Name: Sarah Kussin
Year: Junior
Major: Business Administration with a concentration in Sports Business
Hometown: Northridge, California
Meet this weeks’ action sports-loving campus celeb, Sarah Kussin. From a young age, Sarah has always loved snowboarding and recently has found her true love in the world of action sports. You can find her staying up all night during the Olympics to watch the first ever snowboard Slopestyle at 3 in the morning to cheer on her favorite boarders or tweeting about the latest X games controversy.
HCO: How and when did you become interested in the snowboarding/BMX scene?
I have been interested in all of action sports for a while. In 2003, my family went to the X Games in Los Angeles, and I had a blast. I never missed a single summer Los Angeles X Games since that first year (although this summer they move to Austin, Texas). Over the years of attending and seeing history made, I became more and more invested in them as more than just a once a year attraction. Now, I follow the majority of winter and summer action sports year round.
HCO: What is your favorite part about the snowboard/BMX scene?
My favorite thing about action sports is the sense of community. Although all the riders are each other’s competitors, they are extremely supportive of each other and for the most part are great friends. I love how even across disciplines, the athletes are so supportive of their friends.
HCO: Tell us about a funny/special memory while you were on the slopes!
A funny moment would be a few years ago over spring break. I got wrongfully confident that I could go down Cornice in Mammoth on a particularly windy day. The run was so icy and I lost my edge and started slipping down on my butt. I couldn’t stop myself and I just started yelling random words as I slid down the hill.
HCO: Was it ever hard growing up loving something that was sometimes considered a boy sport? How have you overcome that stereotype?
I don’t think so. Just as much as the sports, I follow the lives of these action sports athletes like I do celebrities. I definitely don’t feel like I have made many female friends bonding over our love of BMX, however I am always the first one people turn to to find out if Ryan Sheckler is single or not. (I believe he is).
HCO: Tell us about your blog sarahkussin.wordpress.com which focuses on action sports.
I started my blog as a way to market myself to future employers. I always have an opinion about the current drama/news/innovation and I wanted a way for me to have proof of these ideas. My friends and family also get annoyed at how much I can talk about sports, so I needed a creative outlet for it.
HCO: What would be your dream career?
My dream career is to be the head of event operations for Red Bull. I want to travel the world working at all kinds of action sport events.
HCO: If you could meet any snowboarder in real life, who would it be and why?
Jack Mitrani. He is super funny, and super cute. Also, I’m pretty sure he is Jewish so that’s a plus.