Freshman Isabelle Willey has always loved the snow. When she was just a  youngster, her parents introduced her to snowmobiling, and she has been hooked ever since.

“I don’t really remember how I got into the sport,” Willey said. “I’ve just kind of been involved since I was a baby.”

After a long journey of pursuing her passion for the snowmobiling, Willey has met various pro riders and has even participated in two different snowmobile videos sold all over the country. She is now selling dvds for a pro snowmobile team, Thunderstruck, and is hoping to become sponsored by a company such as Klim.

“Being sponsored means that I get gear, equipment, and other snowmobiling accessories to promote their brands,” Willey said. “I put myself out there and talked to people to get more involved because the sport is dying off.”

This has led to an invitation  to ride with the Thunderstruck Crew along with many pro riders in the mountains. In 2014 Willey was named Youth Snowmobiler of the Year and is now the head of KISS, Kids Intentionally Supporting Snowmobiling, an organization which covers the whole state of Iowa.

Along with being a leader, Willey’s responsibilities include meeting with Wisconsin KAOS, Kids and Adults on Snowmobiles, twice a year to produce new ideas for the growth of kids involvement.

Willey has also put together an hour-long presentation for the Iowa State Snowmobile Association Convention in November. In addition, this year she will host a youth ride in January or February.

“I was really honored to have so many opportunities that take my snowmobiling career to the next level,” Willey said. “I plan on continuing to get kids more involved in the sport that I love.”