Club Spotlight: Mountain Sports

In an occasional series, Royal News spotlights clubs from the university's 100+ student organizations on campus, speaks to members and offers information on how to connect with the clubs.

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GET INVOLVED

Club: Mountain Sports
Meet: Mason DiCesare '26, shown, is a biochemistry, cell and molecular biology(BCMB) and philosophy double major from Philadelphia.
Role in the Club: Vice President, Winter Sports
Connect: @uofs_mm

By: Ava Aversa, student correspondent

Q: When would your upcoming event be? Would you please share details about its purpose and how people can participate?

"Our latest event hosted by the Mountain Sports Club will be at Skirmish Paintball Fields on October 19! We are super excited to bring a large group of students and introduce them to the sport of paintball. We'll supply rentals, paint, and gear so that anyone of varying levels can play! You can sign up via RoyalSync for a small charge using cash, credit or Royal!"

Q: What is the Mountain Sports Club mission?

"Mountain Sports aims to provide low-cost excursions to local locations in NEPA, providing students a chance to pick up new hobbies and create memories with old and new friends. We hope to bring students of varying levels to all kinds of events. Whether you're an expert or completely new, Mountain Sports wants to offer you an experience you won't forget."

Q: What, in your opinion, are the most exciting events or activities you present as a club?

"I am super biased towards our winter activities like skiing, particularly our out-of-state trip that is still being planned and processed for approval soon. We're hoping to bring a group of around 20 students to either Vermont or New York and stay for the weekend. No prior experience is needed for the trip, but since these are primarily harder and longer trails, we'd like students to be at least accustomed to the slopes.

If you're looking for something more relaxed and more frequent, we will be offering trips to local mountains like Montage Mountain and Elk Mountain Ski Resort. These tickets will be at a discounted price and rentals will be provided if requested. Transportation for these local mountains will also be provided, so if you're looking for an all-inclusive trip, Mountain Sports is the club for you!"

Q: Why would you recommend someone join?

"When you join Mountain Sports, whether you're intending to participate in all of our events or just one, you are ultimately saving tons of money and getting a chance to meet new friends. We want to offer new members an open and safe environment to find new hobbies and create new experiences. Mountain Sports wants to provide our members with our experienced and knowledgeable leaders to help them explore NEPA and what it has to offer."

Q: Why did you join the club?

"I remember coming to the University and being shocked that there wasn't a larger skiing/snowboarding presence within the student body. I found out that many students, like myself, weren't very familiar with the area and there were little to no options presented by the school. I vowed to myself that I would guide and help new students and upperclassmen to the slopes, whether they're pros or beginners. Mountain Sports allows me to reach out to those who attend the school and bring them on unforgettable trips that will hopefully ignite their passions. Getting people to explore what nature has to offer and the thrills and joy it brings is important to me because college can be stressful, and being active has always helped me thrive here at the U."

Q: When and where does Mountain Sports Club meet, and how can someone who is interested find out more about it?

"Our meetings are limited to our officers, but we'd love for our members to come and ask questions if need be or bring any suggestions on future trips. You can find us in The Butler Student Forum in DeNaples on Tuesdays at around 7 p.m.!"

Q: What topics do you discuss?

"Our meetings are focused on bringing the best, and price effective, trips to our members and we meticulously plan each one of our trips. Our officers aim to bring you an experience that will keep you coming back for more. We normally brainstorm and discuss how, when and where each trip will be and we're always open to suggestions."

Q: Any upcoming plans for the fall semester?

"Including our paintball event, we have a couple more hikes and indoor rock climbing, but most of our events will ramp up at the beginning of the spring semester when snow begins to fall and we can hit the slopes together. We're excited to bring students a variety of skiing trips and we hope to see you out there."