, in the team’s view, was placing 11th nationally.
This season, Appalachian sits behind Virginia again after two weekends of competition.
Miceli said the race for the conference title is between both ASU and UVA, as the other schools are
too far behind in the overall standings.
Last weekend, the conference held a two-day competition at the Hawksnest Ski Resort in giant slalom
and boardercross. The Cavaliers were able to top Appalachian in both events.
In the giant slalom on Saturday, junior building science major John E. Davidson placed third, the
highest for ASU. Davidson was leading the race, but slipped near the bottom of the hill. Even with the
fall, he was still able to finish third.
In the boardercross, Miceli and senior recreation management major Wesley A. Smith finished fifth and
sixth respectively leading the way.
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