The NVU Shred Club was formed by six Johnson students at the beginning of last semester with the mission statement, “For like-minded individuals who share a passion for stoke”. The club is the first organized group of skiers on campus since the disbandment of the schools’ Division I Ski Racing Team in 1998.

The return of shred support on campus is credited to Club President, Jakob Aigeldinger, and advisor, Andrew Lafrenz. “I came to Johnson as an eighteen-year-old kid from Pennsylvania, wanting to become a part of a ski club community. I saw that it wasn’t here yet, so I started to create that community with my friends. As soon as I did that, it all started to take off.” said Aigeldinger.

Most of the board members have similar stories and are all experts in their areas of interest. Various businesses in the area (Jay Peak, Berkshire East, Smugglers’ Notch, Johnson Farm & Garden, and the Red Barn) have contacted the club saying that they would support them in terms of finances or equipment.

While skiing and snowboarding account for a large portion of the group’s activities, the club embraces everyone in the “shred community,” meaning that its members also take part in skateboarding, biking, and other extreme sports during the year. “Some kids do tricks, some are racers, skiers, snowboarders, but we’re really open to anything,” said Aigeldinger.

The club is open to all levels with the hope that a new community of extreme athletes will start to form. When asked if there’s any advice he’d have for students just starting extreme sports, Aigeldinger said, “Start small—and starting small is perfect to do on a place like campus right now. We’ve got some nice fluffy snow, you don’t have to be intimidated on the mountain. It’s a combination of being around here, close friends and small groups.”

The NVU-Johnson terrain park and Johnson Skate Park are both available for students to start immersing themselves in shred-culture.
The club’s first rail jam was held last semester during the Johnson Holiday Jubilee. The group’s debut event took place behind United Church and experienced large turnout despite incredibly cold temperatures. Right now, the club is planning another rail jam on campus (either on the quad or the terrain park). There are also tentative plans for a skating event when the weather clears up.

Aigeldinger hopes to push for more on-campus shredding resources in the future: “I wish I could see a rope tow. If we had a rope tow and some lights, we’d have people coming from all over the area.”

Questions about joining can be messaged to the club’s Instagram account, @nvujohnsonshredclub.