American · Pompton Plains, New Jersey, USA · Born 21 September 1982American snowboarder and two-time Olympic silver medalist in halfpipe, part of the historic 2002 U.S. podium sweep that was the country's first in a Winter Olympic event since 1956.
Daniel Kass was born on 21 September 1982 in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, and raised in Vernon Township, beginning to snowboard at 12 near his home slopes of Hidden Valley and Mountain Creek. He attended the Okemo Mountain School in Vermont to focus fully on the sport, breaking out with a dominant 2000-01 season that included wins at the U.S. Open, Winter X Superpipe, and the overall Chevy Grand Prix title. At the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, Kass won silver in the halfpipe as part of a historic American sweep of the podium alongside gold medalist Ross Powers and bronze medalist J.J. Thomas - the first U.S. sweep of any Winter Olympic event since figure skating in 1956. Four years later at the 2006 Turin Games, he won a second consecutive Olympic silver, landing back-to-back 1080-degree spins in his final run behind winner Shaun White, in a performance defined by his signature smooth, laid-back style. Kass added seven Winter X Games medals across halfpipe, superpipe, and slopestyle between 2001 and 2005, and won four U.S. Open championships during his career. He gradually stepped back from full-time Olympic-level competition around 2009 and co-founded Grenade Gloves with his brother Matt, serving as CEO from 2014. Kass transitioned into coaching, working with U.S. Snowboarding's rookie halfpipe team from 2022 before being named head coach of the halfpipe program for the 2026 Milan-Cortina cycle, and was subsequently appointed head coach of the U.S. big air and slopestyle teams for the 2026-27 season.
Winning back-to-back Olympic silver medals in halfpipe and being part of America's historic podium sweep at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games
How They Played
Smooth, laid-back halfpipe rider known for high-amplitude spins and understated style over raw technical difficulty
Lasting Impact
Remembered for his signature smooth, stylish riding and his part in one of American snowboarding's most celebrated Olympic moments, now shaping the next generation as a national team coach
Career Honours
- 2002 Olympic Silver Medalist, Halfpipe (part of historic U.S. podium sweep)
- 2006 Olympic Silver Medalist, Halfpipe
- 7x Winter X Games Medalist
- 4x U.S. Open Champion
American Athletes