Steve Bounous

Thousands of skiers from all over the world, from beginners to Olympians, learned to embrace the lifelong essence of skiing from Steve Bounous.  

Born in 1959, Bounous was a fierce competitor and an inspiring coach with a wide range of credentials. He gained national and international acclaim while racing for the US Ski Team and the World Ski Pro Tour. In the 1980s, he built “Bounous International,” a business that brought athletes to Europe, North America, and New Zealand. There, they would participate in a myriad of activities, from gate training to adventure skiing to learning about the country they traveled to. 

His dedication to the sport and dynamic coaching skills culminated in his successful tenure as Executive Director and Coach of the Snowbird Sports Education Foundation from 1989 to 2019, taking the program from 45 athletes to 300 and adding snowboarding, freeride, and para snow sports to its offerings. There, he dispensed his respect for the mountains, snow safety, and camaraderie to an expansive community of coaches, racers, and recreational skiers. Essential to the Bounous way was leading through example and encouraging his athletes to build habits that would make them lifelong skiers. Summed up best by Bounous, “Learn to love skiing.  The rest will follow.”