Ski & Snowboard podiums at Nationals

The USC Ski & Snowboard club team competed in the National Championships at Mammoth Mountain, held March 7 to 9. Junior Chloe Barker stomped her way to first in freestyle individual for women’s snowboarding, claiming the title of National Champion. She also clinched two third-place spots in boarder-cross and individual combined. Junior Shane Cole placed fifth overall in men’s ski individual combined, securing seventh and 13th place finishes in skier-cross and slopestyle, respectively. In the men’s snowboard division, junior Jesse Tennant and graduate student Gelo Winings threw down to clinch ninth in freestyle team combined and 12th in alpine team combined.

The national competition, sponsored by the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association, draws over 500 student-athletes from across the nation each year. Inclement weather and strong snowstorms resulted in a compressed competition schedule and the cancellation of most events, as the championship was initially slated for March 6 to 11. 

With new challenges and competition, Nationals not only tested the team’s abilities but their resilience, too.

“A lot of the schools we were competing against, especially with racing, train skiers throughout the season,” Cole said. “Our team doesn’t get to do that — I tried working with some of the teams at Mammoth, but I couldn’t get any lane space for us to train this past season.”

In addition to the pressure posed by new competitors, the climate proved challenging, as well.

“We were really impacted by having a reduced amount of events,” Tennant said. “Everybody who could, competed in boarder-cross or skier-cross, which we had never done before. The fact that we finished third and seventh in our first boarder-cross is incredible.”

Barker acknowledged the advantage of a “send it” mindset at Nationals.

“A lot of it is just showing up and trying something new,” Barker said. “The one event I had was boarder-cross — I absolutely despise that event, but I knew it was going to be the only event they wouldn’t cancel. I didn’t come all this way to not compete in anything, and I actually did really well. If it comes down to it, try something new and push yourself. You never know what’s going to happen.” 

For Cole, focusing on fun more than fierce repetitions is key to keeping a fighting spirit.

“I competed in skiing at a really high level growing up. I got some injuries and burnt out from it, so I’ve really been focusing on having as much fun as possible and competing when I can,” Cole said. “Next season is going to be the same thing.”

A supportive dynamic helps keep the team on track. When nerves threaten to derail the day, Tennant turns to his teammates.

“A lot of people get in their head[s], but once you actually get to the event, people definitely start to loosen up, especially after the first run,” Tennant said. “It’s helpful having all your friends there supporting you — all that stress melts away, and we remember why we’re out here.”

Looking forward to the team’s future, the athletes are focused on diversity and outreach efforts in recruitment. 

“Last year, it was just me and one other girl competing. But this year, we had four of us competing, so I liked how more people were able to make it,” Barker said. “That was really fun — to see more of us represented in different events.” 

Her goals are twofold: to increase women athletes’ participation and decrease financial barriers.

“Next year will be my last year,” Barker said. “My goal for the team is to get more people involved with competing because it’s a rewarding experience. It makes you a better skier or snowboarder, and this particular league is open to all levels. It can really help improve your riding, and it’s just so much fun, especially when you have a team like USC’s.”

As a team officer, Barker said she hopes to decrease the wealth-opportunity gap. The competition commitment requires many more days of training and other various fees. The Ikon Pass, a pass providing users access to anywhere from 39 to 55 resorts worldwide, can cost up to $1,159. Combined with expensive gear and the opportunity cost of lost time and funds, wallet elasticity is often a prerequisite to competing. 

“We’re trying to get more funding for people who want to get into competing, so the money aspect isn’t holding them back from the experience,” Barker said. 

Funds aren’t the only element emphasized by the athletes. Mammoth extended its season to July, as of the time of publication. The resort has seen record snowfall, with total accumulations of 634 inches at Main Lodge and over 800 inches at the summit. 

Riding on massive terrain with motivating competition, the team’s morale was no exception.

“At Nationals, there were schools from all over the country with a lot of athletes. We were definitely a small crew, but we did pretty well and powered through,” Cole said. “Small but mighty.”