By Wendi Reardon Price
Clarkston News Sports Writer
Logan Kolodsick was four years old when she started snowboarding.
Now, Kolodsick, a Clarkston resident and junior at Flint Powers Catholic High School, is getting ready to compete in the United States of America Snowboard and Freestyle Association Nationals in Colorado this month.
Kolodsick competes in snowboard cross (SBX) and races during the winter season for Milford High School as Powers does not have a team. Kolodsick with her team won the Michigan High School Snowboard Association State Championship at Alpine Valley in February.

“I’m really proud of my team,” she shared. “We’ve all worked so hard for this, and it’s satisfying to see it all pay off. Everyone went out wanting the win, and it was an amazing feeling to have that come true.
Kolodsick also won the individual races to claim the title of individual state champion for the girls.
“Winning the individual championships was definitely the highlight of the season for me,” she said. “It finally felt like all the effort I had put in this entire season had finally come to fruition. I have my amazing coaches to thank because they all believed in me and pushed me to be better every day.”
A moment which stands out to her was near the end of the season.
“I had not done as well as I had hoped in a few races,” she shared. “It was really grating on my confidence. I felt this overwhelming desire to give up, because what I thought was my best effort wasn’t good enough.”
It was inspiration and encouragement from her mom, Samantha, that helped her not to give up.
“It was my mom who reminded me giving up wouldn’t help me win and get back on my feet. She encouraged me to just keep giving it my all, and I’m super thankful she did because I finished off the season better than ever.”
Logan began snowboarding when she was four-years-old as both her parents love winter sports.
“Although I hate to admit it, I’ve got a bit of a competitive spirit in me and being able to do what I love in such a fast-paced and high-intensity environment only makes me want more,” she said. “Of course, the huge support from my family and friends is what really drives me. I can’t thank them enough for pushing me and cheering me on every step of the way.”
She shared snowboard cross is similar to ski slalom as they race around flags.
“We also contend with large curved banks, rollers, tables and jumps within the course,” Logan continued. “Up to five riders all drop down from a gate at the top all at once, racing around the flags, over the jumps, and through the turns as quickly as possible. It can get a little intense with so many people, so it’s a mental game as much as physical.”
Scoring is based on finishing position and in team racing, first place receives a set amount of points. Then, it decreases in following places. The team points are added up when all the races are finished.
“You depend a lot on your teammates doing well so the pressure is always high,” she said. “In individual racing, the winner is decided by bracket that has the first and second place of each race move on until there’s a final group. One bad race can knock you out of the competition, so maintaining a clear head and a drive to win is key.”
She is a goalie for the Flint Powers Catholic Girls Varsity Lacrosse team in the spring and is also on the varsity golf team in the fall. She is also a member of the National Art Society and is an excellent student.
“It’s a lot of work,” Logan said. “Having a busy schedule keeps me on track and on my feet so I don’t mind too much. Admittedly, it can get really tricky to balance school with sports, but I will always sacrifice easy for the fulfillment of doing what I love while keeping up on what I need.”

  championship, snowboarding, state champion