In recent years, snowboarding has grown into one of the premiere extreme sports across the nation and around the world.

Some taking up the sport are former skiers, including Chris Novy, president of the ISU Ski and Snowboard Club.

“I’ll never ski again,” Novy said. “I just love snowboarding too much.”

Novy credits the rise in popularity of snowboarding to a number of reasons.

“It has just become more of a trend to be a snowboarder lately,” Novy said. “It appeals to a younger audience and gets a lot more media coverage than other winter sports.”

A common assumption by many is that skiers hate snowboarders and vice versa.

Novy feels otherwise.

“A lot of snowboarders can be rude on the mountain,” Novy said. “But I get frustrated with them too. The rivalry is really pretty subtle.”

Todd Brubaker, lesson coordinator for the Ski Club, feels the same way.

“There’s a little animosity between skiers and boarders, but I don’t have a problem with [snowboarders],” he said. “It’s mainly the older skiers that dislike snowboarding so much.”

Brubaker said there is really no room for the rivalry.

“We’re all sliding on the same snow,” he said.

Not every skier sees it that way.

“I don’t care much for snowboarders,” said Jon Peterson, a junior in civil engineering and club member.

“A lot of times they get in the way. They spend way too much time just sitting in little groups on the hill.”

Peterson said the styles of the two sports don’t mix well together.

“Some snowboarders stop too much while skiers like to ski continuously,” he said. “Snowboarders like terrain parks and skiers like steep slopes.”

One thing that Iowa skiers and snowboarders can agree on is that the past couple of winters (aside from the recent snowfall) have not been prime for winter sports. To combat this problem, the club often goes on trips.

“We’re always out west,” Brubaker said.

The club recently went to Park City, Utah, and plans to go to Jackson Hole, Wyo., over spring break. They also take many smaller weekend trips to slopes in Minneapolis and Colorado.

Anyone interested in joining can contact them through the club Web site (www.scc.iastate .edu/ski) or e-mail at [email protected].