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   In the 1980s, five adolescent skateboarders from Chittenden County used Burlington’s concrete jungle to practice their skills. Consisting of Cole Bouchett, Josh Brownlee, Jeff Brushie, Matt Lawrence, Greg Manning, and Kris Swierz, the Chittenden County skateboarders soon embraced snowboarding, using Bolton Valley as their center. Andy Coghlan, the zelig of snowboarding history, and his brother Jack, recruited them for the Boarding House Snowboard Team. The crew eventually became known as the Vermont Slope Posse (VTSP). Under their tutelage, the VTSP competed in the Green Mountain Snowboard Series and New England Cup Series. Kris Swierz recalled that the Coghlans “pretty much put our whole little crew under their wing from the get go. We were little skate punks. We were just starting to snowboard. They turned into being our snowboard coaches and showing us the ropes and touring around the east coast."[i] In 1991, VTSP member and Burton team rider, Jeff Brushie was crowned World Champion. Brushie was one of the first east coast snowboarding superstars, as his snowboarding style possessed an “uncanny ability to maximize airtime, seemingly effortless trick execution and stylish flair both on and off the slopes.”[ii] While a native of northern Vermont, Brushie helped transform the reputation of the US Open. “Brushie would always full on represent in those sessions, “recalled Jason Goldsmith.“He always showed that this was his turf. It was always a show when he dropped into the pipe."[iii]


[i] Swierz

[ii] “VTSP.” Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum and Vermont Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame Website. ND. Web. March 2015.

[iii] Goldsmith