Winter Olympics 2018: Maddie Mastro Q&A

The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea are under two weeks away. That means before we know it, all of our friends and family will be glued to their televisions; decking themselves out in red, white, and blue (or whatever the colors of their chosen team); and asking "did you see that snowboard cross/luge/figure skating final?". Back in September, we caught up with Olympic hopefuls before their very busy fall of training and competitions leading to the Games. We ran each of them through our Teen Vogue Olympics questionnaire designed to help you get to know Team USA's top competitors before they hit the world stage in Pyeongchang. Read on to find out more about Team USA snowboarder Maddie Mastro.

Do you have hidden talent, and if so, what is it? Maddie Mastro: I used to play club soccer year-round. It was a really big part of my life where I almost decided to choose soccer, up until a few years ago where I made the decision to pursue snowboarding instead of soccer. So, people might not know that about me.

What's your favorite junk food? MM: Favorite junk food would be ... Currently, right now it's movie theater popcorn. I get movie theater popcorn, butter on it, and then I put jalapenos on it. I don't know if you're into that, but I like it.

Hanna: Are you making this at home or in the movie theater? Maddie: I do it at the movie theater. You know where the ketchup and the mustard is, there's little jalapenos. I put them in a water cup and I put it in with my popcorn, and it's so good, if you're into that. Hanna: I've never seen jalapenos in a movie theater, but I guess they must have them because they usually have nachos. Speaker 3: Nachos or hotdogs. Maddie: Yeah. Hanna: Yeah. I might try that. Maddie: It's pretty good if you like spicy food or jalapenos, then I'd definitely recommend the jalapeno popcorn.

What's your favorite food in general? MM: My favorite food would either be sushi or pizza ... No, it's pizza. It's definitely pizza.

What would you major in, in college? MM: I have no clue. Not even the slightest yet.

What was your best subject in school? MM: I think my best subject in school would be english. I would hope it would be english.

How do you wake up in the morning? Do you press snooze a bunch of times or are you right out of bed? MM: Typically, I'm definitely one of the people that sleep in until like two in the afternoon if I could. I'm definitely a snoozer.

Who do you look up to? Maddie: I look up to my mom and I look up ... Yeah, I look up to my mom.

What's something you bring with you whenever you travel? MM: I have a lucky necklace I bring everywhere with me to every contest. It's broken, so now I just carry it with me in a plastic bag. It's still lucky there. Typically, I would wear it [when I compete], but quite recently I broke it, sadly.

What's the last thing you posted to Instagram? MM: I think it was a photo of my back, staring at the ocean.

What's the weirdest thing you've ever eaten? MM: I think it was pig's ears, which was really weird for me because I don't really think about eating a pig's ears.

What are you most excited about with regards to the Olympics? MM: I'm most excited just to be there, and see the opening and closing ceremonies, and be there in person, and not watch it on the TV.

How young were you when you started? MM: I started skiing when I was two years old, and then around the age of six, I switched to snowboarding. So, I've been snowboarding since I was six.

What drew you to snowboarding specifically? MM: I grew up with my entire family skiing, and then around the age of five and six, my entire family ... My mom, my dad, and my brother decided to switch to snowboarding and try it out, but I was still very much attached to skiing. I liked it. I was the only little skier on the mountain. I really liked skiing, but then after a few times of trying snowboarding, and then my parents offered to buy me a pink snowboard, I instantly was like, "Okay. I like it, and I get a pink snowboard? Deal."

If you weren't snowboarding, what would you be doing instead? MM: If I wasn't snowboarding, I would probably be playing soccer, and surfing, and going to school.

If you had to pick a summer Olympic sport, what would it be? MM: I would pick soccer, or surfing. Surfing's in now. One of the two.

What's your dream career other than being a badass snowboarder? MM: I think my dream career would be probably a professional soccer ... No. I couldn't tell you. I could not tell you. So many options.

What's the hardest part about being an athlete? MM: I think the hardest part about being an athlete is constantly having to be motivated, every single day, to do something to help improve your snowboarding, or make the next day easier. It's definitely just being motivated every single day.

What's the best part? MM: Traveling the world with my best friends.

What's your favorite place you've traveled? MM: New Zealand. I was just there like four days ago, so I'm still quite obsessed with it.

What is your favorite workout fuel? MM: Favorite workout fuel ... Yogurt, or no, string cheese and chocolate milk. Sounds weird, but they're both ... I don't know. Whenever I go to our U.S. team gym, I have string cheese and chocolate milk before and after I work out.

What's something about your gear or what you wear when you compete that people may not realize? MM: For the past three years now, I've done themes. Three years ago it was an all black theme with pink goggles. The second year, which was last year, it was pink pants, and blue gloves, and pink goggles. It sounds weird, but I plan it out. This year, I've been doing this all blue theme where I've been wearing a completely blue outfit.

What TV show are you obsessed with right now? MM: The Office. I'm always obsessed with The Office.

What's your biggest phobia? MM: When I was ... I don't know if this is a phobia. I guess it is — booger eating. Is that a thing? I don't know. I don't really have a phobia. ...Just people eating their boogers.

Do you have a favorite celebrity? MM: Miley Cyrus.

Do you have a celebrity crush? MM: Miley Cyrus.

If one celebrity could watch you compete at the Olympics, who would you want it to be? MM: Miley Cyrus.

What's the last thing you shopped for? MM: The last thing I shopped for ... Mouth guards. Not very fun.

What's the one thing you always have to have when you're competing? MM: My mouth guard. I always have to have a mouth guard. I'd have a total breakdown if I didn't have my mouth guard. ...This mouth guard does not match my outfit, but I have ... It sound completely disgusting, but it's in great condition, I've had this mouth guard for probably about three years now. It sounds absolutely disgusting, but I keep very good care of it. It gets cleaned, and it's in great condition, but I've had it ... I wouldn't say great condition, but it's in clean condition, but I've had it for like three years.

To learn more, visit teamusa.org. The Winter Olympics start live on Feb. 8

Related: Mirai Nagasu Has Something to Say to People Who Think Figure Skaters Always Look Perfect