Hailing from Vermont but calling the Tahoe area home for the last decade, Keegan Hosefros is seeing his career come full circle. Signing a deal and going pro with Vermont’s own Rome Snowboards this past year, he’s now looking back to his hometown for new inspiration. From growing up down the road from the Rome office to traveling the world with the brand’s name under his feet, we caught up with the 6’4″ 24-year-old to see how he is fitting into his new digs for a First Draft of Keegan’s first year as a pro. 

—Mark Clavin

Mark Clavin: Do you ever get jealous of shorter snowboarders?
Keegan Hosefros: Oh, all the time. They’ve got it so easy, it’s ridiculous. They’ve got the littlest cores. I’m lengthy and they’re built like a brick shithouse. I have to really focus on my back and core to really get that lined up before the season.

How long have you been working construction? 

The past four off-seasons. But this past summer, I haven’t needed to work that much because of how Rome has treated me and put me in a different position. Before, I would literally stop snowboarding in spring. My body was destroyed after the season, and I would just go straight to the job site with maybe one quick Hood trip. Now I can focus a bit more on myself and staying healthy and strong. 

How does it feel to be riding for Rome? 

It feels like home. I grew up less than 2 miles from the office in Waterbury and would obviously pass it all the time. They used to do a big sale there every year, and I worked it a couple times. Honestly, it feels pretty special, pretty right. The first time I went back to the office since getting on the team was also a trip home for a wedding and to visit friends and family. Pretty cool to see my snowboard career and hometown coming together like that. 

And riding with a few new teammates who happen to be international stars in snowboarding. 

All I want to do is ride! I haven’t gotten to ride with Rene [Rinnekangas] yet. I’ve chatted with him over the ’gram; he’s finishing up his own project right now. But riding with Ståle [Sandbech] was one of the coolest, most eye-opening experiences I have ever had. Snowboarding with someone on that level just pushes your own riding, and just having the same interests of stepping into the backcountry more, not to mention learning the business side from Ståle being a superstar his entire life. I have never felt like a big dog before, and he makes me feel like a big dog. 

What about the new boards? What are you riding this year, and what did you think? 

I’ve been riding the Ravine Pro 166cm and the Rene-Gade in their biggest size. The Ravine Pro was built to, like, ride the mountain, charge fast, hit big jumps and ride big lines. Huge fan. The Rene-Gade was as stiff as a board, and I love that. I was pretty surprised how comfortable it was switching between them all year. Rome is building new sizes for the Ståle line coming up as well, so I will get to ride those this year and maybe a few 170cm customs, which I would like to try. 

What all did you film for this year? 

We did a short film for Rome with some backcountry and street in it. Went to Austria for a bit with Ståle and Len [Jørgensen]—it is out now! Called Particle! Devin Bernard and Max Lyons were behind the lens. That duo is a hidden gem. I’m psyched to see what we can all put out the next few years. And I was finishing up a two-year project with, like, Blake Moller, Mason Lemery and the 686 team.

Schnitzel or bratwurst from your time in Austria? 

Anything that looks like a chicken finger is cool with me. Schnitzel, hands down. 

Next steps? 

I did two years filming in the streets and then two years in the backcountry, so I’m just trying to become a true ATV and showcase that coming up on the filming side. Just continue to grow with Rome and the crew we have. They are solidifying all the graphics for next year right now with this new young designer, and I am just psyched to see all the stuff in the works. 

You ever going to step back into competing? 

I do have a super competitive side. I would love to be in the Natural Selection Tour. Hopefully after my next part I would have a pretty good resume. I want to hang with big dogs because I know I can ride on that level now. I want to learn and be challenged to progress myself as an individual and as a rider. 

And with freeriding becoming an official FIS discipline, would you try for the Olympics if it got to that point? 

I would love that. I really miss competing. I always wanted to be a slopestyle rider, but it is hard to make those pushes and find the support. But, looking back now, that was probably a good thing; it just allowed me to push into the other things I wanted to do with snowboarding and eventually led me here. I believe in myself way more now than I ever have. I just feel very lucky.