Dawson Times

Dang, I left my snowboard in Maine.  I figured I'd take up skateboarding and wakeboarding as cross-training while I attend college here...

When I told my ski buddy from Vermont the good news about the possibility of a park down here, he said, "That's crazzzzzyyy!!" Well, crazy as it sounds, there are more snowboarders in the USA (around 7 million) than mountain bikers, trail runners, BMX bicyclers, wakeboarders, roller hockey players, mountain/rock climbers, or windsurfers. (Source: Sporting Goods Manufacturer's Association, 2001)

Then there's the ever-popular skiers...It is mainstream as ever. Skate/Surf businesses one can see in the local malls are often affiliated with snow sports. Burton Snowboards owns Analog, Gravis, and now Al Merrick Surfboards (ridden by Kelly Slater, the 8x World Surfing Champ from Florida).  Maybe we'll see Slater shredding the slopes here in Georgia! Quiksilver, the boardshorts/surfwear/ sunglasses company, has its own team of riders and line of winter apparel.

The National Sporting Goods Association conducts annual surveys on sporting good sales and participation. Their recent survey found snowboarding to be number one in terms of growth percentage.  Second, was skateboarding...Nearby, Athens, GA has a world-class skatepark. That's potentially another huge pool of local athletes ready to rip! All of the local extreme sport athletes (from motorcyclists to wakeboarders) I've spoken with are absolutely stoked!

I believe that the skiing/snowboarding area should be located within neighborhood gathering places and that skiers/snowboarders, like any other group of young athletes, should have their healthy choices enthusiastically supported by our community. It will encourage healthy athletic activity over alternatives. It's a self-esteem building activity  that helps kids build the confidence to do well in other aspects of their lives.  Also, I believe the park can meet many broader community needs: like many skateparks across the country, it should reflect local aesthetics, history, or norms. Incorporating the natural waterfall, is a great start! Year-round skiing and riding is more rare than gold. The closest place for this is on a glacier up north in Canada. World class athletes will travel from all over for a place to keep their skills fresh in the off-season.
   
I must acknowledge the kids I grew up with, Whom I referred to as "park rats" They were completely content with riding the same small section of jumps and rails over and over all day and never go on the chairlift to the top after paying the $50 ticket (As I imagine the indoor park to be). All day, they'd fall over and over but hike back up and go at it again. They pushed and challenged each other and are now the most entertaining athletes to watch. To avoid this being just another tourist destination, and not a functional sports facility, it is crucial that the ski/snowboard youth are involved. If they are helping in any way shape or form, they will take pride in the new facility.

I'm all for it.
Let's make this happen,
Joe "Youk" Youker
JYouker@gmail.com
Peace