US Freeskiing team member Jaxin Hoerter chooses to represent Monster Army for the upcoming 2015-2016 season.

Author: Robby Burleson

Breckenridge local Jaxin Hoerter (15 years old) was just named to the U.S. Freeskiing Rookie halfpipe team and has decided to partner with the Monster Army to represent the brand in the upcoming ski season. Both Monster and Jaxin are thrilled to enter what hopefully becomes a long term partnership. When asked about the change in sponsors Jaxin said “Monster is where I want to be for both my career and my imagery in the sport. The support Monster gives its athletes is really what made it easy to make the switch. They have placed their time and energy into developing young athletes and I feel like it is a perfect fit for me.” Born and raised in Summit County Jaxin is a familiar face in the community and especially the freestyle terrain park in Breckenridge. Jaxin has seen the result of hard work, dedication, and perseverance come to a rewarding season ending announcement. Where he earned a spot on the US Freeskiing team as a selected member by the US coaches.

Jaxin has competed all last season in both the USASA series & USSA Revolution Tour events. He won the USSA Junior National halfpipe title in March. Jaxin was then selected as part of the U.S. team for the Junior World Championships that took place in April in Valmalenco, Italy. While in Italy Jaxin got his first taste of the International scene and solidified his dream of taking it to the next big stage. During the past couple months Jaxin has been working with the coaches and trainers for the U.S Team and is ready for the 2015-2016 U.S. competition season to begin. He has just returned from New Zealand where he traveled with other athletes from the U.S. team to represent at the first world cup of the season at the New Zealand Winter Games. While the results weren’t where the coaches wanted them to be - the US Rookie team looked good and comfortable on the snow. Given the warm conditions and lacking snowfall across our west coast; the U.S. team spent some of their summer training at Hood and water ramping at the UOP. The Rookie team now heads off to Switzerland to do some more training and team building in hopes of creating a young powerhouse of athletes ready to take on the 2015-2016 competition scene.

The young man from Breckenridge has been spending as many days on the snow as he can. When asked Jaxin about being named he said "it is a very rewarding and satisfying process". He can’t help but thank his sponsors (Volkl/Marker, Monster Army, Dalbello Boots, Dragon, Wend Wax, Lil Jibbers, Alpine Sports) and the dedication of his parents for the opportunity that he has been given. “This is the first step of many to fulfill a dream of mine -competing on a world class stage for both myself and my Country.” Jaxin was also asked what is next for him and the U.S. Ski team “The goal is to ski in the Olympics and continue with the wave of great American Freeski skiers that we have here in the U.S., I want to be part of a very rich tradition that places athletes on podiums and gives future generations something to strive for.”

This is truly just the first step of many for the young man. Being named to the U.S. team now places Jaxin on the radar for other athletes and coaches to take notice. He will be competing on a different level and higher expectations are to be made for this U.S. skier on the U.S. Freeskiing Rookie Team. Jaxin is part of an 8 man/woman rookie halfpipe team that mostly consist of 16, 17, and 18 year olds with Jaxin as the youngest male named to the squad. With hopes to progress and continue to ski for team U.S. we can follow this young man through his journey. The next games will take place in South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics.