WAUKESHA, Wisc. — Nick Baumgartner is one of our favorite Olympians. He is the oldest snowboarder to ever make the Olympics and the oldest U.S. Olympian in these games.
At 40-years-old, he's the fourth oldest overall competing in Beijing. He is a four-time Olympic snowboarder and X-Games gold medalist.
Jake Grossmann is the cousin of Baumgartner.
"Growing up, I kind of idolized Nick," Grossmann says. "I really admired watching him win X Games gold. You know, because (of) the hard work he put into it. Then just to see him and his personality and how much he enjoyed it. He was the loudest one there. You could probably hear him from there."
And although Baumgartner is 40, Grossmann says his cousin is still a kid at heart.
"The hair on his head might be getting thinner," Grossmann says. "Some hairs might be turning gray, but he's still a kid just like them and that's the best part about his personality."
Grossman grew up in New Berlin and trains high level pro-basketball players at the Pro Lane in Waukesha, but his own relative made a big impact on him.
"What isn't there? I just love how as an elite athlete, there's a lot of stress on you, but he's present," Grossmann says. "They say, you know, be where your feet are."
As an expert in sports performance player development, Grossmann can only marvel at the oldest snowboarder ever to compete at the Olympics.
