Name: Jackie Hernandez
Jacqueline “Jackie” Hernandez grew up snowboarding on a small hill in New York called Hunter Mountain and moved to Stratton Mountain School with her family where she attended high school. Jackie’s success in 2012, when she won the snowboardcross World Cup in Valmalenco, Italy, got her a spot on the U.S. Snowboarding team for snowboardcross.
Several top-10 finishes in 2014 landed Hernandez a spot on her first Olympic team. A fall in the qualifying run in Sochi left her hungry for more success in the upcoming season. She now lives in Salt Lake City, Utah where she attends Westminster College and trains at the Center of Excellence in Park City and lives with fellow athletes Maddie Bowman, Alexi Micinski, and Whitney Gardner. When she isn’t competing in snowboardcross, Jackie enjoys going skiing and snowboarding (a woman of many talents) with friends, hiking, biking, and going on family motorcycle rides in Vermont.
Sport: Snowboardcross
How/when did you decide you wanted to compete: I was 10 I did my first competition at Hunter Mountain just for fun times with my brother.
Biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Making the Olympic Team and winning my first World Cup in Valmalenco, Italy in 2012
Goals for next season: I’d like to podium at X Games for sure! Another World Cup podium, and maybe top 10 for World Cup Overall.
Favorite snow destination: Valmalenco, Italy, Hunter Mountain NY, Keystone early season. Wherever my friends are at, friends make snowboarding fun.
Favorite non-snow destination: St. Augustine, FL
Favorite candy: Sour Patch Watermelons
If you weren't a professional athlete what would you be: Race car driver for sure, even though they’re still athletes, or maybe a heart surgeon.
Favorite USSA athlete outside your sport: John Teller (Skicross). He’s the man.
Biggest vice: Bagels and Netflix
Biggest pet peeve: Arrogance
Advice to others who want to follow in your footsteps: It doesn’t matter if people look at you and think you don’t look the part, you can still be an athlete. You can be the shortest on your basketball team and still be MVP. Thick or thin you can be a star!
