SOS Outreach, a sport outreach and mentorship program serving 15 communities and 24 mountain resorts nationwide, was awarded U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion Award. The award is focused on recognizing a person, group, organization, or program that has contributed significantly and sustainably to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in skiing and snowboarding.

This past season, SOS Outreach and U.S. Ski & Snowboard partnered on opportunities to give participants a unique close-up experience with U.S. national team athletes, including at the VISA Big Air at Steamboat and two community programs in Summit County, Colo. and Park City, Utah. In addition, U.S. Ski & Snowboard will host an SOS Outreach intern this summer.

“SOS Outreach’s work to make skiing and snowboarding accessible for all in our resort communities is really vital to our future as a sport,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt. “Its work to bring the values of our sport to youth from underserved communities is really what drove U.S. Ski & Snowboard to partner with SOS Outreach.”

Since the program’s inception 28 years ago, SOS Outreach has engaged over 80,000 youth in resort communities around the country. “These are young people who would not have been a part of the sport,” said SOS Outreach Executive Director Seth Ehrlich. “This recognition goes to each of those kids and to all the ones who will follow them. Our entire team at SOS Outreach is dedicated to continuing our work and to expanding the reach of our impact. Thanks to U.S. Ski & Snowboard for walking with us to make it possible.”

SOS Outreach’s philosophy is that no matter what social, societal or economic barriers exist, every child deserves the opportunity to thrive. Its programs start with powerful outdoor experiences. On the slopes or trails, kids unearth the courage to step outside of their comfort zones, discover new strengths within themselves and develop lifelong skills. Through its proven curriculum, they empower kids in our communities to discover their true potential.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard looked to SOS Outreach to help the organization plot its course in making skiing and snowboarding more welcoming, accessible, and diverse, raising awareness across its membership and the entire sport community.

“U.S. Ski & Snowboard wants everyone to have the opportunity to experience the sense of accomplishment and well-being that participation in skiing and snowboarding brings,” said Club Development Manager and DEI Committee member Ellen Adams. “We commend SOS Outreach for being a leader in bringing youth from all backgrounds to the joy of winter sports.”

With its commitment to being best in the world, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s focus is often seen as being on developing elite athletes. But Adams cited the work of SOS Outreach, and local clubs nationwide, as being vital to the success of the sport. “Before an athlete is competing at an elite level, and even before they are identified as an emerging athlete, we rely on our member clubs and partners to introduce families and athletes to the sport and help them develop the fundamental skills necessary to pursue their goals,” said Adams. 

DEI Champion Award annual recipients are selected based on a matrixed review of various factors reflecting the nominees’ impact on advancing DEI. The criteria include leadership of DEI in ski and snowboard, advancing education, collaborative coalition-building, development of equitable systems and implementation of effective programs.

The U.S. Ski & Snowboard DEI Committee was founded in 2017 to increase racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic diversity at all levels of skiing and snowboarding. SOS Outreach was the second recipient of the award, after National Brotherhood of Skiers President Henri Rivers was recognized in 2021.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced nominations for the U.S. Snowboard Team halfpipe, slopestyle, big air, and snowboardcross disciplines for the 2022-2023 season. Nominations include those active athletes who qualified based on published selection criteria in the prior season. 

The current year’s U.S. Snowboard Team nominations include 29 pro-level and 20 rookie and development level riders headlined by 2022 Olympic medalists Chloe Kim, Lindsey Jacobellis, Nick Baumgartner, and Julia Marino. 

The U.S. Slopestyle and Big Air team continue to showcase the depth of U.S. talent with a roster of 19 riders deep. The men’s and women’s pro team includes some of the most accomplished riders in the world including Olympic medalist Julia Marino and past Gold Medalists Jamie Anderson and Red Gerard. The men’s pro team also includes Luke Winkelmann, Jake Canter, and Sean FitzSimons, who all earned their first World Cup podiums in 2022, plus Chris Corning who finished third in both Big Air and Slopestyle on the World Snowboarding Points List. New recruits to the U.S. Slopestyle and Big Air rookie team include Kaitlyn Adams, Rebecca Flynn, and Lucas Ferry.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim headlines the women's pro U.S. Halfpipe Team, along with Maddie Mastro. The men’s pro team includes an incredible mix of veteran talent and youthful energy exemplified by 2022 Olympians Taylor Gold, Chase Josey, and Lucas Foster.

The next-generation U.S. Snowboard men’s halfpipe rookie team is re-upped with a whole new roster featuring Levko Fedorowycz, Noah Avallone, Kade Martin, Alessandro Berbieri, and Sumner Orr.

The powerhouse U.S. Snowboardcross Team, led by 2022 Olympic gold medalists Lindsey Jacobellis and Nick Baumgartner, continues to build, with top-10 World Cup finishers Faye Gulini and Stacy Gaskill on the women’s side and a deep men’s field including veterans Alex Deibold, Hagen Kearney and Senna Leith. The 15-member team reinforces the ranks this season with new women’s rookie riders including Junior World Championship silver medalist Brianna Schnorrbusch and NorAm winner Acy Craig. 

"Team USA is so grateful for the top-level riders returning to the team along with this fantastic group of newcomers to continue the legacy," said U.S. Snowboard Team Coach Mike Jankowski. "It truly takes a community to make this happen and we must acknowledge the clubs, families, and resorts who make it all happen."

