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May 28, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels February 24, 2004 Campbell is Ashland's king of the mountain By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings A snowy mountain feels like home to Evan Campbell. "I skied as a little kid," said the Ashland High senior and standout snowboarder. "I had skied at Ashland because my grandpa lives in town." But when his family decided to transplant to Ashland from Santa Rosa, Calif., Campbell felt compelled to switch from skiing to snowboarding. Though he was only about 10 years old when he gave up skiing, Campbell has never looked back. Sshland high snowboarder Evan Campbell takes to the slopes of Mount Ashland during a recent Grizzly practice. Ashland's top snowboarder will lead the Grizzlies as they go for their third straight state title in March. Andy Atkinson | For the Tidings Denise Baratta | Ashland Daily Tidings "I definitely prefer snowboarding because I know it better," Campbell said. "Skiing - I did it because it was presented to me. Snowboarding - I know it as my own." Everyone else knows snowboarding belongs to Campbell as well. "His forte is definitely his speed," said Grizz snowboard coach Matt Faurot. "I just think he's aggressive when he's free-riding." Building up In the fall of 1999, seven Ashland High snowboarders got together to establish the Grizz snowboarding team as a new winter club sport offering at AHS. A little over four years later, the Grizzly snowboarding team has transformed into one of the largest athletic activities at the high school and, arguably, the most successful. Combined, the boys' and girls' squads total 54 boarders who train with the program. The majority of the athletes also compete in the Southern Oregon League races at Mount Ashland. The boys' team has won the Southern Oregon League title four years in a row. In 2002 and 2003, with Campbell competing on the varsity squad, the Grizz boys also brought home the overall state championship. Now in his third season on the Grizz club snowboarding team, the 17-year-old leads the SOL in individual points going into the state championships at Mount Hood the first weekend of March. "He's posted two first-place finishes in each of the giant slalom and the boardercross and place second in another giant slalom," Faurot explained. It will be Campbell's third trip to state in as many years and a chance for the Grizzly boys to capture their third consecutive state title. But Campbell's outlook going into the state championship may seem a bit unusual. Instead of gunning for trophies and titles, he simply wants to enjoy himself. "You can never plan to do any specific way. If you do, it's kind of ignorant. You're ignorant to unpredictable factors," Campbell said. "I think mainly I'm just going to try to have fun this year. I've stressed out about it the past two years I went to state. This year I'm trying to loosen up." Change of tone At the end of his junior year, Campbell applied to the Wilderness Charter School at Ashland High. "I'd always known it was there, but I'd never discovered it," he said. "It seemed like a good way to cap off high school. It's really a program that requires a whole lot of self-motivation. For me, it really helped me step into responsibility." Instead of taking regular course-load at Ashland High, Campbell takes three general classes and three classes through the charter school. For example, he interns at an eastern medicine health center and is taking martial arts lessons. "It's basically a program which is focused more on self-direction," Campbell said. "I think it's largely contributed to how I view my snowboarding career this year." The tight-knit community the Wilderness School creates within Ashland High has helped Campbell relax and allowed him to spend more time with a lot of his teammates, as several Grizz snowboarders are involved in the charter school. "There's a huge amount of camaraderie between us," Campbell said of his team. "It's really mellowed out from what it used to be. We're loosening one another up." Faurot agreed. "There's a great sense of togetherness, and that doesn't just stop with the Ashland team," Faurot said. Because it's a good ride "I guess what keeps me doing it (snowboarding) is it seems unnatural to not do it," Campbell said. "It's one of the most peaceful things I've ever experienced. At the same time, it's one of the most dangerous things I've ever gotten into." While Campbell enjoys the snowboarding experience above the element of competition, he has an important place on the Ashland team. "I look at Evan as a role model for the other kids, in the sense that he gives them a visual guideline of how to snowboard," Faurot said. "When you're talking to kids and trying to increase their skills, you have to use examples. Evan's one of the persons I use as an example." Campbell, a technically sound boarder, likes the challenge competition offers because it pushes him to try new moves and progress on the snow. "It's just a blast. It's pure fun." Campbell said. "Just being on my board is what makes me happy." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams