Winning every race in the Allegheny Collegiate Ski Conference (ACSC) this season, the Penn State club ski team was prepared to compete against the best in Winter Park, Colo., March 3-7.
The high altitude, rigid terrain and the length of the runs in Colorado were things the team had to adjust to. Coach Tom Kennington spoke highly of Tussey Mountain, which is Penn State's home slopes, and said it offers great training, probably as good as any on the East Coast.
Finishing 20th at the United States Collegiate Ski & Snowboard National Championship left Penn State satisfied. The men finished 15th in alpine, and 20th in giant alpine men. The women finished 14th in alpine and 16th in giant alpine.
"We go up against some big guns at nationals; schools from the New England states like the University of Massachusetts, Colby Sawyer, and Plymouth State are especially competitive," top female racer, Alexa Owen said. "Nationals bring the stiffest competition and it seems to get harder and harder every single year."
Nonetheless, the team finds itself in Colorado every spring competing against the best.
Owen said skiing isn't a sport -- it's an attitude. And to her, more like a way of life.
"I just love being able to be with my family, my dad, my brother, my 76-year-old grandfather still skis, I'm just so happy I got to learn at such a young age," she said.
She doesn't remember learning how to ski at age two but is grateful her ski instructor father taught her the ins and outs. Male skier Bryan Donovan, like Owen has been skiing since he was two and racing competitively since he was six years old.
Owen and Donovan seemed to be the backbone of the club team this season. However, when asked about leadership they both responded with the team's motto "We're all leaders or no leaders."
Injuries plagued the team this year. Top male competitor Adam Cota fractured his leg in West Virginia, and teammate Donovan said losing Cota was huge. Following the loss of Cota, Penn State also lost top competitor Jay Bell with an ACL injury.
With the injuries and challenges Donovan said the team had other skiers step up in their absence.
"At any moment, anyone of our top guys can be the No. 1 guy," Donovan said. "Within the team we compete a lot, it keeps everyone on their toes."
It seemed like moguls were on every slope throughout the season, but Penn State rose to the challenge, came together and successfully competed at the U.S. Collegiate Snowboard and Skiing Championship.
As for the off-season, the team will work on maintaining strength and continue to build balancing skills. If you see a group of athletes running backward up Tussey Mountain, it's probably the ski club.
Kennington emphasized how skiers use every muscle and how balancing skills are essential.
"If skiing were easy, they'd call it snowboarding," he joked.
