Surfers and skiers

Shredding Text by ANDIE TETZLAFF and TARA KOTHARI HE SLAPS ON a wetsuit. She buckles up her ski boots. Two Palo Alto High School athletes prepare for an eventful morning of fun and adrenaline. While senior Alex Washburn enjoys riding the waves, senior Emma Jacobi spends her morning flying down the slopes. These Paly athletes represent a category of unique athletics that have proven to be invaluable during the the gnar pandemic. v Surf’s up Hopping out of bed at 5 a.m. and preparing a cup of hot coffee, Washburn gets ready to go surfing before school. He EMBRACING THE OUTDOORS arrives at the beach as the sun is rising and quickly dresses in his wetsuit and jumps on his board. After riding some waves under the ascending sun, he starts the long drive home to make it to his first period class. Surfing has become an almost daily activity for Washburn since sophomore year, and under campus closures, he finds himself embarking on his early morning adventures more than ever. With the rise of COVID-19, many people have been spending time learning new hobbies or practicing old ones. For Washburn, that passion is surfing. Despite Washburn’s time commitment to surfing in the past months, he has had to consider that although there is flexibility with online learning, senior year often comes with added stress, whether it be college applications or keeping grades up. Overall, Washburn still believes the distance learning format has made the work easier to manage. “Before online school, I couldn’t surf before school because I didn’t have time,” Washburn said. “Now, I can surf in the morning and then free up my afternoon for homework and other stuff.” As the first semester of the 2020-2021 academic year comes to an end, Washburn reflects on how surfing has been a positive outlet for him to release stress and anxiety. “Whenever I’m surfing, I don’t think about anything but surfing,” Washburn said. “Every other thought just goes away, and I find that a very beautiful aspect of BEFORE THE BARREL — Sitting on his surfboard, the sport.” senior Alex Washburn enjoys the brisk ocean water Back in August, Washburn collaboratduring a sunny afternoon in Santa Cruz. “When I have ed with fellow senior Charles Mitz to form more time, I tend to go down to Santa Cruz because that’s just world-class surfing right there,” Washburn said. Photo: Zoë Wong-VanHaren the Paly Surf Club. The club has nearly 40 active members and holds weekly Zoom meetings at lunch, often featuring guest

speakers. They also gather for in-person surfing sessions, with roughly a dozen students heading down to Half Moon Bay or Santa Cruz to enjoy the waves several times per month. With these in-person meetings, Washburn and Mitz protect the health of all members by requiring masks to be worn and social distancing.

“One of my favorite things to do is just go out with as many people that want to come because it’s so much fun, and that’s kind of why I started the surf club,” Washburn said.

He hopes to continue surfing in college and is applying to colleges based on their locations, ensuring that there are beaches nearby.

“I definitely oriented my college search around surfing,” Washburn said. “I don’t know what I would do without surfing for a number of months.”

SNOWY SMILES — Senior Emma Jacobi poses against the snowy Skis down backdrop, ready to take on a day of navigating the slopes. “If I had “Send it!” senior Emma Jacobi’s teammates cheer over the strong gusts of chilly to pick one place [to ski] it’d be Squaw ... or Mammoth because they have great snow,” Jacobi said. Photo: Marianne Jacobi wind on the mountain. Taking a deep breath and putting her earbuds in with rock music on full blast, Jacobi determinedly sets off from the top of the slope at full speed. She has always loved the feeling of flying part if I just stay on top of it [homework], her team by constantly pushing to improve down the mountains. it will work out pretty well.” and practicing regularly.

Today, skiing is Jacobi’s main outlet to Even though Jacobi is not homes- While Jacobi has made many of her be able to take a break from the stresses of chooled or based in Tahoe like a majority fondest memories as a part of the ski team, life. What started off as a hobby at the age of her teammates, she has always felt truly she knows first hand that the sport comes of three turned into a passion by the age at home with her skiing community. with inherent dangers and has sustained of 13, and as a member of the Squaw Val- “The best part about being in the ski many injuries, including three concussions, ley Ski Team, her love for the sport is only team is definitely the community that you so far. growing. surround yourself with,” Jacobi said. “Es- “One time my pole got caught under

As Jacobi does not live in Tahoe, she pecially when you’re at the top of the race- my ski and I fell headfirst, the other time commutes from the Bay Area, spending 12-15 hours in the car every weekend of the ski season. Despite the “Whenever I’m surfing, I don’t think about anything but surfing ... I course just kind of vibing and listening to trashy music with everyone else, you come together as a team.” was when I was going for a jump my knee hit my face and the third time I flew in the air for five seconds and when I landed my face went right into the snow,” Jacobi said. Regardless of these risks, Jacobi’s passion and determination for the sport time commitment find that a very beautiful Jacobi com- are continually on the rise, and while required of the sport, Jacobi ensures that aspect of the sport.” petes in three out of four different COVID-19 caused many of her competitions to be canceled, she is excited for the she sets aside time — ALEX WASHBURN, senior events: slalom, start of the season with the recent opening for academics and giant slalom and of the slopes. schoolwork in be- super giant slalom. Looking ahead, Jacobi plans to contintween commutes, practices and competi- Slalom is essentially a race to get through ue her skiing career and eagerly awaits the tions. a course that consists of poles or gates that adventures to come.

“I do my homework right when I are spaced at a specific distance from one “I was thinking of joining some kind come home from skiing, and I just have to another, and the skier must adjust their of a team in college, and if that doesn’t manage my time wisely,” Jacobi said. “At turns and speed depending on the course. work out then I’m just going to go skiing times I might fall behind, but for the most Jacobi trains for each of these events with on the weekends anyway,” Jacobi said.