Fresno State ski and snowboard club offers fun, camaraderie, snow sports

By Eisa Al Nashmi

Three years ago in a recreation and leisure studies class, Fell Abenoja and a friend were talking about how other schools have skiing and snowboarding clubs with many students in them.

An idea suddenly came to them—They wanted to have a similar club at Fresno State.

“ Other schools have fun together, so why don’t we have fun together,” Abenoja said. “Snowboarding has an indescribable sensation— there is nothing better than going downhill with wind on your face.”

Abenoja and his friend proposed the idea in their class and asked for volunteers to join the club. Only one student was interested.

And then they were three.

The trio researched how to start a club on campus and formed the club right away.

Abenoja said many students at Fresno State ski and snowboard by themselves, so he thought it would be more fun if they did it together.

“ We wanted to create a community for people of the same interest to enjoy themselves together,” he said.

Abenoja and the other founders called their club Snow Utilizing Recreation Foundation—SURF. The acronym was somewhat confusing as many students came and asked about the next trip to the beach, so this year they changed the name of the club to the Ski and Snowboarding Club.

Abenoja said he thought they would have a big turnout, but about 50 students came to the first meeting, and only 25 of them became active members.

“ It is always a struggle when you start something new,” he said. “Fresno people are afraid to be part of anything and many people thought the club was only for professionals.”

Abenoja was the president of the club for the first two years. Now there are about 50 active members and the situation of the club is improving with new president Jon Dorr.

Dorr has been snowboarding for 10 years. At first, he didn’t know about the club, but when he saw a flyer on campus, he got excited and joined right away.

“ I wanted to join because I love snowboarding and I thought the club had potential,” Dorr said.

Dorr said the club currently has 45 members and he hopes the number increases before the season is over.

“ The club’s main goal is to get students together and take them on trips to places they have never seen before at discounted rates,” Dorr said.

One of their biggest trips this semester is their annual trip to Kirkwood Resort near Lake Tahoe. The club rented three cabins across from the slopes.

They will be leaving Wednesday and coming back Friday. The trip costs $160 and so far 35 members are going. Dorr said the club is welcoming anyone interested in going on the trip.

Dorr said many members of the club go to Sierra Summit every weekend. They have a discounted season pass for $249.

On their way to the Summit, they always stop at snow parks, Dorr said.

Beginners are always welcome to join the club, Dorr said. The club has been in contact with Sierra Summit, and they are offering packages for beginners at discounted rates. Dorr said the beginners can also learn from the more experienced members of the group.

“ We are always happy to help out and teach them the basics and improve their skills,” he said.

Dorr said the good thing about this club is that it can appeal to anyone.

This is Bridgette Courtoise’s first year in the club, and she is the only female officer. She is in charge of advertising and is the main speaker in meetings. Courtoise has snowboarded for the past seven years.

She heard about the club from another officer who worked with her in a ski-equipment store.

For Courtoise, snowboarding is something that cannot be described in words.

“ It’s an indescribable feeling. It’s a freedom. It’s a rush that rushes through you,” she said. “Being able to get up in the mountains, in the fresh air, with no people—it’s just peaceful up there.”

Courtoise said she is very excited to work with the club and said she will work hard to make it better.

“ I want to get many people of different types to be welcomed at the club and to make it a really big deal on campus where everyone talks about it,” she said.

Dorr’s main goal is to improve the club by having more members.

“ The more people we get in the club, the more ability we have to go on bigger trips like going out of state,” he said.

Dorr said that Cal Poly has 1,000 members in its club, and other schools have about the same number. He hopes Fresno state can reach that level.

“ We want to be able to rival their clubs,” he said. “We also want to meet up in competition with them and be able to put up a good fight.”

For more information about the club, call Dorr at 977-0181.