Choate Hits the Slopes Seniors Start Skiing Legacy
By Sam Pape ‘08
News Associate Editor
For students lamenting the absence of snow on campus thus far in winter, the newly conceived Skiing and Snowboarding Club, chaired by Kennan Khatib ‘07 and Amir Mazaheripour ’07, may provide a solution to Choate’s winter fanatics.
According to Khatib, the club was formed because “…We are in the Northeast, and there was no club, and we know that there are a lot of mountains nearby…we thought it’d be a good idea because a lot of the people that attend Choate really like going out and enjoying nature.” The club not only provides Choaties with a much-desired dose of fresh air, but also a chance to escape the confines of Wallingford, if only for several hours. “…It’s a really good way to get off campus and share a common hobby [with other students],” explained Khatib.
Despite the lack of snow in the area, the club has organized several trips, most recently one to Okemo, VT, this past Sunday. Khatib commented, “Luckily, since Okemo is farther north, the temperature is cooler and they are able to make snow…we wanted to go to mountains nearer by, but a lot of the reasons people couldn’t go [this time] was because it’s a three hour drive each way.” Though Okemo is farther than the club would like to travel, twelve students, in addition to Khatib and Mazaheripour, were in attendence, with some of the more experienced students offering novices “lessons” in order to save them money. This concept of comradery is not just a part of the trips themselves, but extends throughout the club, making connections between students who often would not have had the chance to do so. Khatib emphasized the friendship inherent in the club, saying “We have a conference [on CHIP] and we are always looking to see if anyone knows of any other mountains near by or has any suggestions...”
Though both Khatib and Mazaheripour will be graduating this spring, they will certainly arrange for more skiing trips and can only hope that the weather allows for a change to mountains in closer proximity. Said Khatib of the club’s future: “We’re definitely hoping to continue it, we’ve spoken to a few people, but right now we’re looking to see who’s going to be the most active, who’s going on the most trips, who loves the sport most.” The Ski and Snowboarding Club is the perfect way to get rid of any post-holiday depression, and for those new to skiing and snowboarding, Khatib ended with a good piece of advice: “I really recommend that people, even if they haven’t tried it, it’s just a great way to get out and get a group of friends together…I’ve very rarely seen people try it once and not want to try it again.”
