Bellefontaine, Ohio—this small town is the last place you’d expect a world-class snowboarder to be born. But that’s where Louie Vito’s journey started. “Luckily for me, my dad developed a passion for snowboarding before I even knew what it meant to have a passion for something. He was always down to go riding with me.” After falling in love with snowboarding, Louie left Ohio and went to high school in Vermont, where he was able to focus on snowboarding full time. At 17, Louie made a name for himself by landing a backside 1080 during the Australian Open. Following this spectacular performance, Louie started snowboarding around the world, racking up a collection of X Games hardware. And after he became the first snowboarder to land a complete frontside double-cork 1080, it was only inevitable that he would represent Team USA—a dream come true for Louie. “It’s such a crazy feeling representing your country, yourself and your sport on the world stage. No words describe the feeling you get chanting ‘U-S-A! U-S-A!’ as a team during the Opening Ceremonies.” Louie’s journey from Bellefontaine to PyeongChang has inspired kids across America to chase after their dreams—no matter where they come from.

“Just be yourself. Find your passion, work your butt off, and you can do anything. It’s so cliché, but so true.”