Skiing

A general lack of snow throughout the Northeast from early December through mid-January hampered the Big Green varsity skiers to some extent. The cross-country team has been in action at Franconia, and the jumpers have competed at Bear Mountain and in other jumps on an individual basis, but the Alpine squad has had little opportunity for practice.

This year's varsity ski team, coached by A 1 Merrill and Bill Beck, will be somewhat stronger in the Nordic events (cross country and jumping) and a shade weaker than in recent years in the downhill and slalom. Leading the team are co-captains Dave Harwood and Bill Smith, with Harwood competing in the Alpine events and Smith a four-event possibility. Veteran Ralph Miller will not compete this year because of the pressure of studies at the Medical School and he will be missed. Bob Gebhardt and Dave Britton are two veteran Alpine competitors who along with reserves Frank Noel and Hartley Paul and sophomores Alden Van Buskirk and Rog Hackley give Coach Bill Beck a good nucleus to work with.

Frank Noel is also turning into a promising jumper and he, along with Bill Smith, Don Peterson, John Ceely and Pete Ryland and sophomore Pete Hawks, should give the Indians a fairly strong jumping squad.

Making up the cross-country team, which should be stronger than before, are co-captain Bill Smith, Dick Taylor, a veteran who finished fifth in the recent F.I.S. Nordic tryouts at Idaho, John Ceely and John Capper.

The first major meet for the Big Green is the annual Dartmouth Winter Carnival on the last weekend of January. Then it's a solid month of weekend meets culminating at the N.C.A.A. Championships which this year will be held at Dartmouth.