Sledding: The next Olympic event

Every time I see the snow fall, I get excited because I envision the future of the greatest winter sport ever created. Yet, I still feel saddened because this sport has not become an event in the Winter Olympics.

If curling can be an Olympic event, then why can't sledding be an event? Now, I am not against curling; while living in Canada for a short time I learned to enjoy that fine sport of sweeping and rock throwing.

I just think sledding would be a great Olympic event. It would be nonstop action, and it probably would have more spectators than curling. In addition, sledding takes as much skill and talent as any other Olympic sport.

"It tests me both mentally and physically," said Josh Higginson.

Higginson, a Weber State University senior, grew up skiing and sledding on the snow-packed hills of the Ogden area. Now that he is an adult, he still makes sledding an important part of his winter life; even his first date with his wife was a sledding extravaganza.

Higginson is not alone when it comes to sledding being part of life. His friends Liz and Dave Sant go sledding several times each winter.

"Anytime it snows, she (Liz) says to me, 'If there is snow tomorrow, we are going sledding,'" Dave said.

There are a variety of spots where Higginson, Sant and their group of friends go sledding. Higginson said his favorite place is the "McKay-Dee Pit," a hill across the street from WSU where the old McKay-Dee hospital used to sit.

When the snow conditions are right and Higginson is between classes, he whips out his collapsible disc sled and rides the hills on the WSU campus.

"You have to find the right spot (when sledding at WSU)," Higginson said. "Sidewalks can be a hazard, and going down stairs with no snow is very painful."

The sledding conditions for the city have not been up to par this season. Even Liz said she has been down this winter because the lack of snow has made it difficult to go sledding.

Even though the snow in much the city has been bad, Mt. Ogden Park has had snow most of the winter and several places near Ogden like North Ogden divide and Trapper's Loop still have great sledding conditions. All of these sledding destinations are conducive to the five major sled types and five major sledding events. The five major types of sleds are tubes, sleighs, toboggans, long plastics, discs and the miscellaneous, which includes plastic mats and garbage bags. Each type of sled has its advantages and disadvantages.

Plastic mats and garbage bags are nice on the wallet because they do not cost much money, but when landing a jump, mats and bags are devastating to the rider's backside. Many people like the tube because of the soft landing after getting sweet air, but when the tube is overloaded with many people, something spectacular happens: People fly all over the hill. Because of this phenomenon, Dave uses a specific type of tube.

"I like the big tire tube because it provides the best explosion of humans on impact," Sant said.

If sledding finally goes to the Olympics, there are five major events that need to be implemented: the big air competition, the long jump, speed sledding, synchronized/figure sledding and the slalom event where the rider weaves through trees.

After watching Higginson smash into a tree last year, the slalom has become Sant's favorite event to watch, Sant said. He continued to say that it is funny to watch "big men" weave between trees.

The future of sledding is endless. It could be a great Winter Olympic event for future generations to enjoy. It is time for sledding and sledding athletes to get the respect they deserve. I am not trying to say that sledding is better than curling, even though WSU student Lisa Arrington disagrees with me.

"Of course sledding is better than curling; I've been on plenty of good sledding dates but never a good curling one," Arrington said.