Maddie Mastro is a two-time Olympic snowboarder known for pushing the limits of women’s halfpipe and landing historic tricks at a young age. The 25-year-old from Wrightwood, California, has built one of the most accomplished résumés in the sport, even as she continues to chase her first Olympic medal. Here’s what you need to know
1. Maddie Mastro’s Parents Introduced Her to Snowboarding
Mastro was born on February 22, 2000, and raised in Wrightwood, just minutes from Mountain High Resort. Her parents, Chris and Eileen Mastro, first put her on skis at age 2. By 6, they convinced her to try snowboarding with the promise of a pink board.
“My earliest memory of snowboarding is actually of one of the weekends I was learning,” Mastro has said. “I remember looking at my dad as he helped me turn from my heels to my toes.”
She quickly fell in love with the sport, drawn to what she described as the “adrenaline rush” of hitting jumps and feeling like she was flying.
2. The Mastro Family Made Big Sacrifices
Before sponsorships arrived, Mastro’s family covered the cost of equipment, travel and competition fees. She has been open about the financial commitment required to compete at a high level.
“My family had to sacrifice a lot to help support me,” Mastro has said, via NBC’s official Olympics website. “My mom and I spent summer after summer applying to scholarships and foundations trying to get funds to help pay for me to be able to snowboard competitively.”
Eileen also offered constant encouragement. One phrase she wrote down for her daughter became a guiding principle: “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” Another piece of advice she repeats before competitions is “kick the ball hard,” which Mastro interprets as “try your best, and you will be fine.”
3. Mastro Grew Up Riding With Future Olympians
Training in Southern California, Mastro often crossed paths with Chloe Kim and Hailey Langland as young riders.
“We were, like, the only three young girls on the mountain,” Mastro has said. “Whenever we saw each other, you go and ride with them. Like, there’s another girl, let’s go ride with her.”
She added that riding together “really helped push us all as we’ve gotten older,” and said they continue to inspire one another.
4. Maddie Mastro Made History With a Double Crippler
At 18, Mastro became the first woman to land a double crippler, cementing her status as one of the sport’s innovators. She has since earned 18 World Cup podiums and four X Games medals.
She made her Olympic debut in 2018, finishing 12th at the PyeongChang Games just days before turning 18. She placed 13th at the 2022 Beijing Games. Despite those finishes, she remains one of the most accomplished riders without an Olympic medal.
5. Mastro’s Olympic Dream Started at Age 10
Mastro has said she first dreamed of competing in the Olympics while watching Torah Bright win gold in the halfpipe at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Since then, she has competed exclusively in halfpipe at the professional level. Now 25, she enters the 2026 Olympic season with renewed confidence after winning a World Cup title.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Maddie Mastro’s Parents & Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know appeared first on Heavy Sports.