WC Wisconsin News

Snowboarding Olympic gold medalist Nick Baumgartner wants Upper Peninsula kids to see themselves when they look at him.

Baumgartner, who won gold at the 2022 Beijing Games in mixed snowboard cross, recently visited Rhinelander High School to speak with students about chasing their dreams.

“If bringing this medal around can inspire more stories like mine to come out of this area, it would be an absolute honor for me to do that," Baumgartner told WEAU.com.

As part of the festivities, students had the chance to meet Baumgartner and pose for pictures, along with learning more about the journey that made him an immortal.

“Well for me, I think these kids, we’re all strong and we got that work ethic,” Baumgartner said. “But we lack a few of the opportunities that these big schools get. So it’s nice for them to see someone who was able to fight through all that and make something happen.”

Baumgartner said his ultimate goal is to inspire students to believe in themselves and being willing to chase their dreams.

“When I was a student athlete, it would have really went a long way for someone like me to come back and assure them that hard work can pay off,” he said. “To bring this home, and to walk into a hero’s welcome, for me just out there doing something I enjoy to do and something I’m passionate about has been an unbelievable experience.”

Now 41 and training with the Rhinelander ski and snowboard team in the offseason at Ski Brule, Baumgartner said his story is one that’s still being written.  

“I’m going to focus. I’m still going to set a crazy goal, World Championships in 2023 in Bakuriani, Georgia,” he said.

As for continuing to spread his message, Baumgartner said he plans to visit as many schools as he can throughout the 2022 school year.