Winter has always been a time of the year that I’ve cherished, from the holidays and celebrations, to the music, the snow, and, of course, the sports. This “Winter Sports Issue” means more to me than maybe some of our other magazines. I say this because when I was younger I discovered a passion, one that I fell in love with and one that I will always have. That passion is snowboarding.

Before I began snowboarding, I skied. I loved the concept of gliding over the snow at high speeds. But skiing was not my forte.

I had been skiing for years and I had it down; I was ready for a new challenge. Snowboarding was something that I always interested in. I always found myself watching snowboarding on TV: the X-Games, the Winter Olympics, the Dew Tour and more. I learned who the athletes were and they soon became my role models, many of which I still follow today. I then began to snowboard; it was a little rough at first, but soon after I got it down and couldn’t help but to fall in love.

I know it’s totally cliché, but it’s true. I fell in love with the snow, the surroundings, the wind, and the mountains. Snowboarding made me realize the beauty of mountains and made me appreciate my surroundings more than I ever have. It made me appreciate it so much that whenever I have the opportunity to get away, I choose to go to cold, snowy mountains over warm, sandy beaches. Snowboarding is a sport that I cherish, and I will continue to cherish until the day I die.

Just like me, the winter inspires passion for our winter athletes and their sports. And just like in the last sports magazine, one that came at the conclusion of the fall season, the end of competition is near for some our winter athletes. These athletes grew up passionate about their sports: watching, practicing, learning, perfecting and preparing for the day they would play on a varsity sport. For these athletes, just as the snow melts, so does their time as a Sequoit; however, it isn’t the end, it’s simply a new beginning.

In this issue, the “Winter Sports Issue,” the Tom Tom didn’t choose to focus on a certain aspect or element of sports. Instead, we chose to address issues and concerns relating to our winter athletes. We explored the slopes and why Sequoits love to ski and snowboard. Their passion and drive is beyond admirable, especially since skiing and snowboarding aren’t sports recognized by IHSA or the school. After all, we don’t even have a ski or snowboard club to offer these athletes and outlet for this kind of expression. Moving forward, we interviewed two Sequoits in particular about their experiences with cutting weight and the pressures of their sports on their bodies. In wrestling it is nearly an expectation to maintain, cut, or gain weight. For a Sequoit alumna, maintaining a certain weight can keep her from graduating. In our final feature of the magazine we looked at smack talk and dirty play, and why both contribute to a unique culture in sports.

In addition to our features, we are bringing back a Tom Tom tradition with “Tom Tom Tries.” This issue our Digital Director Maddie Soberano tried out tae kwon do with her brother. Little did she know it would be much harder than her brother ever made it seem. On top of that we’ve got a pump up playlist, a fun pop culture grid and top moments of 2015. And that’s not all; this magazine is packed, so enjoy!

To our winter athletes, thank you for inspiring us every day and showing your passion and dedication in your sports and in the classroom. To our readers, enjoy