Wilsonville high school’s snowboarding program is superb, it lets students try out a winter sport – they get to learn things and have fun at the same time.

The snowboarding program at Wilsonville High School goes on all winter long. They have the opportunity to practice, compete against opposing teams, and hang out at a super nice resort.

​​Every weekend, the Wilsonville High School snowboarders go on a bus to Mount Hood Meadows. Although they are not an official school team, they still show up to represent Wilsonville.

​​Mount Hood Meadows is a great place to go snowboarding in Oregon. It has lots of trails that people can use. This means that Mount Hood Meadows is a place for people of all skill levels – those who are just starting out, and also for people who have been doing it for a long time, everyone can all find a trail that’s right for them.

​​Wilsonville Junior snowboarder, Kieren Burt, stated, “it’s a spot where a lot of us [team] and myself included learned how to ride so that makes going there that much more special. Meadow’s motto is that it’s tour mountain home and I would definitely say I find that to be true with the amount of time spent there and all the amazing memories made.”

​​Coaches work with the students to help them learn the ropes. They teach the snowboarders how to do things the right way – making sure that students are safe on the mountain and follow the outlined safety rules.

​Another benefit of the snowboarding program is that it teaches students responsibility and independence. Students must wake up early, bring the correct gear, and be prepared for long days on the mountain.

Learning to manage their time and equipment helps them develop important life skills that can be useful both in school and in their future. These experiences help students grow not only as athletes but also as individuals.

​​The snowboarders take part in events like racing, in which the snowboarders compete to see who is the fastest getting down the track. This helps snowboarders try harder and get better at snowboarding.

​​Wilsonville Senior Milan DelaCruz said, “It’s important because it makes you step outside your comfort zone while pushing yourself to try new things and challenge yourself. Once you compete, you finally realize it’s not as bad as you thought it was going to be. Competitions give snowboarders on the team something to work towards and even inner goals we can set for ourselves.”

​Every student does not have to compete, although it is asked of them to. Teammates often watch the events and cheer for each other. This makes the team dynamic feel happy and friendly, and helps the students feel like they are part of a community, no matter how good they are.

​Being part of the program is really great because it lets students make more friends. When students spend their weekends together, they get to know their teammates from other grades. The program overall helps students become closer.

​Overall, the Wilsonville High School snowboarding program provides students with a fun and valuable opportunity through regular trips, coaching support, and competitions. Students gain athletic skills, teamwork experience, and lasting memories during the winter season.