Cabrera is a highly experienced snowboarding coach with over 20 years of teaching and coaching expertise. His journey in the snowboarding world began at Hunter Mountain, where he started as a snowboard instructor before progressing to a Seasonal Development Coach role. He has returned to Hunter Mountain/Vail Resorts as a snowboard instructor trainer, further solidifying his commitment to developing snowboarding talent.
“Joining the ASF, an organization that has empowered lives for over 40 years, is an awesome opportunity for me,” Cabrera said. “The ASF not only is a place where individuals with disabilities can ski and snowboard, but it promotes progression through competitive programs. I’m excited to share my knowledge of snowboarding with the athletes as well as the coaches and the staff.”
As the founder and director of the North East Snowboard Team in New York, Cabrera has cultivated a unique environment where athletes train across multiple key snowboarding disciplines, including slalom, giant slalom, boardercross, rail jam, slopestyle and halfpipe. The North East Snowboard Team is particularly notable for being a unified team, bringing together neurotypical and advanced Special Olympic riders and fostering an inclusive atmosphere where athletes of all abilities can thrive.
Cabrera serves on the United States of America Snowboard and Freeski Association (USASA) executive board as the Adaptive Representative and holds several credentials, including being a USASA Snowboarding Coach Level 2, a Competition Course Official, and a certified Special Olympics Snowboarding Coach. His expertise is primarily focused on working with advanced snowboarders, including athletes with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Under his guidance, Cabrera’s athletes have achieved significant success, winning numerous medals at USASA National Competitions held at Copper Mountain, Colorado. His Special Olympics athletes have also competed and medaled in unified snowboarding events at ESPN’s X-Games in Aspen, Colorado.
“I was introduced to the ASF through the North East Snowboard Team and working with their athletes for years,” Cabrera explained. “The more involved I got working with their athletes, the more I realized that the organization is striving to make a difference in this community.”
In addition to his winter sports coaching, Cabrera extends his work with ASD athletes to skateboarding during the spring and summer seasons. He coaches these athletes both individually and in collaboration with the ASF, helping athletes transfer their snowboarding skills to skateboarding.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Frank to our team,” ASF Executive Director John Iannelli said. “His experience working with athletes with disabilities and his expertise in the sport of snowboarding makes him the perfect fit for our Snowboard Competitions Coach. Having Frank join our staff is truly exciting, and we’re looking forward to seeing our competitive snowboarders progress under his tutelage.”
Cabrera’s commitment to fostering athletic growth in an inclusive, supportive environment has made him a respected figure in both the snowboarding and adaptive sports communities and the ASF is excited to have him join its staff.