Brandon Braccia ’23 Teaches Snowboarding to Kids & Veterans with Disabilities

Nektarios Donas ’24

Brandon Braccia ’23 is an exceptional senior who gives back to his community through his snowboarding and entrepreneurial skills. In a one-on-one interview, Tarmac was able to speak to Braccia about his position with  the Adaptive Sports Foundation.

Tarmac: Hi, Brandon. What exactly is it that you do for the Adaptive Sports Foundation?

Braccia: The Adaptive Sports Foundation helps kids and veterans learn how to snowboard. These people have disabilities and often have no one else to teach them how to do what I love. 

Tarmac: What does your snowboarding work mean to you?

Braccia: I’ve always loved snowboarding, and I always loved to share things that I enjoy with other people. The ability to teach others how to snowboard is something very special to me.

Tarmac: Is there a specific experience that stands out to you the most?

Braccia: One of the first kids that I worked with had severe cognitive impairment, so he was very difficult to work with. I was still able to make him happy, though, which is why I truly love to do this. There was another time when I was working with a child with cerebral palsy, and we went up the mountain together, and he ended up having a great time the whole way down.

Tarmac: Why did you start Latscards, and how does it relate to your work with the Adaptive Sports Foundation?

Braccia: I started a company called Latscards that sells different sports cards to raise money for charity. I’ve been interested in sports cards for a while, and I realized there was a niche interest in smaller-market sports. In other words, there are many people who are interested in cards for these sports, but not many companies that sell them. I also wanted a way to raise money for ASF, and I felt this was a great way to combine two things that I enjoy.

Tarmac: Do you have any future goals regarding teaching snowboarding?

Braccia: My main goal is to be able to provide more opportunities not just for snowboarding, but for all different types of sports. As someone who truly loves sports and the ability to help others, I feel like sports such as skateboarding, skiing, and kayaking are activities that I enjoy doing, but often take for granted. There are many kids who would love to play and by expanding into different sports, these kids will have the opportunity to learn.

Living the life of a true Chaminade High School man, Braccia helps many who struggle with sports to accomplish dreams of their own. Through his work with the Adaptive Sports Foundation, Braccia has benefited many with his talent and expertise.