Each athlete accepting their nomination to the U.S. Snowboard Team receives world-class program support, along with access to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard USANA Center of Excellence, as well as athletic benefits including expert coaching, sport science, sports medicine, and high-performance staff, and education opportunities. 

An official U.S. Snowboard Team announcement will be made in the fall. 

2022-23 U.S. Snowboard Team Nominations
(Hometown; Club; USASA Series; Birthdate)
*Newly named to the U.S. Snowboard Team

SLOPESTYLE / BIG AIR PRO TEAM

Men

• Red Gerard (Silverthorne, Colo.; Rocky Mountain Series; 6/29/00)
• Luke Winkelmann (Blowing Rock, N.C.; Kirk’s Camp; Rocky Mountain Series: 12/18/00)
• Sean FitzSimons (Hood River, Ore.; Mount Bachelor Sports Education Foundation; Central Oregon Series; 9/22/00)
• Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/7/99)
• Judd Henkes (La Jolla, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 4/3/01)
• Brock Crouch (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 8/22/99)
• Dusty Henricksen (Mammoth Lakes, Calif; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 2/2/03)

Women

• Jamie Anderson (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.; South Tahoe Series; 9/13/90)
• Julia Marino (Westport, Conn.; Southern Vermont Series; 9/11/97)
• Hailey Langland (San Clemente, Calif.; Tahoe Select Snowboard Team; Tahoe Series; 8/2/00)
• Ty Schnorrbusch (Monroe Township, N.J.; Tru Snowboarding, Rocky Mountain Series 5/15/02) 

SLOPESTYLE / BIG AIR ROOKIE TEAM 

Men

• Fynn Bullock-Womble (Mebane, N.C.; BK Pro; Rocky Mountain Series; 2/3/05)
• Jake Canter (Evergreen, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Aspen Snowmass Series; 7/19/03)
• Liam Johnson (Savage, Minn.; G Team; Upper Midwest Snow Series; 11/26/2004)
• Lucas Ferry (Pennington, NJ; American Snowboard Training Center; Southern Vermont Series; ​​6/16/2004)*

Women

• Kaitlyn Adams (Silverthorne, Colo.; Worldwide Snowboarding; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/16/2005)*
• Courtney Rummel (West Bend, Wisc.; Midwest Best Series; 11/12/03)
• Jade Thurgood (Salt Lake City, Utah; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 1/27/02)
• Rebecca Flynn (Victoria, MN; The G Team; Upper Midwest Snow Series; 7/24/2006)*

SNOWBOARDCROSS PRO TEAM 

Women

• Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 8/19/85)
• Faye Gulini (Salt Lake City, Utah; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/24/92)
• Stacy Gaskill (Golden, Colo.; Winter Park Competition Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 5/21/00)
• Meghan Tierney (Eagle, Colo.; Board Stars Race Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 1/15/97) 

Men

• Nick Baumgartner (Iron River, Mich.; Superior Series; 12/17/81); 4/16/98)
• Alex Deibold (Manchester, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 5/8/86)
• Hagen Kearney (Norwood, Colo.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 11/6/91)
• Senna Leith (Vail, Colo.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/8/97)
• Connor Schlegel (Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/13/2002)
• Jake Vedder (Pinckney, Mich.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series
• Cody Winters (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/20/2000)

SNOWBOARDCROSS DEVELOPMENT GROUP 

Women

• Livia Molodyh (Hubbard, Ore.; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Mt. Hood Series; 6/30/99)
• Acy Craig (Stowe, Vt.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 12/3/2002)*
• Bri Schnorrbusch (Monroe Township, N.J.; Gould Academy Competition Program; Maine Mountain Series; 1/30/2006)*

Men

• Tyler Hamel (Bethel, Maine; Gould Academy; Maine Mountain Series; 7/12/2004) 

HALFPIPE PRO TEAM 

Women

• Chloe Kim (Torrance, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 4/23/00)
• Maddie Mastro (Wrightwood, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 2/22/00)

Men

• Taylor Gold (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 11/17/93)
• Chase Josey (Hailey, Idaho; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; Big Mountain West Series; 3/31/95)
• Lucas Foster (Telluride, Colo.; Telluride Ski and Snowboard Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/17/99)
• Toby Miller (Truckee, Calif; Tahoe Select Snowboard Team; North Tahoe Series; 2/14/00)
• Joey Okesson (Southbury, Conn.; Okemo Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 8/23/2002)

HALFPIPE ROOKIE TEAM 

Women

• Sonora Alba (San Pedro, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 7/16/2006)
• Tessa Maud (Carlsbad, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 10/10/03)
• Bea Kim (Palos Verdes, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 1/25/2007)

Men

• Levko Fedorowycz (Topanga, CA; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 8/21/2004)*
• Noah Avallone (Montauk, NY.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 5/16/2007)*
• Kade Martin (Bellyache Ridge, CO; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 1/21/2006)*
• Alessandro Barbieri (Portland, OR; Tahoe Select Snowboard Team; USASA Division - Mt. Hood; 10/5/2008)*
• Sumner Orr (Weston, VT.; Okemo Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 3/22/2006)*

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