Pioneer Woodsmen’s Team Receives Sponsorship from STIHL

The Alfred State College Pioneer Woodsmen’s Team has received sponsorship from STIHL, the number-one selling brand of handheld outdoor power equipment in America.

After working closely with local STIHL dealer, Auto Specialized in Arkport, the Pioneer Woodsmen’s Club received the sponsorship and a check for $2,500 from STIHL. STIHL is well-known for its nationwide support of professional and collegiate timber sports. The Pioneer Woodsmen look forward to representing Alfred State and STIHL with vigor!

The purpose of the Pioneer Woodsmen’s Club, which is in its second year at Alfred State, is to educate the College and the local community about the ideas, tools, and techniques of the competitive lumberjack community. These skills are fostered through practice and intercollegiate competition, while promoting teamwork among members and fellowship among competitors, in the spirit of the old woodsmen traditions.

Woodsmen’s competitions began as contests among loggers in logging camps as a way of showing off their particular skills. Because loggers were paid according to the number of units produced as opposed to the time worked, the ability to efficiently perform a specific task was very important. The ability to do something quickly and with an amount of showmanship was admired in the logging camps. Today, this tradition is continued on college campuses worldwide in competitive circuits.

Intercollegiate competition runs throughout the school year. Teams consist of six members and schools may send multiple teams to each meet. There are three divisions; men’s, women’s, and Jack and Jill (three men and three women). Team members are selected to compete in different events based on skill. Men’s and women’s teams compete in the same events with the same equipment.

Competitions may consist of a combination of team, single, double, triple, and canoeing events. Each team member must compete in events in each category. Most events are scored based on time. Each event holds equal weight in the final combined team score. A point system is used for the final tally. For each event, the first-place winner is awarded 100 points with runners-up receiving a percentage of points based on their comparative score.

Lt. Scott Bingham, ASC University Police, a former member of the Finger Lakes Community College team and a former professional competitor, serves as the Club adviser.