Latrice Pringle, Special Olympics snowboard athlete from South Carolina, was the first African American to compete in a Winter X Games Special Olympics Unified Snowboarding competition. The event happened on 23 January, 2020. Latrice was paired with Unified Snowboarding veteran Chris Klug. With their combined race times, they placed 9th out of ten teams.
Before the competition, Latrice shared a little bit about her athlete journey.
How has being a Special Olympics athlete affected your life?
It has shown me that I can do anything that I set my mind to. It has challenged me to do my best. It has allowed me to travel to new places, meet new people and make new friends, and allowed me to try new sports (Latrice has also trained in basketball, softball, skiing, snowboarding, tennis, track and field and volleyball). It has also open doors for new experiences such as being a Global Messenger.
What is the biggest challenge you have had to overcome?
Being I was the first female snowboarder around, there were no females to compete against. So, it has pushed me harder because I have to compete with male athletes.
What attracted you to snowboarding?
I liked to ski already and wanted to challenge myself to see if I could snowboard. When I tried it, I really enjoyed it.
What experience have you had at Area, State, National, Regional, or World Games?
I was given the opportunity to compete in Austria in March 2017 in snowboarding at the World Winter Games. I was also given the opportunity to train in Vermont for World Games. I compete in the Special Olympics Southeast Winter Games in Boone, N.C. each year.
Who is your favorite X Games athlete?
I would have to say Tommy Hawk because I like his style. He is very talented and challenges himself.
What is your work and community involvement?
I work at Palmetto Secure Document Destruction as a sorter for 6 years. I am a member of the Ladies Royals softball team in my community. I attend different festivals in the area. I take part in the Law Enforcement Torch Run and Cops on the Roof yearly.
Find out more about the X Games 2020 Unified Snowboard and Ski competitions.
