History of the Foundation
The 2002 Olympic Gold Medalist in Halfpipe, Powers, 26, was born and raised in Londonderry, VT, and now resides and trains at Okemo Mountain. One of the most recognizable athletes in the history of snowboarding, Ross continues to travel around the world to international competitions and looks ahead to the 2010 Games in Vancouver.
Powers began competing at the age of eight and worked diligently to become one of the world's most successful snowboarders. His hard work and commitment paid off and he received support from a number of local organizations and sponsors. His experiences left him with a keen awareness of the financial pressures facing emerging athletes, and the unfair disadvantages felt by those in challenging financial situations. As Ross states: "World-class competition, especially the Olympics, should feature the best athletes with the greatest drive, commitment, and determination; unfortunately, given how expensive wintersports can be, too often these events feature the best athletes with the greatest drive, commitment, and determination—with a certain level of financial backing." Ross is committed to leveling the playing field and encouraging the growth of world-class athletes from around the U.S. by offering financial assistance to promising athletes in need.
Powers' agent, Peter Carlisle, explains how the Foundation came to be: "A couple of years ago, during a marketing meeting, we were discussing a particularly sad story about a student at Stratton Mountain School, whose family's financial situation had changed so significantly that he was forced to withdraw from school. Given the need for high-level training and competition at the world-class level of skiing and snowboarding, the student's withdrawal signified the end to a promising young career, or at least a major disadvantage. Someone in the meeting mentioned that upon hearing of the student's situation, Ross had made an anonymous donation to SMS so the student could remain in school. Knowing Ross, I wasn't the least bit surprised that he had made the donation, or that he'd done it anonymously. Ross is a class act in every way, without the slightest hint of arrogance or self-absorption. Later, when I asked Ross about the contribution, he hesitantly confirmed it, playing down its significance. It was at this point that we realized Ross was in a position to make a significant difference in the lives of other young athletes. At Ross's suggestion we immediately began the process of setting up the Foundation."
