Road to the Nationals 2015

My name is Billy Trautner, I was born and raised here in the Green Mountain State. I started skiing through the Adventure Center program when I was 3 years old at Stowe Mountain Resort in Stowe, Vermont. Shortly after getting the hang of it and watching my older sister Stefany snowboard I decided I would try it out and fell in love the moment I buckled into my bindings. At the age of 5 I was snowboarding green (beginner) and blue (intermediate) trails, by 8 I was riding black diamonds (difficult). Over the last 10 years of spending almost every weekend and any spare time I have at the mountain my love and passion for the sport grows everyday. For only being 13 I have a pretty demanding schedule. I go to full time school at Stowe Middle school. Most weeks I stay after school for the homework program to keep up with my grades. My grade average is a A- B+. Also once sometimes twice a week Stefany will drive me to Green Mountain Freestyle Center (GMFC) to train with my coach Noah Labow on the trampolines, by doing this I am learning how to do my freestyle tricks and learning how to protect myself while doing and landing them on snow. Coach Noah invites me to go with him to Waterville Valley, New Hampshire to train on the wet ramp/air bag. I have been to the air bag 6 times. Last competition season I was awarded Most Improved Male Snowboarder. I also received 3 silver metals and my first gold metal for banked salmon at Burke Mountain. As you could imagine all of this can get pretty expensive with all the equipment, clothing/gear, gas for travel and, training fees. Which include GMFC my coached session is $75 for 4 sessions and open is $15 each, the air bag is $150 for the weekend not including any other expenses, USASA membership $100 plus each event fee, roughly $3,550 for nationals and, this season I am apart of the Green Mountain Snowboard Team (GMST) my tuition is $3,650. I am sponcered by Darkside Snowboards Stowe, VT, and I am an ambassador for Vermont Peanut Butter Morrisville, VT. Both my parents work full time jobs to help support my dream and passion. My mom works at Stowe Mountain Lodge to help get me a season pass so I can be at the mountain catching first and last chair. My dad works as many hours as he can a week to make sure I have everything I need but with my moms medical bills and medical problems it puts a struggle on everything. My sister also helps support me by helping pay for GMFC, event fees and, being my driver everywhere. The past few years I have had a lot of support from friends and family to them I am very thankful and appreciate everything everyone has done for me. I honestly never would have never made it this far without everyone’s help and for that I am so grateful and living my dream. This season so far I have earned 5 Golds, 4 Silvers and 2 Bronze medals. My Dad was just in a bad car accident on Monday, he was rear ended by a Tractor Trailer Truck. This has impacked my parents finances. No donation is ever to big or small every penny counts to help me. Thank you all!

-Green Machine
Billy