Having received his first axe at age five, and his first chainsaw at 11, his life has been centered on forests. Similarly, with a father in education and a passion for knowledge, his life has been centered on education. You could say that Brett McLeod’s life has been Paul Smith’s College embodied in a person. Recently, I had a chance to talk with Brett and observe his never-resting interactions with the college, even while on sabbatical.
I walk up to Brett in the fading light of fall as he calls out, “Competitors ready! Go!” The participant’s race to tie their sandbags to metal frame packs, and one by one begin to race off down the road. Brett turns to me and asks, “How long do you have? There are a bunch of things going on.”
We walk up from the sawmill towards the woodsmen cabin, and Brett lists off his schooling in one go, talking a little on each point. Touching on his time at Paul Smith’s he said, “My plan was to get a two-year degree, then become a forest ranger, like everyone else, right?” During his time at Paul Smith’s, the college added four-year degree programs. Brett received his associates of forestry in 2001, and his bachelors of ecotourism in 2003 – both from Paul Smith’s. Continuing to list off his life almost like a checklist, Brett briefly described spending time in Alaska working in the Tongass National Forest, the biggest national forest in the nation. In Alaska he was also continued his involvement in timber sports.
As Brett and I talked, a visitor to the college walked along with us, listening. Brett tells us that he hurt himself once in the speed climb event of a professional timbersports competition (the speed climb is when participants race up a pole, touching the painted marks on the way up, and then practically free fall back down). “It was while I was recovering that I was able to get into the production and construction side of timber sports.”
Brett got his master’s in Forest Policy from Bard College. “It was strategic, I knew there wasn’t a forest policy person here.” Continuing, Brett reveals he had a plan. “Leaving [Paul Smith’s] I knew I was going to end up back here, I didn’t know when but I knew I would be back.” At the cabin the woodsmen team begins practicing various events. We continue our stroll toward the practice area. Brett points to the various events and explains what the woodsmen are doing. While I am taking photos Brett walks over and jumps in line for the log roll, giving the team criticism through doing the event alongside them. He then walks over to his car returning with an axe.
Turning just in time, I see a student begin racing up a pole with only spikes on his feet and a rope around his waist, Brett yells encouragement to the student, now at least 20 feet in the air “Common bigger steps!” Turning to a piece of wood with a red bull’s-eye, Brett hurls the axe at the target with frightful precision. He then explains the technique involved in throwing an axe, turning the handle to me, “Is this the first time that a reporter has been asked to throw an axe?” I wind up and bring the axe forward, I point my thumbs and let the axe slip from my grip the blade slices through the air. The axe sails gracefully into the woods behind the target and I realize the practice that goes into these events.
As Brett shows us that axe throwing is extremely reliant on technique, a student sets up a vertical chop. We walk over and the student lines up and then the steel flies in an upward arc and sinks into the log. As the student whips the axe with lightening speed I look at Brett and notice he is rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, mimicking the motion of the chop, showing how deeply he enjoys what he does.
Brett answers all of our questions with enthusiasm and stories from his life that show his connection to this sport and this school. For being on sabbatical, Brett sill has a hefty presence on campus. I once heard him say to a class, “If you work a 12-hour day, you’re still only working a half day.” This is the one quote that I think that best describes Brett McLeod.
Receiving his doctorate in the spring of 2015, he also released a book, which he spent the summer and part of fall promoting in a book tour. For the rest of his “sabbatical” Brett is writing another book while coordinating the new woodsmen stadium and coaching the woodsmen team. On top of the relentless academic and athletic achievements that Brett pursues he also has a 25-acre former Christmas tree farm that he has converted into a homestead. If you see Brett around campus, it will most likely be on the run. I recommend having a conversation with him sometime but be ready to walk and talk because Brett is always mentally and physically on the move.