HCC student places in national competition
Darby Hand chops through a block of wood during a recent event. STIHL Timbersports photo
A Haywood Community College student recently took fourth in a national timbersports competition held in Wisconsin.
Darby Hand, a forestry student at HCC, competed in the STIHL Timbersports Collegiate Championship after taking first place in the STIHL Timbersports Collegiate Series Mid-Atlantic Qualifier HCC hosted this past spring. In addition to fourth place overall, he finished second in the underhand chop and third in the stock saw event. His coach is professional competitor Matt Slingerland.
Hand grew up immersed in the world of timbersports, beginning logrolling at age 4 and competing in several events by age 16. Last year, he began working at Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud in Sevierville, training every day before heading off to compete in three shows at work. That’s where he met HCC alumni and lumberjack standout Logan Hawks, who told Hand about the forestry program at HCC. With a new school year beginning, Hand is continuing his studies at HCC and looks forward to competing on the timbersports team over the coming year.
