LSU FORESTRY CLUB PRESIDENT TAYLOR SIMONEAUX IS STANDING ATOP A SQUARE-CUT LOG, WEARING METAL BOOTS TO PROTECT HIS CALVES AS HE SLOWLY BUT SURELY CHOPS AWAY AT A SECTION OF THE WOOD BENEATH IT.
HE LEFTS THE AXE ABOVE HIS HEAD AND LOWERS IT BETWEEN HIS FEET, HACKING AWAY AT THE LOG UNTIL A TRIANGULAR SECTION OF WOOD SEPARATES CLEANLY OFF.
SIMONEAUX STEPPED OFF THE LOG AND UNBUCKLED THE SAFETY BOOTS. HIS TIME FOR THE LOG CHOP WAS NOT AS FAST AS HE WANTED.
“I don’t really like the physical events because I’m out of shape,” HE JOKED.
SIMONEAUX AND THE REST OF THE FORESTRY CLUB PRACTICED THE PHYSICAL EVENTS FIVE DAYS A WEEK FOR SEVERAL WEEKS LEADING UP TO THE 2012 FORESTRY CONCLAVE.
WHILE THE TEAM EXCELS MORE IN THE ACADEMIC EVENTS, THEY SPEND HOURS TWEAKING THEIR TECHNIQUE IN LOG CHOP, TWO-MAN CROSSCUT SAW, AND EVEN AXE THROWING.
SIMONEAUX SAYS THE TEAM’S MAIN OBJECTIVE WITH THE EVENTS ISN’T NECESSARILY TO WIN, BUT TO MAINTAIN WINNING ATTITUDES.
“There’s a lot of teams that really take it seriously and try and win every year, but we just go out there and try and have a good time”
AND TO BRING THE GOOD TIME TO ALL 15 TEAMS AT THE CONCLAVE.
“We bring like 4 sacks of crawfish and try to get everyone there talking and having a good time.”
FORESTRY CLUB ADVISER AND PROFESSOR CORNELIS DE HOOP SAYS MANY FORMER CONCLAVE PARTICIPANTS REMEMBER THEIR GOOD TIMES.
“A lot of our alumni look at with fondness, if you will, at their days at conclave. It’s sort of something that stands apart from their different activities and is something that is unique, really.”
NEXT TO THE RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES BUILDING, TWO MEN IN WITH THEIR SHIRT SLEEVES CUT OFF BUCKLE THEMSELVES INTO WHAT LOOK LIKE BRIGHT ORANGE CHAPS. THEY PICK UP A MENACING TWO-HANDLED BLADE AND START SAWING THREE OR SO INCHES OFF ONE OF THE LOGS.
AT FIRST THEY GO SLOW, BUT AFTER DAYS OF PRACTICING, CHANGING AXE BLADES AND RECONFIGURING THEIR FORM, THEY CUT RIGHT THROUGH THE LOG IN…
SIMONEAUX SAYS THE WINNING TEAMS NORMALLY FINISH THE CROSS-CUT SAW IN SIX SECONDS, BUT HE IS NOT PHASED. HE SAYS HE WOULD LIKE TO DO WELL…
“I mean, it is a competition and you want those bragging rights…”
BUT OF COURSE…
“But I mean, mostly we all just come out here to have a good time.”
NINE CLUB MEMBERS, SEVERAL SAWS AND AXES AND OF COURSE THE ALL-IMPORTANT SACKS OF CRAWFISH HEADED TO NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY EARLIER THIS WEEK AND STARTED CONCLAVE EVENTS THURSDAY.
OLIVIA GORDON, REVEILLE RADIO NEWS.