Kassidy and Maxwell Todd of Keremeos are on their way to the BC Winter Games to participate in the freestyle skiing category.
The two Similkameen Elementary Secondary School students come from a family of ardent ski enthusiasts - indeed, the sport is a family affair, as Kassidy’s mom, Marnie, also skiis and only recently left for Sochi to provide therapeutic massage services to Canada’s Olympic freestyle skiers.
Their father, Adam, snowboards and assists in the setting up of the many freestyle venues attended by the family during the ski season.
Kassidy, 16, first strapped on skis at age three, and joined “Bumps and Jumps” a freestyle ski program for youngsters, at age seven.
Maxwell, age 13, has been skiing since he was two.
Both are members of the Apex Freestyle Club, specializing in moguls.
It’s a competitive sport - Kassidy and Maxwell locked down qualifying spots in the BC Winter Games two weekends ago after finishing second in moguls, where Kassidy came in fourth in big air, and third in slopestyle events at the Apex Timbertown # 1 event.
“I’ll be competing in the moguls, big air and slopestyle events in the juvenile (15-16 ) age category,” she said, “four of us qualified in the Okanagan.”
Maxwell will also compete in similar disciplines.
“I like performing the turns in moguls best,” he said.
The two siblings demonstrate a devotion to the sport that is exemplary.
They ski every weekend in the winter, and with family support, often finds themselves at competition all over the province. In February alone, Kassidy is involved in three competitions, including the BC Games, and next weekend she and her family are off to Prince George for part two of the Timbertown four part series of competitions.
There is little time off in summer as well. “We spent one and a half months summer training in Whistler at the water ramp on the glacier,” Kassidy added, who is motivated at the prospect of gaining a berth on the national Olympic team.
Both SESS students appear to be capable of making that goal. They are both active members of most of the school’s sports teams during the school year, and both are members of the provincial development team, which is a precursor for the provincial freestyle team.
With the Todd’s present devotion to the sport of freestyle skiing, and their growing success in it, seeing either one - or both - as an Olympic contender doesn’t really seem like much of a stretch at all.
The BC Games take place in Mission from February 20 -23.