Nick Goepper facts for kids
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Goepper in 2022
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| Born | March 14, 1994 Ft. Wayne, Indiana, U.S. |
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| Education | Westminster College | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 160 lb | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country |  United States |
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| Sport | Freestyle skiing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Slopestyle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Mike Jankowski | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Nicholas Charles Goepper (born March 14, 1994) is an American Olympic freestyle skier. He is known for his amazing skills in slopestyle skiing. Nick has won several medals for the United States. He earned a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He then won silver medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. Nick Goepper has also achieved great success at the Winter X Games, winning five gold medals and two silver medals.
Contents
Early Life and Skiing Start
Nick Goepper was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He grew up in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. He has two younger sisters and one younger brother. Nick started skiing when he was just five years old. By the age of eleven, he began competing in ski events. He even landed his first double backflip when he was thirteen!
Skiing Career Highlights
In 2009, Nick Goepper moved to Sandy, Oregon. There, he trained with professional skiers at Windells Academy, which is now called Wy'East Mountain Academy. He received a full scholarship to attend the academy. Nick also studied at Westminster College.
Goepper won a gold medal at the 2013-14 FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup in Cardrona, New Zealand. He qualified for the 2014 Olympics at the 2013 Dew Tour in Breckenridge, Colorado. He managed to win first place even though he was skiing with a broken hand and no ski poles!
Olympic and X Games Success
Nick Goepper has had an impressive career, especially at the Olympics and X Games.
Olympic Medals
At the 2014 Winter Olympics, Nick Goepper, Gus Kenworthy, and Joss Christensen made history. They won all three medals in men's slopestyle skiing. Joss Christensen won gold, Gus Kenworthy took silver, and Nick Goepper earned the bronze. This was a huge moment for American freestyle skiing.
Nick continued his Olympic success. He won a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Then, he won another silver medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Winter X Games Achievements
Goepper is also a multiple gold medalist at the Winter X Games. He won gold in slopestyle in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2021. He also won a gold medal in Superpipe in 2025. His X Games victories show his consistent performance at the highest level of freestyle skiing.
Awards and Recognition
After their big win at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Nick Goepper and his teammates appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman. They were also featured on a Kellogg's Corn Flakes cereal box. Nick was also featured on a Jif peanut butter jar.
When Nick returned home, his town threw a parade for him. Perfect North Slopes, where he learned to ski, gave him a lifelong pass. He also met former Indiana Governor Mike Pence. Nick even threw the opening pitch for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team.
After the Pyeongchang Olympics, Nick received the Sagamore of the Wabash Award. This is a very special award for people from Indiana. He later met President Donald Trump at the White House.
Giving Back to the Community
Nick Goepper believes in helping others.
Charity Events
In December 2014, Nick worked with Wy'East Mountain Academy. They hosted a rail jam competition at Perfect North Slopes. More than 150 people participated. All the money raised went to "The Cure Starts Now Foundation," a charity that helps children with cancer.
Board Membership and Missions
Goepper is also a Trustee on Wy'East's board. In June 2017, he joined other Olympic athletes on a trip to Kigali, Rwanda. This trip was organized by "Kids Play International," a group that uses sports to help children.
Public Appearances and Family Support
Nick Goepper has been featured in several shows and interviews.
How to Raise an Olympian
In 2014, Nick and his mother, Linda, were on the NBC Sports series How to Raise an Olympian. This show was part of the P&G "Thank You, Mom" campaign. Linda shared how Nick would spend all day skiing at Perfect North Slopes. He even built ramps in their backyard to practice year-round. Nick talked about watching many videos of professional freestyle skiers. His sisters, who were gymnasts, helped him learn flips and coached him before competitions. Nick also mentioned how he earned money for skiing by selling candy bars, mowing lawns, and babysitting. This helped his family when his father lost his job during the Great Recession, a time when the economy was difficult.
Meeting Celebrities
Before his first Olympics, Nick attended the 71st Golden Globe Awards. He met many famous people there, including Usher, Leonardo DiCaprio, Reese Witherspoon, Mike Tyson, and Taylor Swift.
Personal Life and Hobbies
Besides skiing, Nick Goepper enjoys other activities. He likes surfing and skateboarding. He says these hobbies help him stay in shape for skiing.
Images for kids
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Nick Goepper in 2022
See also
In Spanish: Nicholas Goepper para niños
