If you are a fan of skiing or snowboarding, or are new to the sport and want to try it out, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse offers a skiing and snowboarding class each year.
The class runs for seven weeks and allows students to get outside and experience the thrill of downhill skiing or snowboarding for college credit.
UWL works with the local ski hill, Mt. La Crosse, in order to make this possible. Mt. La Crosse handles the instruction portion of the course, providing instructors for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.
“[Skiing] is a lot of fun, but there’s a learning curve to it. Having an instructor or someone who knows what they are doing is really helpful to make that process go quicker,” said Isaac Pischke, UWL graduate and instructor at Mt. La Crosse.
Skiers and snowboarders of all experience levels have enrolled in the class, from international students who have never touched snow before, to those who are confident in their skills on the slopes.
Alexis Gugliotti, a UWL student who is taking the class for the second time, said, “I’m excited to learn new things. Last year they were really good for…not being too beginner friendly…and I really enjoyed it. I was not a very confident snowboarder on park or going down hills that were super icy, but I got a little bit of experience for both, so I feel a little more confident going on park by myself when snowboarding.”
“Park” refers to a terrain park where riders can perform tricks on jumps, rails and boxes. Mt. La Crosse offers a terrain park along with many other trails for skiers and snowboarders, ranging from beginner trails to a double black diamond.
When asked about Mt. La Crosse, Associate Professor of Exercise and Sport Science Naoko Giblin, who coordinates the class, said, “It is a pretty technical hill in my opinion. As small of a hill as it is, compared to other places in Colorado or Montana, we have really good slopes and a wide variety…Because of those options, people enjoy the experience. As students go through the four or five weeks of skiing, they get to improve, and it even entices them to return next year.”
Over 300 students are enrolled in the course this year and are split between a Tuesday and Thursday night group. About two thirds of the students are exercise sports science majors, but the rest come from a variety of majors.
“We have students from different majors all across campus enrolling in our classes, so it is a good opportunity for students to build friendships or at least get to know people outside of their major,” Giblin said. “It’s a fun mesh of people from all over the campus.”
Historically, the department of exercise and sports science has been involved in a lot of physical activities, continuing today with a requirement that students in the program take six ESS 100 courses. The skiing and snowboarding class is just one of many to choose from, with others ranging from yoga to pickle ball to soccer.
There is an additional course fee for students in the skiing and snowboarding class, but it is much cheaper than going to the ski hill outside of the class.
Giblin said, “It is a very, very affordable cost. When you think about it, you get to ski five or six times during the semester, and each time if you’re going there all on your own you would be spending a hundred dollars easily.”
For those not in the class that are looking to ski or snowboard this year, Mt. La Crosse offers student rates on Monday nights. REC Sports is also hosting Night on the Slopes on Feb. 28 which is another opportunity to ski or snowboard at a discounted rate along with free instruction and transportation options for students who do not have a vehicle.
For those interested in enrolling for the skiing and snowboarding class, it is an ESS 100 course offered during the spring semester of each year, and anyone can register, regardless of their skill level or major.
“It’s fun to watch new people grow and challenge themselves, and I think winter sports are awesome,” said Pischke. “Downhill skiing is a blast! Anyone who needs something to do in the winter should give it a shot.”
