Every new ski season brings excitement. The anticipation of hitting the slopes for the first time and carving into the snow (will our legs hold up?), the smell and the feeling you can only get on the mountain, and the opportunity to meet up again with friends and share your love of the sport. Every four years there is a little extra level of excitement that comes with the Winter Olympics. Not only do we get to participate in our beloved sport, but it takes the world center stage. Some of my fondest memories revolve around skiing and watching the games at Hawksnest Resort (rest in peace).
As you all know this is one of those magical years with the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia from February 7-23 (98 days and counting). We hope to put together a couple Olympic watching parties around the Southeast resorts. Nothing beats getting together after a day at the slopes for some food and drink and rooting for Team USA. Just when you thought it couldn’t possibly get any better – we have 2 snowboarding brothers raised atop Snowshoe Mountain who are reaching for their dream to represent us on Team USA.
We are very proud to introduce you to Bobby (top pic) and Jarod (bottom pic) Minghini from Snowshoe, WV. Let me turn it over to them…
Our names are Bobby and Jarod Minghini, and we are professional snowboarders trying to make it to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. We were born and raised in West Virginia, and grew up shredding Snowshoe Mountain Resort. We started competing nationally early in life, and always represented the southeast, and Snowshoe, WV. Through all the years of competing we eventually found our real passion for competing in Snowboard Cross. Since getting serious about Snowboard Cross, we have both qualified for multiple Junior World Championships, got first and second overall in North American Cup standings, got podiums and wins at Nor Ams, Europa Cups, and National Championships, had top 12’s at World Cups and X Games, and have earned personal World Cup starts to represent the United States.
This year we are trying to qualify for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The 
U.S. Olympic Team qualifiers will be based on the four World Cups in December and January, and we both have spots to represent the U.S. in those World Cups. We have both been working towards this opportunity our entire lives, and are doing everything we can to make the most out of it.
Follow us on our journey through the Olympic year as we try to qualify for Sochi, represent the southeast, and have lots of other exciting snowboard trips and competitions. You can also follow us throughout the season on Facebook (Bobby: https://www.facebook.com/bobby.minghini, Jarod: https://www.facebook.com/jarod.minghini) Instagram, and Twitter (https://twitter.com/JarodMinghini). For more on our story, and if you wish to help us in our journey, please check out our fundraiser at www.gofundme.com/4qgyyc. Thanks for following and supporting us through our season as we represent the southeast, and the United States, in our pursuit of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
We are giddy at the potential to have some local boys represent the Southeast ski community on the world stage and will be tracking Bobby and Jarod’s progress as they make their way through the qualifiers. Please check out www.gofundme.com/4qgyyc for more information on the brothers and to make a contribution to their Olympic fund.
Tim Bahlke
Drop me an email at [email protected] to let me know what you think or with suggestions on what we could be doing better.