Hanna Lee: Boot Fitter
Hanna Lee: Boot Fitter
Mud, Sweat N’ Gears Employee Awarded
Women2Women Scholarship
Now that fall is officially here, the folks at Mud, Sweat n’ Gears are even more excited for ski season, and one employee in particular is more prepared than ever. Hanna Lee, who has worked at the ski shop for almost 10 years, was awarded Blizzard Tecnica’s Women2Women Education Scholarship, which she recently used to attend ski boot fitting school in Waitsfield, Vermont. Now, she’s looking forward to applying the knowledge and skills she gained to help customers find the perfect fit as they prepare for the coming season.
Since 2015, Blizard Tecnica has been committed to empowering women to take control of their skiing experience through the Women2Women program, which is led by Leslie Baker-Brown, former US Ski Team member and Blizzard Tecnica marketing director. An important component of W2W is its scholarship program, which supports women in pursuing their education in the snowsports industry. Lee went through the online application process, which involved answering several questions and listing references. “There were 300 applicants internationally,” said Lee. “I was one of the 30 who were selected.”
Lee decided to use her scholarship award to attend a two-day boot-fitting school in Waitsfield, Vermont last month. “The program was through a company called the Boot Doc,” she explained. “The two-day session focused on foot anatomy and showed us how to help customers who might have unique feet. We learned how to manipulate the ski boot to make it fit better, like through custom foot beds.”
While some of the session involved seated classroom-style learning, Lee noted that most of it was hands on. “We used a lot of different tools for forming a foot bed,” she explained. “I’ve done a couple of similar courses in the past through different organizations, but what I liked most about this class is that it focused on more of the anatomy side of things, like how the foot operates. We learned about certain conditions that people can have, like plantar fasciitis, and why it’s causing discomfort. That can be very painful, so a custom foot bed can help.” Lee also appreciated the small group size – she was one of just seven students – which meant more one-on-one time with the instructors.
Lee noted that everyone at Mud, Sweat n’ Gears has been very supportive of her work in the store and her pursuit of more educational opportunities. “Kim [Reading, store owner] was the one who encouraged me to apply,” said Lee. “She’s always been very, very supportive in all my endeavors, encouraging me to get out and get more education and giving me more space in the store to develop my skills.”
Lee is looking forward to sharing her knowledge with others, which is an important component of W2W. She continued, “A big part of the scholarship is how you can take the money and not just serve your community, but how can you support women in their outdoor adventures and aspirations? A lot of women feel more comfortable with a woman boot fitter, and I’m always available and willing to answer questions and help them find what they need.”
To learn more about Blizzard Tecnica’s W2W program, visit https://www.blizzard-tecnica.com/us/en/w2w-education-scholarship-program.