With an early season snowstorm dumping several feet of snow on area mountains, Smugglers’ Notch, Jay Peak, and Stowe are reporting optimum midwinter conditions.

While all three are offering unusually fine conditions for this time of year, only Smugglers’ Notch has constructed new trails since last year. Smuggs is presenting skiers and riders with more glades, bringing the mountain’s total gladed area to over 45 acres and 22 percent of the total skiable and patrolled area.

The resignation of former JSC Badger Jon Brooks has prompted a search for a replacement for the college’s mascot.

The SGA has posted ads featuring the question “Do you want a chance to show your B.S.”? around the campus, soliciting students as part of an effort to get the Badger back on his paws.

Three JSC students, two staff members, and a JSC alum lace up the skates, pop in the mouth guards and hit the ice once a week at Morrisville’s Crew Arena for some hockey.
Along with other local players included to fill the required 13-member roster, JSC students Kegan Pettit, Dan Phillips, and Rob Butler skate alongside Doug Eastman, JSC registrar, and Wendy Brothers, the director of SHAPE.

JSC alumnus Dan Noyes was behind the organization of the team, which is known as the JSC Ice Badgers.

By 2010, JSC will be fielding 12 varsity athletic teams as opposed to the 10 that represent the college today. Men’s Golf and Women’s Volleyball will be added to JSC athletics.

Men’s Golf will be offered as a spring varsity sport, with Women’s Volleyball in the fall.

The professional athlete is often looked upon as a truly privileged specimen, often earning millions and seemingly insulated from the problems and difficulties the rest of us face. They are, sometimes it seems, untouchable.

Sadly, recent events have shown that the athletes we have grown to love and adore are just like the rest of us when it comes tragedy and sudden death.

Snowboarders and skiers gathered at the JSC snowboard terrain park to show off their best tricks at the first annual Shiny Jib Fest on Saturday, Dec. 8.

The event was somewhat of a rarity, because most colleges don’t allow outsiders at rail jams due to insurance issues. However, there was only one competitor at the event who was not a student at JSC, Skyler Christmen, a Lamoille Union senior.

After ending last season at 5-20, head men’s basketball coach Michael Osborne is excited about this year’s squad, which boasts a mixture of new and returning faces. “Expectations are to play harder than last year and to improve day to day,” Osborne said. “Wins and losses are hard to gauge and obviously I want to win more basketball games.”

This year’s team has a lot of players returning from last year’s squad, including three of the five starters. Osborne is looking forward to the return of his point guard from two seasons ago, who went down with an injury four games into the season.