The popularity of football among the American Polish community is considerable. In Chicago alone, there are clubs with red and white roots (and colours). But it is not football alone that the Polish community lives by. Since 1973, Poles have been able to train and compete in "their" skiing competitions.

Chicago is the cradle of Polish sports. The oldest Polish club there is Wisła. The A.A.C. team was also very successful in football. Eagles Chicago, known as the "Eagles". This club, founded by Jan Jamroz -- already born in the United States in 1910, but originally from Kraków, a football enthusiast -- still exists today. Wearing the colours of their ancestors' homeland, the club's players defeated the Brooklyn Italians 2:0 in the 1990 national championship final, thanks to goals from Janusz Kiecy and Piotr Modrzejewski. It was the Eagles' greatest success and a great celebration for the American Polish community. The victory also guaranteed participation in the 1991 CONCACAF Champions Cup (the equivalent of the European Champions League), where they lost 4:-1 to the Bermuda club PHC Zebras in the first round. Then came the MLS era and the A.A.C. The Eagels no longer fared so well.

For the love of two boards and Poland

But Polish sport in Chicago is not just football. For more than fifty years, the city has had a "Tatry" Ski Club (Tatry Ski Club), which focuses mainly on popularising winter sports among the Poles there, although not exclusively. Because the "Tatras" also organise recreational or cultural events.

The club was founded on 25 March 1973 on the initiative of twenty two-board enthusiasts. At the founding meeting, apart from the official name, a board of directors was elected, headed by Andrzej Mach. Among the founders were also: Stanisław Kozioł - future president or Wacław Błoniarz, vice-president of the Podhale Association.

One of the first tasks of the new authorities was to create by-laws (with minor changes, existing to this day) and to establish the basic areas of the club's activity. The club's statutes, which were passed at the time, read:

"The Tatra Club shall constitute a social, non-political organisation and shall be registered as a legal association with the authorities of the State of Illinois. The purpose of the club is to organise events, maintain contacts with other clubs and organisations in the United States and Poland. The active participation of members in continuing the tradition of Polish sport and Polish culture. Anyone over 18 years of age and of Polish descent may become a member of the club".

Development and success

Activity took off "from the hoof". "Tatry" organised smaller events at the Richards Centers, as well as larger ones, such as the cyclical Club Cup. The competition was based on the regulations of the Polish Ski Association. When the snow outside melted, the club began to organise athletic spartakiads and later tennis tournaments.

A points system was also developed to determine the club's sportsman of the year. And there was plenty to choose from, as there were around 100 members in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1980, the Tatras expanded their activities to include cross-country skiing. In the same year, a new board of directors was also elected, but it was not effective in fulfilling its duties. Three years later, the 10th anniversary was celebrated. "The Tatras" had already enjoyed some success in the skiing arenas, winning the local Grand Marnier Challenge. The banquets, talks and jubilant mood died down just after the next election. This is because the activists split, and those dissatisfied with the election results left, setting up their own club.

The difficulties did not stop the development. Resilient activists managed to overcome them. One of the most important steps was to "bet" on the training of Nordic skiers. Ski jumping classes were a real breeding ground for talents. Jozef Marek, Jacek Gąsienica Mraczelnik, Janusz Guna jumped well, and Ludwik Hajnos won the junior championship and the US vice-championship.

In 1988, the Tatra Mountains joined the structure of the Polish Highlanders Association of North America, as Circle No. 47. In addition to the rich sporting offer, there was also a cultural one. Five years later, after personnel reinforcements and a joint start with the "Eagles", the skiers achieved their greatest success ever, winning the US Amateur Club Championship, the so-called Jeep Ski Club Challenge.

Anniversaries and the future

The club continues to operate. On 19 October 2013, it celebrated the 40th anniversary of its founding at the Highlander House in Chicago. Among the speeches, one, by Dr Bronislaw Orawc, indicated that the Tatras are not just a ski club. That its activities are broader. Orawiec said:

"An important sport of the Club is tennis, which is also valuable in itself for physical development and health, and prepares the body for the effort of winter sports. I have been involved in tennis, among other sporting activities of the Club, for many years and I organise and sponsor tennis tournaments. I also try my best to fulfil my role as the Club's doctor by providing emergency medical advice to Club members and their families, conducting flu vaccinations and cholesterol screening campaigns. I consider this to be my honourable duty.".

In 2023, the 'Tatra' Ski Club celebrates half a century of existence. Unfortunately, this anniversary was disrupted by an extremely sad event. On 23 June 2023, news of the death of Piotr Chowaniec, who had served as president of the club for nineteen years, circulated through Polish circles.

"He organised competitions including the Polish Ski Championships in Colorado in the Rocky Mountains. He was a steadfast, humble and warm-hearted man," the online articles read.

"The Tatras, despite this loss, continue to function. Szymon Gąsienica Daniel was elected president. After his election, the new helmsman said that:

"The most important thing - we need to have good plans for the work of the organised events and implement them effectively. We must reach out to the broadest possible Polonia, signal that we exist and convince them that we are open to everyone. We need to let Polonia know that we are not just professional skiers, that we want to listen to what options Polonia is interested in."