The Sonoma State skiers club is a new organization on campus for those with a love to shred. This week, we spoke to the club President Cena Murphy. Here’s what the 3rd year communications major had to say about what the Sonoma Skiers club is all about:
Q: Do you, personally, ski or snowboard, and how long have you been doing it for?
A: Yes, I actually was only introduced to snow- boarding as of last year, so I still have a lot to learn. However, luckily since there was great snowfall last year in Tahoe, I was able to go up a lot to better my skills.
how serene and quiet it feels. Tahoe is a beautiful place and to experience it on a snowboard is icing on the cake. I feel that a sport such as skiing and snowboarding also forces you to truly live in the moment, and when you are on the mountain, it almost feels like all of your out- side stressors melt away. After all, you have to focus in order to prevent flying into people.
Q: What is the Sonoma Skiers club, and what does it mean to you?
A: The Sonoma Skiers Club is a ski and snowboard- ing club open to all levels. It is a group of like-mind- ed people who all love the beauty of the outdoors and who want to collectively experience and improve at an amazing sport. To me, it is a community.
Q: What made you decide to start the Sonoma Skiers club?
A: Ashton (Vice president) and I were transfer stu- dents, and when we came to Sonoma State we both be- gan to look into our options of clubs to join. We got to talking one day about Tahoe and it was a lightbulb moment. I went to look at our list of clubs at school and realized that we didn’t have a ski and snowboarding club, and thought starting one would not only be a great experience for both of us, but an amazing opportunity to meet like minded people who love the mountains.
Q: How has the Sonoma Skiers club benefited the Sonoma State campus and the community?
A: Sonoma Skiers will be an outlet for students to leave Sonoma County for a day (or two) and experience the beauty hidden in Northern California. It gives stu- dents the opportunity to create lasting friendships while bonding over a sport they love and enjoy, while also simultaneously getting better at skiing and snowboard- ing.
Q: How has running a club on campus affected your college experience?
fective communication. While I am a communications major, this is really the first time I am truly putting it to use outside of academics. I am learning the ins and outs of marketing, while bettering my communications skills. I want to ensure that all the members feel updated and in the know with all events we may be planning.
Q: What are some of the goals you have regard- ing the future of the Sonoma Skiers club?
A: Our biggest goal is to host an overnight stay in Tahoe, however when the ski season is over, I hope to host more events to better connect with our members and establish lasting relationships. I also hope we are able to throw fun events outside of Tahoe trips, maybe one day even going to another state to hit the slopes.
Q: How many members do you guys currently have, and what has the recruitment process been like for you?
A: Currently, there are 24 members. Recruitment has been simple, we haven’t done much marketing to- wards our club since it is still in the beginning stages. However, I have a feeling that after our first trip, word of mouth will bring us a lot of interest and new members.
Q: Do you guys have any upcoming events?
A: We are keeping an eye out for a storm in Tahoe. As soon as that happens, we will be planning a day trip to either Northstar, Heavenly, or Kirkwood.
As winter snow storms approach Northern California, Sonoma State students can find updates on upcoming trips to the slopes on the Sonoma State skiers Instagram page @sonomaskiers.