Snowboard team midway through the season, prepares for state meet

PHOTO: The Davis High snowboard team travels to Boreal Mountain for practices.

By Genna Olavarri and Julian Dunn,

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

The Davis High snowboard team is midway through their first full season since 2020. 

Due to the pandemic, last year’s snowboarders could not compete at the state level or drive up together on a bus as they would in a typical season. “This year, we’re back riding on buses on the way up,” said Bill Williams, the snowboard team head coach and DHS social studies teacher. 

Certain COVID-19 restrictions remain in place both on and off the slopes. 

Before getting on the bus, for instance, students must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test. “A lot of students (also) choose to wear masks on the bus,” senior and snowboard team member Alec Boyd said. “We have to wear a mask whenever we’re indoors, like at the lodge.”

Athletes are also expected to wear their masks while they snowboard, a policy that does not bother Boyd. “Honestly on the mountain … since it’s cold and windy anyways, people have a face covering of some kind, usually like a ski mask type of thing,” Boyd said.

Another issue that is evident to the snowboarders is the lack of snow on the Boreal Mountain: the team’s practice location near Tahoe. 

“We’ve had probably one good storm, and then been kind of riding off that,” Boyd said.

According to Boyd, however, none of these potential challenges have stalled their season. “Actually going up has been steady,” Boyd said. “We haven’t had to cancel anything really.”

This year, the team has 28 snowboarders, 20 of whom compete in the men’s division and eight of whom compete in the women’s. 

Both Boyd and Williams are looking forward to watching senior Tyler Steenbergen compete throughout the duration of the season. “He is dominating,” Williams said. “He’s doing really, really well.”

Steenbergen won second place in the Giant Slalom race during a meet on Jan. 24.

Williams is also eager to witness freshman Kate Phillip’s first year of competition. “She’s really competitive … I think she’s excited to do well,” Williams said.

The snowboard team will continue to compete throughout February with a meet being held on their practice slopes at Boreal Mountain on Feb. 14. 

The team will then race in the state meet at Mammoth Lakes at the beginning of March. 

“It’s a really great, positive inclusive environment and everyone just kind of has a good time and practices and … gets better,” Boyd said. “It’s great!”