By Phillip Andrews
updated
Wed, Feb 15, 2012 01:54 PM
Tess Hobbs has a quick smile, a child-like giggle and an ability
to make everyone around her laugh. As the events, sponsorships and
youth marketing coordinator for Killington Resort, Hobbs is
responsible for many large scale activities at the resort. She
tirelessly coordinates staff and runs from task to task as
situations arise daily, but she refuses to take credit for the hard
work that goes along with organizing colossal events such as the
Dew Tour and the upcoming SnowMont.
"Don't get it wrong," Hobbs says, with a unique combination of a
smile and a warning. "We are a big crew, it takes a lot of
different people to run it, it's a team effort here at
Killington."
Ask her about upcoming events, and it's easy to understand why her
supervisor Matt Porter hired this University of Vermont grad from
Cambridge, MA. "We created this new event called 'shred and
destroy'," she says, her eyes beaming with excitement. "It's really
our way of giving back to the park community, we have a lot of
great events and it's just very chill, we are going to be hanging
out all over the mountain with backpacks, giving away all kinds of
random stuff to kids that are shredding, no registration fees, no
signup, just, 'oh wow you landed that trick, here's a set of
headphones.'"
For Hobbs getting to promote Killingtong is as much a part of
'living the dream' as quick lunch breaks to go take a few turns and
clear her head. She has a genuine passion for promoting the love of
winter sports to a young community and sees herself as a role model
on and off the hill.
So where does she go to first on-mountain? "The park, of course,"
she says.
In 2008, Hobbs founded the University of Vermont's freestyle
skiing team, which now boasts 51 members and a new full-time coach.
While competing Hobbs was at one time sponsored by Salomon Skis,
Esa, and Bern among others. But as is often the case, injuries
eventually forced her to take it easier.
Hobbs chuckles, clacks her ski poles on hardened knee braces, one
on each leg, and says, "If you can do it to the knee and you're not
supposed to, I've done it." Torn ACL's and MCL's and a laundry list
of surgeries and rehabilitaion programs later, it's done little to
damper this "park rats" spirit.
Hobbs started skiing at age four, and at age 15 got her first job
(ever) at Killington resort as a weekend ski instructor. She had
grown up on the mountain, and genuinely thanks her family for that.
Her mother, Sarah DeBlois, still comes to ski Killington nearly
every weekend and her four brothers all ski or snowboard too.
Killington is now home for Tess Hobbs, who lives with her
"sweetie," a yellow lab, Sierra Nevada. "Look around, I mean we
live here, how could you NOT be living the dream?" she says.
Sometimes it's as simple as being aware of your surroundings to
feel you are 'living the dream.' But many do not get to experience
this and if it weren't for organizers and promoters like Tess
Hobbs, working tirelessly to bring the most exciting events and
talented individuals to showcase this resort, fewer people would
get a chance to understand the thrill and excitement of what
Killington possesses. Tess Hobbs (and her team, of course) help to
usher in a new generation of skier and boarders that bring in
subsequent generations that will keep ski towns like ours alive and
flourishing for many years to come. Keep smiling Hobbs.
Tagged:
Livin the dream, Living the Dream, Livin' the Dream, Tess Hobbs
