 Hannah Teter is tops on the snowboarding halfpipe circuit. Born in Belmont, Vermont, this 19-year-old is from a family of snowboarders. Her older brothers Abraham and Elijah are also on the U.S. National Snowboarding Team and her parents can be spotted on snowboards, too.
TFK: You have won World Cup and Winter X Games championships. What was it like when you learned you had earned a shot at an Olympic championship too?
Teter: Going into last summer, I knew my strength was booming. I worked out with my trainer Bill Knowles in Vermont at a facility called i-Sport. Every week we achieve something. Every day I walk away with a stronger sense of self-awareness. I knew going into the winter that I was ready, I was prepared to get on the Olympic team. Being mentally centered is, I think, more than half the game.
TFK: What is your hardest trick? Are you planning to try it during the Olympics?
Teter: I'm feeling comfortable with almost all my tricks and I'm planning on throwing them all out for the Games.
TFK: What are you most looking forward to about the Olympics?
Teter: I am looking forward to becoming a team with the U.S. girls. It's funny that all throughout qualifiers, we were kinda pinned up against one another. And now we're all going to be hyping each other up and hoping for the sweep.
TFK: How did you get into snowboarding?
Teter: I have four amazing older brothers and through my younger years, I was always into what they were doing. Once Abe and Elijah started snowboarding, I really wanted to do it too. They were my leaders, my style statements. They helped me to progress at rapid speeds and become where I am today.
TFK: What's it like having your brothers involved in snowboarding? What have you learned from them?
Teter: It is the biggest blessing in the world to travel with three of my brothers. I couldn't ask for more. They help me out when I'm feeling stressed or overwhelmed with things. They cheer me on when I'm about to drop into the pipe in a contest. They just give me a strong sense of comfort so I'm always at peak performance levels.
TFK: What do you enjoy doing when you're not snowboarding?
Teter: I like yoga, eating organic foods, skateboarding, hoola hooping and jumping off rope swings, especially in Hawaii.
TFK: Do you play any sports other than snowboarding?
Teter: I was really into soccer for a while but I gave that up to focus on snowboarding. I love bouncing on the trampoline.
TFK: What's your favorite part of boarding?
Teter: It's one of the most free feelings in the world, I couldn't compare it to anything else.
TFK: What are the keys to your success?
Teter: There are a lot of combinations of things that have added up to bless me with this lifestyle. It doesn't come easy to be a pro snowboarder. It takes a lot of hard work, time, dedication, love, passion, support, and most of all, it takes failure and learning to better yourself from it.
TFK: What advice would you give to a kid who wants to achieve a goal, such as going to the Olympics or learning a new sport?
Teter: Focus your mindset, know what you want, love what you have, and give it all you've got!
By Max Van Zile
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