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Turf Talk: Cool Summer-Weather Shredding


Paige Szymkowski can shred. When she sees the sand particles kick up from the asphalt, she can only imagine white cotton ball-like matter falling back down. She loves the snow.

Although snow is quite foreign with the exception of the few areas in Arizona, snow is as pure as her addiction.

“From the beginning to the end, it’s pure ecstasy,” says Szymkowski, a sophomore in family and human development.

Four years ago, Szymkowski was as fresh to the sport as the powder was on the slopes.  Little did she know, after her first attempt—falls, bruises and frustration included—the sport would spark her passion and give her a new outlook on life. She was “not going to give up.”

“That’s kind of life,” Szymkowski says. “You have to learn how to juggle and balance things.”

This was totally comparable to her first experience. Her two older brothers, Brent and Erik, helped her develop her stance and her balance. With baby steps, she hoped to be able to carve up the slopes as soon as possible. That came sooner than expected.

“After the first day, everything just started getting easier for her,” Brent Szymkowski said in a phone interview. “She needed some help but she had longboarded and skateboarded before. That doesn’t mean you’ll be a natural, but it’ll be easier. It (longboarding) involves a lot of that skill set.”

For her sanity and love for the “wind blowing past her face,” Szymkowski snowboards when she can in northern Arizona.  Because of her success with the sport, she looks to extend the invite.

Szymkowski has been attempting to coordinate a snowboarding/skiing trip for the Downtown campus. Total student involvement is her goal; she is part of the Residence Hall Association.

Considering how many longboarders invade Arizona State University, Brent says he sees a lot of people who could snowboard. Even if they didn’t, the learning curve could be quick depending on instruction. Paige is the example.

“Hey, there’s a first time for everything. I’m never going to be Shaun White but I’d like to keep learning,” Szymkowski says. “There’s usually a pretty good turnout (for Downtown events) so I want to draw (snowboarding) into that spectrum.”

Szymkowski says she believes that “it’s something new, it’s something different.” She has pitched the idea and there has been interest.  But why stop with only one campus? She can envision student involvement times four—each campus coming together to shred.

To get a club or event together would be another way for the student body to connect through more sports than those already offered. It would open up more opportunity to connect.

“It’s a great way to spend the day.  It’s a way to get off campus, go up North out of the city and have a good time,” Brent says.

 

Have any totally boss ideas for my blog? Contact me at bcapria@asu.edu.


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