US snowboarder who became a plumber eyes Winter Olympics after retirement U-turn

A decade ago, Maddy Schaffrick, a promising snowboarder, found herself in a familiar predicament for many in their early twenties: living in her parents’ basement, uncertain of her future.

Having made her professional debut at just 14, the American had been a rising star in the sport, only to feel burnt out and announce her retirement six years later.

Reflecting on that period, Ms Schaffrick, now 31, described the challenge of being "a kid put in an adult world" due to her early success.

"I didn't really know how to cope with just the pressures and expectations of not only being a professional athlete but also trying to be a kid and a developing human," she explained in a recent interview.

After stepping away from the competitive circuit, Ms Schaffrick embarked on an unexpected path, including stints as a snowboarding coach and, notably, a plumber.

Now, she is aiming to compete in her first Olympics at next month's Milano Cortina Games, marking a remarkable return to elite sport.

Born in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Ms Schaffrick joined the US national snowboard team at 14, competing globally in World Cup events and the X Games.

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However, by the age of 20, and following several injuries, she decided to end her career on the snow. After a brief period in Salt Lake City, she returned home, where her parents’ request for her to contribute to the family food bill prompted her to seek employment.

Opting for a physically active role over an office job, she apprenticed at a friend's plumbing and heating company for a year.

Her eventual return to the mountain came as a coach for seven to nine-year-olds in Steamboat Springs, a role she initially volunteered for to secure a free season pass.

This experience offered her a fresh perspective on snowboarding. "It reconnected me to my passion," she said, realising that joy in the sport could be found through various avenues.

Ms Schaffrick continued coaching teenagers before taking on an assistant coach role with the US Snowboard Team in 2022.

This immersion back into the sport's elite levels reignited lingering feelings about her own career.

"I felt guilty that I had all these opportunities and it felt like I wasted them because I didn't really achieve my goals that I was there to do," she admitted.

Recognising she still possessed the skills, she decided to chart her own course and jump back into competition as a rider. "I need to do this for my soul," she declared, "and to heal my younger self."

Her competitive comeback has been swift. In her first event in almost a decade, Ms Schaffrick secured third place at a 2024 World Cup event in China.

In 2025, she successfully landed her first 900 (2.5 spins) in competition. She acknowledges still experiencing pre-competition nerves but now manages them more effectively than in her teenage years.

"I rarely performed well when the pressure was on those last like three years of competing in the past," she noted, adding that today she can recognise self-doubt and adjust her thoughts.

"The last year and a half of competing again, for me, has been about recognizing the thought patterns, accepting them and doing something different."

This month, Ms Schaffrick is participating in qualifying rounds to secure a spot on the US team.

NBC snowboarding analyst Todd Richards, a competitor at the 1998 Winter Olympics, praised her as "a smart competitor."

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He added: "She has a very, very solid foundation. She's smooth, she goes big, and she can look at the competition and say 'OK, I need to do a run that's incrementally better.'"

Despite dislocating a shoulder while attempting a trick in December, Ms Schaffrick is recovering without the need for surgery.

"I got really lucky on it. A doctor was able to put it back in on site within like 15 minutes," she confirmed.

Whatever the future holds, Ms Schaffrick is resolute on one point: she has no desire to return to plumbing.

"I learned so much, including that I never want to be a plumber," she quipped. "But I respect trade work so much. I swear a year of plumbing was harder on my body than seven years of snowboarding."