Local Brothers Reach Regional & National Acclaim

Snowboarding Skills Take Local Brothers to Regional and National Acclaim

By Kim S. Davis

Alex Broussard Blake Broussard

Banner Elk brothers Alex and Blake Broussard have taken advantage of being born and raised amidst the snowcovered mountains of Banner Elk, NC, to make names for themselves and represent the region in snowboarding. From the time they were toddlers, they have been gliding across the snow and loving it. Both of their parents are avid winter sports enthusiasts and encouraged their sons to get comfortable sliding on the snow early in life, leading them to develop confidence, passion and a talent for skiing and snowboarding.

Growing up in the High Country where winter sports are a part of life, it is not surprising that the boys went all in from their first run. They started off on snow skis and quickly became fearless, leading them to push for the next level. Older brother Alex, inspired by his snowboarding mother, moved to boarding first, and Blake switched to riding after he broke his leg on skis while in primary school. Both boys were members of the Sugar Mountain Ski and Snowboard Team and attribute much of their advancement to Aaron Maas, who coached many young High Country boarders over the past 10 years at Sugar Mountain, Beech Mountain, and Appalachian Ski Mountain, and who is now the head coach for the acclaimed Lees-McRae Snowboard Team.

The skiing and snowboarding community is an inclusive group, both in the Southeastern region and across the country, and there are many local folks, in addition to Maas, who have inspired and encouraged the Broussard brothers and guided them to where they are now. Some of their mentors include two-time National Boardercross Champion Andy McDaniel, Director of the United States of America Snowboard and Freeski Association (USASA) Southeastern Series; Shawn and Casey Mitchell with Edge of the World, riders they grew up admiring; and Duncan Nielander, a preeminent local college league rider. They acknowledge the support of many others, including Bill Leonard and Mark Russ with Ski Country Sports, Wade Whitman with Ride Snowboards, and area terrain park crews and snow-cat drivers, who allowed these southern shredders to gain as much experience as possible on the snow so they could bring national recognition and respect to North Carolina winter sports competitors.

Each of the Broussards has achieved success by aligning their personalities with their chosen snowboarding disciplines. First-born brother Alex is a multiple discipline competitor who aspired to compete in “every [snowboarding] event I could get, Freestyle, Giant Slalom, Rail Jam and Slopestyle.” And at the collegiate level, he achieved regional and national recognition in multiple events while representing Lees-McRae. During his senior year as a Bobcat, Alex took second place in Big Air at the Southeastern Conference Individual Freestyle Championships and reached the top of the podium in Rail Jam, earning him the title of Southeastern Conference Individual Freestyle Champion. To put the icing on the cake of his collegiate snowboarding career, Alex earned a silver medal in the Combined Alpine event and third place in Combined Freestyle at the US Collegiate Ski and Snowboard National Championships in Lake Placid, NY, and helped Lees-McRae bring home National Championships in four team events.

In contrast, younger brother Blake has elected to specialize in Boardercross competitions. He came to this decision after realizing how much time and training is involved to become the best in his chosen area. What inspired him to reach for the pinnacle in the sport was qualifying for and traveling to the USASA 2017 National Championships in Copper Mountain, CO. All of the United States World Cup and Olympic level snowboarders get their start with USASA. He did well in the time trials but was eliminated early on; however, this event “exposed me to elite level competition and fueled me to excel.” Unfortunately, the next several years were interrupted by injuries and a worldwide pandemic so, although he qualified, Blake was unable to return to the National Championships during that time.

Healthy again and without the restrictions of COVID, Blake qualified for and headed to the 2022 USASA National Championships in Copper Mountain last April. This time, he not only gained exposure to national level elite competition, he gained the respect of the national snowboarding community, representing the High Country and the entire east coast and becoming the United States of America Snowboard and Freeski Association National Champion in Youth Men’s Boardercross. Needless to say, along with his supporters (like Andy McDaniels, who also rode to his second Men’s National Championship that day), Blake was elated and inspired. “It was a great feeling. I have always respected Andy and wanted to be able to beat him, now I am at his level.”

Always striving to become better, Blake is now ready to compete at the international level and to ultimately make the US Snowboard Team and compete in World Cup and Olympic events. In order to achieve that dream, he will need to participate in races with other world class boarders and finish well to earn International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) points. His short-term goals include participating in NorAm FIS events in the U.S. and Canada this season and qualifying for the Junior World Championships in Passo San Pellegrino, Italy. To prepare for these events he traveled to Austria with the Park City Team this fall, and, if the weather cooperates, he will be training with World Cup racers like Tyler Hamel, a member of the US Snowboard Developmental Team, and potentially earn a lot of FIS points.

Alex Broussard

Blake Broussard

Both of the Broussards want to remain close to their mountain home and local slopes, which is why they both chose to attend their father’s alma mater, LeesMcRae. It is also notable that they both earned scholarships in snowboarding so they could continue doing what they love while gaining valuable higher level education. With Alex graduating with a BS in Business Administration and Finance last spring, and Blake beginning the Business and Marketing program, the brothers are paving the way for bright futures.

In addition to competing, each has set different goals for the future. Convivial Alex wants to continue enjoying the “freedom I feel working as a bartender, before pursuing a more serious career.” With no team to race for, he wants to “shred the east coast, ride locally, compete in local events, and get more involved in the community.” He has already started by assisting with the Lees-McRae Snowboard Team.

Reflective brother Blake has a more continuous plan for competition and life. He realizes, “You can’t really make a living unless you are in the top ten percent in the world, so I want to stretch out [competing in Boardercross] as long as I can, and then come back here and work in the family business or open one of my own.”

As they shared thoughts on their future, both Alex and Blake Broussard mentioned their concerns about climate change. As Blake stated, “The summers are getting longer and winters shorter and it needs to be talked about.” As mountain sports enthusiasts, they have been thinking about how they can make a positive impact and want to become advocates for environmental awareness, renewable energy, and respect for our beautiful mountain community.

The Broussard family owns and operates the Banner Elk Café and Tavern in downtown Banner Elk.

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