Mountains of Memories and Myths: The Living History of the National Brotherhood of Skiers

By Naomi Bryson

Where did you come from? How did you get here? These questions came from people who had not seen black skiers before. Black people cant endure cold temperatures, is a myth that has been held by Caucasians and some black people. Black skiers enjoy gliding, sliding and riding on the cold and snowy mountains. The myths that black people dont ski and that black people are too lazy to learn will be dispelled. There are countless stories of their experiences on the snowy mountains, their volunteer services, networking, finding love, and the friendships over the years.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499067675

Naomi Bryson

In 1994, Naomi Bryson became president of the National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS). She produced a thirty per cent increase in member-clubs and shared her success as a presenter at the International Ski Convention in Salzburg, Germany. Naomi is a member of the Jim Dandy Ski Club (since 1973); a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. community service organization and Sisters Across America which supports female golfers. She is a retired State Agency Administrator and author of The Day Snow Turned Black, the beginning history of NBS. This is the living history of NBS.

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Copyright © 2014 by Naomi Bryson.

Library of Congress Control Number:     2014915647

ISBN:     Hardcover     978-1-4990-6766-8

   Softcover     978-1-4990-6768-2

    eBook     978-1-4990-6767-5

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Rev. date: 09/12/2014

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Contents

Introduction

Part One Introducing The Co-Founders

Part Two The Region Vice Presidents And Clubs

Part Three Keeping Safety First

Part Four Exploring The Myths About Black People

Part Five Summits And Mini-Summits

Part Six Olympic Gold Medalist At The Mini-Summit

Part Seven Memories Of Nbs Experiences

Part Eight Examining The Number Forty

Part Nine Memories Of Anniversary Celebrations

Fortieth Anniversary

Thirty-Fifth Anniversary

Thirtieth Anniversary

Twenty-Fifth Anniversary

Twentieth Anniversary

Fifteenth Anniversary

Tenth Anniversary

Part Ten Over Forty Years Of Leadership

Part Eleven Youth And The Champions For Change

Part Twelve Love And Snow And The Mountain Memories

Part Thirteen To Be An Nbs Volunteer

Part Fourteen Signs Of An Energized Nbs

Acknowledgements

Part Fifteen Appendix

:A.   Brief History Of Nbs

:B.   2014 Nbs Club Presidents

:C.   Executive Officers, Directors And National Committee Chairs – (Excerpt From Nbs By-Laws)

:D.   2013 Regional Officers

:E.   National Winter Sport Education Foundation

:F.   2014 Am-Cc Activity Schedule

:G.   Nbs Nordic/ Cross Country Ski Schedule

:H.   Gospel Service Program

:I.   Minutes Of A Webinar Meeting

:J.   Introduction Of Nbs Electronic Media Kit

:K.   Membership Data

References

The mission of the National Brotherhood of Skiers is to identify, develop and support athletes of color who will win international and Olympic winter sports competitions representing the United States and to increase participation in winter sports.

DEDICATION

There are many individuals who have made significant contributions to the development and progress of the National Brotherhood of Skiers. Space and time limitations did not permit a complete list of the dedicated and committed individuals that should be recognized. The few that have been chronicled in this document represent the many individuals who have given their time, expertise, talents and energy as volunteers for more than forty years. This book is dedicated to them, for they have made the NBS what it is today. It is also dedicated to the mountains and memories that they have shared.

INTRODUCTION

The fortieth anniversary celebration of the NBS in 2013 was an opportunity for the organization to look back at the past while moving forward to the future. The founders of the National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS), Arthur Clay and Benjamin Finley were in attendance at this anniversary celebration event at Snowmass in Aspen, Colorado February 23 through March 2, 2013. We will refer to these two men intimately as Art and Ben for the rest of this story.

The two aging, yet handsome men skied along with a few of the new members and other veteran skiers who were also at the first Summit in 1973. The new chant for the formerly aggressive skiers and long time skiers, enjoying their senior and celebrity status, was heard throughout the week of celebration.

"I will ski with you

From ten (am) until two (pm)

Cruising mostly blue

And attacking some mean greens."

The focus of this book is on the people, programs and progress and other changes during the forty-one years of the existence of the National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS). It will include personal stories told by the individuals who helped to make the NBS what it is today.

The histories of the existing member clubs will be presented, with minor editing, as submitted by the clubs. The book will take you on a forty-one year journey into the mountains and memories of the organization.

The conversations heard included how much the equipment, slopes and other people at the resorts have changed. The African American skiers no longer got strange looks or questions: Where did you come from? Do you ski? How did you get here? An example of the change in acceptance and attitude was evident when two skiers, Susan and Mark, asked the editor of this book if they could share her table for lunch. The couple was friendly and proceeded to introduce themselves. They explained that they lived in Elgin, IL and were there for the Chicago Ski Week. They were accustomed to seeing black people but were amazed at the large numbers they saw skiing that day.

The questions of Where did you come from? and How did you get here did not come from persons who were disrespectful of black skiers. These questions represented a natural expression of curiosity from people who had not seen black skiers before. Some of the inquisitive persons would often invite the black skiers to take a run with them. At the end of the run, they would state with amazement that he/she can really ski!"

