Nafisa competing in the “Pulp Toss” event at a SUNY-ESF Woodsmen Team home meet in the Town of Tully.

From Nafisa Tabassum

You might wonder how it’s possible to become involved in any extracurricular activity when you have a 21-22 credit course load and 8 hours of classes a day followed by homework for the rest of the evening. I wondered the same thing when I joined the SUNY ESF Woodsmen Team during the first semester of Ranger School. 

We practiced two days a week, usually right after dinner. At Ranger School everyone lives in the dorm and eats in the dorm at designated meal times. We would start out by setting up the site, just past the student parking lot. We hauled out equipment and often went with our coach to get logs of young white pine which we would debark and practice on. 

There were a number of events we practiced for: H-chop, crosscut saw, bow saw, cookie stack, and many others! Among my favorite events were H-chop, crosscut saw, and cookie stack. We competed almost every weekend for most of the fall semester. Because of COVID-19, however, all meets and practices for the spring semester were cancelled.

On the one hand the cancellation was great because it allowed for extra time to complete schoolwork; on the other hand, timber sports were a great way to relieve stress and have fun after a long, hard day in the classroom and field. It was another avenue for students to shine, whether it was being good at setting up the stanchions, being the fastest at an event, or just offering moral support.

The Woodsmen Team was an experience I didn’t get on the main campus. At Ranger School, it was mostly for fun; we gave our absolute best effort when competing and supported one another when injured or otherwise. All in all, it was a fantastic experience that gave insight into the history of logging and timber sports. 

Editor’s Note: This article in The Daily Orange is a great profile of the SUNY-ESF Woodsman Team.