2008 Woodie Awards
Rail Jam invades BSU
MARY ALBL
Assistant Sports Editor
Issue date: 3/6/08 Section: Sports
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"The Rail Jam is a competitive event where skiers and snowboarders can show off their skills," BSU Outdoors Coordinator Geoff Harrison said.
What the Rail Jam is, essentially, is an event where top professional and local amateur snowboarders perform challenging tricks on an impressive snow and rail setup - right in the middle of campus on the BSU intramural field.
The Rail Jam Tour has become widely popular and has expanded this year to make stops in seven states at a total of 14 college campuses. So far it has appeared at University of Colorado, Colorado State, University of Denver, University of Utah, San Diego State and Fresno State.
Harrison said that he was approached about the Campus Rail Jam to see if BSU would be interested in having it.
Local shops, riders looking to make an impact
Local snowboard, skateboard and inline skate shop, Newt & Harolds, is just one of the businesses that has banded behind the Rail Jam and is helping out.
Benjamin Woodard of Newt & Harolds said that the store has donated some prizes for the event. Some of their team riders, which includes himself, will also be participating in the Rail Jam.
"One of our team kids that will be riding for sure," Woodard said. "His name is AJ Ogden - AKA Juice."
He also mentioned that Cory MacDonald from Bogus Mountain Events might be there as well.
Along with the riders from local shops, there are eight BSU students that have been chosen to participate in the event as well.
"Students applied and were selected by the students programs board," Harrison said. "It was a collaborate project between the Students Program[s] Board and the Outdoors Program."
Making it all happen
To get an event like this together, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. One of the most unique things about this event, and one of the most difficult things to organize for this event, was the transportation of snow to campus.
Five semit truck loads of snow will be brought on campus for the event, Harrison said. Bogus Basin is providing the snow.
Besides The Outdoors Program at BSU, the Students Programs Board has been heavily involved as well in helping promote the Rail Jam.
"It was quite a big event getting the word out and to have people to come and see the event," Harrison said. "The day of the event will be hard, we've hired security and have extra parking set up for the event." Woodard, who went to the Campus Rail Jam event last year at Oregon State University, knows what it takes for an event like this to be a success.
"Those guys [Campus Rail Jam Tour] usually have a pretty good set up," Woodard said. "So with any luck they will get some quality riders to show up and put on a good show." Woodard was quick to point out that getting the athletes takes some effort and work.
"That's half the battle usually," Woodard said. "Setting it all up and promoting is a pain, but actually getting good guys to show up and put on a good show is hard sometimes."
Not just about the snow
The Campus Rail Jam, will officially be held Saturday in the Intramural Field from 1-5 p.m. The event is free and event sponsors are hoping to attract more than 2,000 people.
"The more people there watching will stoke out the riders that much more to throw down some gnarly tricks," Woodard said. "It should be a good time."
However, what is really exclusive about the Campus Rail Tour at BSU and what sets it apart from the other tours, is the fact that it is in collaboration with the ninth annual Sawtooth Mountain Film Festival. The film festival runs Friday and Saturday at night in the Special Events Center in the Student Union Building.
"I came up with idea to combine [the two] to make it a weekend event," Harrison said. "I thought it'd be fun to have a day event."
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