Black people can’t endure cold temperatures, is a myth that has been held by black people and others. African American skiers learned early on that thermal underwear and other warm clothing will protect their bodies from inclement weather and help them endure and enjoy the cold weather and snowy mountains.

The myths that black people don’t ski and that black people are lazy will be dispelled. There are countless stories among the NBS family. These stories recount their experiences on the snowy mountains, the vast networking opportunities, and the friendships formed over the years.

PART ONE

INTRODUCING THE CO-FOUNDERS

The two founders of the NBS,, Arthur Clay and Ben Finley, were good looking, eager, educated, and energetic young men who were ready to start something in the early seventies. They possessed the leadership characteristics that appeal to others. They were forward-looking, competent, inspiring, intelligent and imaginative.

They also had a desire to serve others through their leadership and were guided by passion and compassion. They have continuously inspired the organization with purpose, meaning, pride, and values. These characteristics have helped them build enduring relationships with people around the world.

Who are these two men who continue to serve the NBS in 2013? What are they really like? The biographies of these men and their individual stories will help you to know and understand who they are and the driving forces that they used to begin the foundation of an organization that has grown in significance and numbers since 1972.

Each contributed to the development of the organization, yet their approaches were different. Ben saw the organization as one with loftier goals, futuristic underpinnings, and a way to give back to the community. He initiated and proposed a youth support component which became the NBS Olympic Scholarship Fund. What strategies did he use to obtain support from the sixteen clubs affiliated with this new organization? Change is difficult most of the time. He describes this effort to redirect the NBS in his own story.

Art’s focus was on getting new people interested in belonging to the national organization and retaining the current members by ensuring that they always had a good time. When long-time members are asked to describe the one thing that they like about the NBS, their response is almost always, The feeling. Art was a master at creating an environment of fun, belonging and cohesiveness that fostered the feeling. What are some of the things that Art imagined and made happen? What are some of the things that were effective and kept existing members coming back and attracting new members? Read his biography and personal story.

The success of the organization needed the leadership and strategies of both men. They are credited with setting the foundation that made the NBS what it is today. During the NBS fortieth anniversary the two founders were interviewed by the organization’s historian. Following is a closer look and an opportunity to obtain a close up view of these visionaries.

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Art and Ben Together

Ben’s Biography

Ben Finley was born and raised in the Sugar Hill section of Harlem and educated in the parochial school system. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife Andy Groomes, two step-daughters, two sons and three grandchildren. In 1998, Ben retired from Raytheon Systems Company as a Program Manager responsible for the pursuit and capture of international business.

Ben’s professional career was dedicated to the design and development of Electro-optic and RF sensor systems for the Department of Defense, NASA, and international customers. His professional growth was enhanced by sequences in line management, business development, product line management, and program management.

Whether developing circuits for the Apollo space craft; or the guidance system for laser guided weapons; flying the worlds first automatic target recognizer; developing a helicopter collision warning system or chasing a surveillance radar in the United Kingdom, his career provided an exciting view of a technology kaleidoscope which has given Ben lots of gray hair, lots of opportunities to excel, and a disdain for boundaries. Ben holds a bachelors degree from the University Of Notre Dame, a master’s degree from New York University and Executive Program certificates from the University of California in Los Angeles and the University of Southern California…

His experiences at Notre Dame provided the impetus to translate his natural enthusiasm into the chase for new adventures and on-going involvement in community based endeavors. An accomplished scuba diver, biker and sailor, Ben is best known for his role in introducing African Americans to the sport of snow skiing. In 1966, he co-founded the 4 Seasons West Ski Club in Los Angeles, California. In 1973, he conceived and directed the first Black Summit, a gathering of eleven black ski clubs that has now swelled to become the largest ski convention in America.

The first Black Summit resulted in the founding of the National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS), a non-profit corporation, whose primary purpose is to guide and fund the development of black youth to one of the U.S. Olympic Ski Teams. Ben served as its President from 1982 through 1986. His long association with the NBS also provided opportunities to serve as the organization’s Executive Vice President, Director-at-Large, Regional Vice President and Regional Director.

In 1987, Ben also served to co-founder and leader of the Hughes Aircraft Black Professional Forum which is an organization dedicated to the positive career development of its constituents.

Ben is also recognized for his continuing connection with the University of Notre Dame where as an engineering student, he founded Notre Dame’s first Black Fraternity (ΝΝ∆), and in 1960 chaired the Notre Dame Civil Rights Committee. The 1985 meeting of black alumni inspired in Ben and others a vision of a black alumni group which could address the issues of the African American alumni, student body, faculty and administration.

Three years later in 1989, under the direction of Ben, Richard Ryans ‘(1979) and Herman Hooten ‘(1972) the Black Alumni of Notre Dame became an entity of the Notre Dame family. Ben served as the committee’s first chair from 1989 through 1991. Moreover, since 1985, Ben has personally recruited and mentored over one hundred and fifty African American students (known as Ben’s Kid’s) through their Notre Dame experience. His contributions have been recognized numerous times.

