4'11"
31
Steamboat Springs, CO
Madeline “Maddy” Schaffrick's journey stands as one of the sport's most compelling comeback stories and exemplifies her determination to make a resilient return to the sport of snowboarding. After stepping away from competitive Snowboarding in 2015, Schaffrick returned to the world cup circuit ten years later, rejoining the U.S. Snowboard Pro Halfpipe Team and earning her nomination to represent Team USA.
Schaffrick first made her professional debut in 2008 at just 14 years old, finishing fourth at the USSA Grand Prix in Copper Mountain. As one of the sport's early prodigies, she earned a spot on the U.S. Snowboard Team that same year and quickly established herself as a teenage sensation. By age 15, she was competing at X Games, and at 16, she launched her first Olympic bid for the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010, competing against legends including Kelly Clark, Kaitlyn Farrington, Hannah Teter and Gretchen Bleiler. She made another Olympic qualifying attempt for the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014; however, after experiencing a series of injuries, Schaffrick stepped away from competitive snowboarding at the age of 20 and found a career as a plumber in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
During her time away from competition, Schaffrick redirected her passion for the sport into coaching. She began by volunteering with young snowboarders at the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and eventually became head coach of the club's junior and senior snowboard programs, working with athletes ages 9 to 19. She also served as assistant coach for the U.S. Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup Team, fostering the next generation of talent.
Schaffrick's return to competition has been marked by immediate success. In her first world cup back in nine years, she earned a career-best third-place finish at Secret Garden, China, in November 2024. She followed with a second-place finish at the January 2025 Aspen World Cup, establishing herself as the top-ranked American in the FIS women's halfpipe standings. At the 2025 FIS Snowboard World Championships in Corvatsch, Switzerland, she landed her first-ever 900 in competition—a trick she had been pursuing for over 15 years.
Known for her technical variety and ability to spin in six different directions, Schaffrick brings both experience and renewed perspective to her riding. Her journey from teenage prodigy to coach and back to elite competitor has given her a unique appreciation for the sport and the snowboarding community that continues to support her, particularly in her tight-knit hometown of Steamboat Springs.
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