WHO WE ARE
The United States of America Snowboard and Freeski Association (USASA) is a California-based non-profit organization that is represented by 30 regional series across the USA. The USASA national office is located in Littleton, NH. The regional home offices are located in Portland, Maine, and Bailey, Colorado. The USASA is made up of over 5,000 athlete members and 600+ coaches and officials. The total membership including parents and supporters exceeds 10,000 members.
The USASA hosts 500+ Snowboard and Freeski events annually at approximately 120 ski resorts in the U.S. The USASA National Championships are held annually at Copper Mountain, Colorado and span twelve days with over 1800 participants. The USASA National Championship is the largest snowboard and freeskiing event in the world and has been held consistently by the USASA for 29 years. The USASA is the first step in the Olympic pipeline for snowboarding and freeskiing.
BACKGROUND
Former amateur surf coach Chuck Allen incorporated the United States Amateur Snowboarding Association (USASA) in July of 1988 with a $500 donation from Transworld SNOWboarding Magazine. The USASA is the first governing body exclusively for competitive grassroots snowboarding. The USASA founders believed that by forming a national association for snowboard competitors, rules of competition could be standardized, an annual national championship event could be established, and the recreation and fun of this rapidly growing sport could be preserved and eventually flourish.
Since 1988 the USASA has continually grown with the strength of each regional series and the support of the athletes. In addition to the original halfpipe, slalom, and giant slalom disciplines, the USASA introduced slopestyle as a sanctioned discipline in the 1993-94 season.
The USASA now offers events in halfpipe, slopestyle, slalom, giant slalom, boardercross, and rail jam. The USASA also recently completed a two-year exhibition of sanctioned Banked Slalom competitions where USASA Olympians and medalists Ross Powers and Lindsey Jacobellis were crowned national champions at the inaugural event.
The USASA National Championships have been held at Snow Valley, CA (1990), Mt. Hood, OR (1991), Stratton, VT (1992), Vail, CO (1993), Sierra at Tahoe, CA (1994), Giants Ridge, MN (1995), Mt. Snow, VT (1996), Bear Mountain & Snow Summit, CA (1997), Telluride Colorado (1998 & 1999), Waterville Valley, NH (2000), Mammoth Mountain, CA (2001 & 2002), Sunday River, Maine (2003), Angelfire, NM (2004), Copper Mountain, CO (2005), Northstar at Tahoe, CA (2006 & 2007), Copper Mountain, CO (2008) and the USASA National Championships are contracted at Copper Mountain, CO. through 2022.
In 2008 the USASA Foundation was formed as the fundraising arm of the USASA and works exclusively with the USASA. The USASA Foundations strives to provide financial support for the USASA and its members through various awards and programs for athletes, series directors, officials, and coaches.
In 2011 the USASA started offering events to Freeskiers in Skier Cross, Slopestyle, Halfpipe and Rail Jam.
In 2014 the United States of America Snowboard and Freeski Association became incorporated as the official name. The USASA logo has remained the same.
Today the USASA is a healthy, vibrant, community that supports our Core Values of Excellence, Respect, and Fun. We are in a new growth model and are recognized as the leader in the development of Snowboard and Freeski competitions in the USA. As a testament to this, 100% of the U.S. Olympic Snowboarding and Freeskiing Team got their start in the USASA. We look forward to providing more opportunities for future Olympic Freeskiers and Snowboarders to continue to progress toward Milano Cortina 2026 and beyond!