In 1991 and 1994 he received the Notre Dame’s Rev. Edward Williams Service Award and Rev. Theodore Hesburgh Service Awards respectively. In 1999 the Notre Dame Club of Los Angeles named him as their Honoree of the Year. And most notably in 2000 when the National Alumni Association presented Ben with their prestigious Reynolds Award in recognition of his efforts with Ben’s Kids. The heritage was passed on when his son Ben L. Finley graduated in the class of ‘1992 and was recently elected as a regional Coordinator.

Ben’s Ski Story

Ben first encountered skiing in 1963. He and his girl friend had gone to Yosemite National Park on a Thanksgiving weekend camping trip. Leaving the park, she suggested that they stop by the ski area at Badger Pass to watch people coming down the slopes.

They were enjoying cocktails in the warm California sun when she said I’d like to go skiing. What instantly passed through Ben’s mind were dollar bills and broken legs in that order. Basically, he wasn’t the least bit interested. However, he couldn’t tell her that; so he offered her a challenge that he expected her to pass on – Tell you what, if you take scuba diving lessons and pass your ocean check-out, I’ll take you skiing. Six weeks later, I was back at Badger Pass enrolled in ski lessons.

A month later they were back again. Ben hated his first four lessons but on the fifth lesson, he successfully made a hockey stop and was hooked. So what motivated him was his adventurous girl friend. Her enthusiasm for adventure literally changed his life.

1964 found Ben back in New York City in graduate school at New York University. On the weekends, he was able to improve his skiing abilities by enjoying bus trips to upper New York ski areas. The group was named 4 Seasons and was operated by Dick Martin, a TV camera man, who had opened a ski shop in Harlem. Every other weekend, Dick would run 3 or 4 buses filled with black people up to the New York ski areas. Dick and others like Sleepy Dawson were certified ski instructors. So in addition to partying on the bus, Ben was provided group ski lessons on the New York ice slopes.

In Ben’s opinion, Dick Martin is the unsung hero of African American skiing. This is the man who started it all and who has never been recognized for the inspiration he provided to his people. Little did Ben know, that those bus trips were also teaching him the skills necessary to replicate the effort in Los Angeles where he and Flavius Rowell co-founded the 4 Seasons West Ski Club by running bus trips to June Mountain on the Eastern slope of the Sierras.

Ben’ describes his most memorable skiing experience that took place in the Trois Vallee in France during a European familiarization tour. According to Ben:

One day, accompanied by a guide, Joe Jones and Denise Lofton went to Courcheval and skied back into Val Thorens after sunset. They left Val Thorens at 9:00 a.m., skied through Les Menuires and Meribel and ate lunch thoroughly exhausted. The Trois Valle is so large and so developed that they had never ridden the same lift twice.

The NBS is known for the fun we bring to the mountain. With respect to a Summit, my most memorable experience took place at the picnic on the hill at the 1993 Summit in Vail. When you can watch thousands of black skiers mixed with the Vail community dancing on the snow to the beat, you realize what you’ve contributed to and it is truly humbling.

My other memorable experiences are associated with the youth who have come through the NBS Racing Team. They and their dreams are what the NBS is all about. I can only hope and pray that in the near future, this country will grow to experience an African American skier/rider standing on an Olympic podium.

Ben Reflects on the Fortieth Anniversary of NBS

Being the co-founder of any organization is similar to being a parent. As such, I find myself constantly being involved in the on-going lives of my kids. The NBS is one of my kids and raising it will always be a long term parental project. In the early days (through 1987) I was heavily and actively involved. But now as the NBS matured my role has become that of an anxious observer; always ready to mentor or provide sage advice.

The 40th anniversary at Summit 2013 in Snowmass were especially meaningful to me. During the previous ten years, the NBS brand had lost a lot of its sparkle. Attendance was down, our clubs were graying and corporate sponsorship was waning. However, the 40th seemed to bring a positive change. Not only were the skiing conditions wonderful, but we had once again registered over 1000 people. The management team was well tuned.

The NBS après-ski events drew more attendance than the so called renegade events. Opening Ceremony and the fortieth anniversaries gala were sold out events that our folks truly enjoyed. And for me, it seems like our organization had turned a corner and was once again headed upward.

Being the co-founder of any organization is similar to being a parent. As such, I find myself constantly being involved in the on-going lives of my kids. The NBS is one of my kids and raising it will always be a long term parental project. In the early days (through 1987) I was heavily and actively involved. But now as the NBS matured my role has become that of an anxious observer; always ready to mentor or provide sage advice.

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Ben Finley, Co-founder of NBS

Art’s Biography

Arthur Clay was born in Mississippi and, from the age of four, raised by his parents in Chicago, Illinois. He was raised with four sisters. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife Mamie of forty years. Besides skiing together, he and Mamie, enjoy traveling, camping, playing board games, and socializing with their friends.

After being employed for many years as an investigator for the Department of Children Services, he is now retired