Log rolling seeks to gain status as new club sport

Abby Hoeschler ’10 has been log rolling since the age of four. Her mother is a seven-time world champion. Her oldest sister, Katie Hoeschler ’03.5, is the current world champion. Together with her sisters Katie and Elizabeth Hoeschler ’05, who started teaching log rolling on campus when they attended Middlebury, Abby has institutionalized log rolling at the College, and the sport is now a thriving activity on campus.

Log rolling, which traces its historical roots back to the 1800s, when loggers would “drive” logs down the river to a sawmill, is a little-known yet exciting activity that has captivated the interest of the Hoeschler family.  Today, it bears little resemblance to the antiquated practice of the 19th-century logging industry, as its influence has spread through community programs which use discarded electrical poles for the logs rather than chopping down trees. Abby describes it as the most mentally taxing sport she has ever played.

“Stepping onto a skinny piece of floating wood in the water (just inches from your competitor), knowing that if you take one misstep you will plunge into the water, has taught me how to stay and fight when my body goes into the instinctual fight-or-flight mode,” said Hoeschler in describing the sport’s psychological pressures.

During the two years at Middlebury between Hoeschler sisters, log rolling continued to be taught by a recent convert to the sport, Danielle Rougeau, a LIS staff member for Library and Information Servies. Offered as a P.E. class and a Winter Term workshop, it is now applying to become a club sport, and should finish the process sometime this spring.

“Danielle has done a great job of promoting it,” said Hoeschler. “Offering log rolling as a P.E. class really helped to increase involvement, and the J-Term workshops are always full.”

Log rollers recently came together for the third annual log rolling tournament at Middlebury, which took place in the natatorium during the last week of Winter Term. The group had enough participants this year to have a beginner bracket as well as an intermediate bracket, and the event drew a solid number of fans, including President of the college Ronald D. Liebowitz. Due to this outpouring of support and participation, Hoeschler and Rougeau are hoping to organize a spring tournament as well, since it would be the last one before Abby graduates in May.

Beginners and intermediate log rollers alike put in a great showing at the tournament, for which Abby acted as announcer. “There was a lot going on, since we had two logs in the water, and it was challenging to be announcing and organizing the event at the same time,” admitted Hoeschler. That said, the tournament was a lot of fun for all involved, and ended up being a huge success.

“Abby made a difficult job seem really easy,” said Rougeau of Hoeschler’s role in the organization of the event. In addition to helping plan the tournament, Rougeau competed in the intermediate bracket. Although she did not place in the top three, it was clear from watching that she loves to roll, and had a great time facing off against some of her former students.

Katie Crecilius ’09.5 won the intermediate bracket for the second straight year in arguably the most exciting match of the tournament. Rolling against fellow graduating Feb Dave Small ’09.5, she dropped the first two contests before coming back to win three straight for the 3-2 victory, cheered on by her mom and the spattering of remaining fans. Brian Clow ’13 took the beginner’s title, with Spencer Ellis ’12 finishing second and Robin Curtis ’10 in third place.

“It was exciting that we had a very diverse group participating in the tournament,” said Hoeschler. “People from all over are picking it up.” Log rolling’s unique presence at Middlebury has certainly attracted attention, and Hoeschler added that it has given the school good press from a wide audience. When her sisters were involved with log rolling at Middlebury, the Today Show came to interview the two of them about their participation at the highest levels of international competition and their desire to establish this intriguing sport at the College.

This past fall, Abby organized a log rolling event to raise awareness for 350.org on the Oct. 24 International Day of Climate Action. She and other members of the Middlebury community collectively made 350 turns of the log rolling log in a gesture that highlights the ability of sports to become an instrument of social awareness and change.

Hoeschler is optimistic that log rolling will continue to thrive at Middlebury after she graduates this spring, especially given Rougeau’s firm commitment to the program.