For the Kotsenburg family, snowboarding is part of daily life. Throughout the year they travel all over the world so that Sage and Kirra can train and compete. Kirra is a student-athlete in her senior year at Ignite Christian Academy. Sage graduated from ICA in 2011.
Sage got involved in snowboarding through his older brother Blaze, who is also an ICA graduate. Sage wanted to do everything his older brother was doing and started snowboarding at age five. Kirra followed suit and quickly joined her older brothers. She says, "A family that shreds together, stays together."
Both Kirra and Sage have some impressive accomplishments. Kirra placed 12th in the Burton U.S. Open 2012 Women's Open Division Slopestyle when she was just 15 years old. Sage was the first person to ever land a cab double cork 1440 in competition in 2011. In the upcoming season, Sage hopes to represent the U.S.A. on the slopestyle team at the Olympic Games in 2014. Kirra's short term goal is to qualify to compete in the Olympic qualifiers this winter.
Their favorite event to compete in is snowboard slopestyle. In this event, competitors go through a course where the goal is to complete a variety of difficult tricks while getting the most air. Slopestyle is making its Olympic debut in both skiing and snowboarding at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Ignite Christian Academy has been a big part of the Kotsenburg family life. Both Kirra and Sage love the flexibility that ICA offers. Sage explained, "I see ICA as a springboard to my education. ICA allowed me the opportunities to enjoy life experiences that a traditional classroom could never give me."
They also emphasize the value of receiving a Christian education. "It (ICA) has given me the necessary foundations of a Bible-based curriculum without stunting my desires to chase my dreams in the world of professional snowboarding," Kirra said.
Kirra and Sage are just two of the many examples of how students across the United States and the world are able to receive a Christian education through Ignite Christian Academy that fits their schedule and academic needs.