NH teens "outjump" other states

Are you like me? Do you sense that people in New Hampshire are a little bit unusual ? Not like everybody else?  A little bit different?  A little bit peculiar?

Well, here's more evidence.  New Hampshire is the only state that offers high school ski jumping as a team sport. You know. Ski jumping. Like in the Olympics. Skiing down a long, sloping chute, reaching the end, flying off into space for a few seconds and then several hundred feet later (hopefully) landing all in one piece. Not the sort of thing the average person might want to try for a lark on a dull, winter afternoon.

At one time, a few other states including Maine, Minnesota, and Vermont offered ski jumping as a high school sport, but now New Hampshire is all alone in that respect. Six public high schools (Concord, Hanover, Hopkinton, Kennett, Plymouth, and Sunapee) and two prep schools (Holderness and Proctor) offer the sport.

How do you ski jump? Is it as simple as falling off a log (or, in this case, as simple as rocketing down a long, elevated, slick, sloping chute with a perilous drop at the end? No, there's a little more to it than that. Well, actually, a whole lot more to it. Joseph Foote (newhampshire.com, January 2013) describes the proper technique:

"High school jumpers strive to use the modern technique of a V in flight, with ski heels together and ski tips wide apart. The jumper leans forward between his skis, for maximum aerodynamic effect, and holds his arms against his body with hands open to add some steering ability. The preferred landing is in the telemark position with skis tight together with one advanced ahead of the other for maximum stability. Because of short landing areas on most high school hills, the jumper goes into reverse immediately after landing, turning his skis sideways at high speed and sliding to a stop in a great shower of snow. It's quite a sight."

Oh, that doesn't seem so difficult. Probably no more tricky than landing an astronaut on the moon, I suspect. I'll bet only macho, adolescent males do this sort of thing. Not quite. High school women ski jump, too.  Both sexes train together and jump together at meets, but young men and women are judged separately.

How does it feel to ski jump? Joseph Foote describes the feelings experienced by Julia Finch, a jumper from Concord High School.

"The night before the States (competition): 'Very excited.'"

"Morning of: 'Very nervous.'"

"Standing atop the jump: 'Pure focus. My heart starts beating faster and faster as I approach the jump.'"

"Down the in-run chute: 'Relaxed. I take a deep breath and let go of the bar. As I get closer to the takeoff, I make my leg muscles tense and try to feel the power building up in my calves. I envision me popping off the end.'"

"Through the air: 'The fun part. I always enjoy the ride through the air. It never lasts as long as I'd like, but it certainly is enjoyable. I stretch out my neck to make me jump as far as possible. I begin to concentrate on the landing.'"

"Landing: 'Pure relief.'"

Well, I told you that people in New Hampshire are a little different. Some try to fly like birds, but without benefit of wings. You know, ski  jumping sounds like fun.  Maybe, I'd like to give it a try. Hmm, I'm an out-of-stater; we don't do things like that. On second thought, I'll go home; get a cup of hot chocolate; turn on the TV; and watch brave young men and women at the Olympics, like these Granite State high schoolers, fly through the heavens.

If you would like to read more about the rugged individualists, daredevils, eccentrics, and out-of-staters (like me) who live in New Hampshire, may I suggest my new book Outtastatahs: Newcomers' Adventures in New  Hampshire.

Outtastatahs (as in out-of-staters) can be purchased for $13.99 at River Run Books in Portsmouth; at The Water Street Bookstore in Exeter; at the Galley Hatch Restaurant gift shop in Hampton; at Gibson's Bookstore in Concord; or on-line at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com.