The National Brotherhood of Snowsports represents athletes of color across more than 60 ski and snowboard clubs.
Club president Henri Rivers Sr. said the organization was founded in 1973.
“The purpose of the organization was to bring together existing black ski clubs, so that they could enjoy the outdoors together, feel safe in the outdoors together, and promote camaraderie and fellowship in a black community,” he said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour.”
A few years later, the NBS created an Olympic Scholarship Fund to provide need-based assistance for training, travel, competition and equipment and help athletes follow their dreams of making it to an Olympic or Paralympic Games.
“This is a very costly endeavor,” Rivers Sr. said. “These young athletes, these young student athletes, they can spend upwards of $150,000 a year just in training and trying to get to the next level.”
For the first time, two athletes from the NBS competed in the Winter Olympics.
That includes Park City Ski Team athlete Tallulah Proulx who became the first person to represent the Philippines in a Winter Games. Henri Rivers IV, another member of the NBS team, competed in the Games for Jamaica.
Both athletes are Alpine skiers. Rivers Sr. said the nonprofit represents athletes from all winter sports disciplines.
“We have Nordic, we have freeski, Alpine, snowboarding, biathlon, moguls, you name it,” he said. “We’re probably in about seven or eight disciplines right now, and as we identify the athletes, we help them develop whatever discipline they choose.”
Park City slopestyle skier Bogale Giddings, freestyle skier Keagan Supple and Alpine skier Jackson Fellows were also named to the 35-athlete roster.
The athletes will be recognized at the 53rd NBS Summit in Keystone, Colorado, Feb. 28 to March 8.
