PULLMAN, Wash. – The WSU Logger Sports team won its second straight title at the 2007 Association of Western Forestry Clubs Conclave recently held at the University of Idaho’s Plant Science and Tree Nursery Farm.
The win was the team’s 12th straight victory.
WSU dominated the competition, winning by 120 points. Each first-place win earned the team ten points. “It was a great team effort,” said Megan Pence, the team’s club president.
“We represent WSU in style,” said Vice President Josh Goicoechea.
Both men and women compete in a variety of logging events at competitions in the western United States. The competitions include a variety of chopping and sawing events, which are scored on time and are tests of strength. Then there’s ax throwing, which is scored by depth of impact and accuracy of throw. The agility of competitors is tested in log rolling and pole climbing events, which are also timed. Competitions regularly include tests of woodland knowledge such as the ability to identify plant species and to navigate through a forest with only a compass.
Team members come from a wide variety of majors and backgrounds, including political science, pre-vet, finance, construction management, civil engineering, agricultural education, animal science, natural resource sciences and history.
“Several team members have some sort of logging or forestry background, but most of us don’t,” said Pence.
“We have a winning reputation,” said Goicoechea, and that’s helped recruit new members eager to compete in a challenging sport. “But as serious as the competition gets,” he said, “cooperation rules the day among the participants. There’s always good-spirited competition, and everyone places a strong emphasis on safety.”
“One of the best things about competing in logging sports events is that everybody makes friends all over the West Coast,” said Pence.
“That, and chopping wood,” said team member Willi Boni. “Chopping wood is what it’s all about.”
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