BOOYA SKI RODEO

The BOOYA SKI RODEO is this Saturday (April 5th) at Bridger Bowl! Come on up and bring your friends! 

Let's help Ryan get back onto his feet (and skis) as soon as possible! This is sure to be a fun event and we have a lot of amazing prizes donated by some pretty incredible local businesses, including some skis! There will be live music, a BBQ, ski racing and a lot of good times. 

Costumes are HIGHLY recommended, so get your best rodeo gear on and bring your winning attitude for an afternoon of FUN!

The cost is $20 per person and this includes the dual slalom event, BBQ, raffle ticket and an awesome t-shirt. Events are set to kick off starting at around 12 at the Deer Park Chalet and Bridger lift. 

PLEASE NOTE that this is a cash and check only event. 

We will be selling extra raffle tickets all day and a cash BBQ will be available for those who wish to donate but don't want to be in the races. 

All proceeds from the event go directly to helping Ryan McConnell's recovery. 

Ryan is the strongest, hardest working, positive and most inspirational kid we know and we are so proud to call him our friend and teammate. It is for this reason that we are supporting him in every way we can, just as we know Ryan would do in a heartbeat. 

If you are unable to make it to Bozeman this weekend and would like to donate, please go to the donations page on this website. Or click on the donations button below. 

Thank you for your unwavering support, see you Saturday!

Let's go have some fun! 

Get Stoked,  Stay Stoked

BOOYA

Here's a picture of our favorite rodeo clown in action- the one and only, Ryan McConnell!

BOOYA! Ski Rodeo

Come one, come all to the BOOYA Ski Rodeo on April 5th! Get your favorite rodeo gear on and come up to Bridger  Bowl in Bozeman, Montana to help support Ryan McConnell's recovery. There will be racing, prizes, BBQ and live music. Bring your winning attitude and be prepared to have some fun. AH-BOOYA! Get stoked stay stoked!

2 weeks

Ryan and Cory 2 weeks into recovery, looking good Ryan!

Thank you, each and everyone of you who have stuck by my family and I over these past two weeks. Ryan left St. Mary's hospital in Grand Junction today and was flown down to Denver where he will begin his long road to recovery undergoing therapy and rehab at the Craig Rehabilitation Hospital in Denver, CO. I know we would not be where we are today without all of your love and support. Thank you so much.
 
 Much Love,
 
Cory & Family

Thank you for the donations

We would like to thank all of those people who have graciously donated to the BOOYA RY fundraiser!

The support we have already received has been incredible, we cannot thank you enough for the contributions. We have raised $2400 so far and the donations keep coming!

Thank you notes will be issued soon.

The McConnell Family (minus one) at the NCAA championships in early March 2014

Stay tuned in the coming week on more ways to help out the McConnells! Especially on April 5th!

Ryan and coach Eric Cates, who has been a longtime supporter of Ry-Guys career and a Steamboat Springs resident for many years. 

Ryan, Brannan, Trav and Mitch 

Keep the positivity coming, Ryan is making incredible progress everyday! 

Thank you

Thank You

On Wednesday March 12, Ryan McConnell endured a terrible fall while hiking in Moab, Utah while on spring break. A very dear friend and beloved member of the MSU Alpine Ski Team, Ryan had just finished competing in NCAA Championships as a senior for the Bobcats. During his fall Ryan sustained several severe injuries and has been battling in the hospital since the accident. This blog, "BOOYA RY!", was created with the intent of providing not only a means of communicating Ryan's progress to the immense amount of people that know Ry-guy and love him like he loves us, but also to provide a way for those same people to extend love, comments, and assistance to the McConnell family during this difficult time.

Everybody knows the saga of looming medical costs and there is no need to explain in detail the countless other expenses the family will face in the coming weeks and months. Through this blog, we as a team hope to raise enough funds to assist with these costs, and through doing so, put the McConnell's minds at ease so they can focus on the things that matter right now rather than stressing over hospital bills. If you know Ryan McConnell, we ask that you please help us out in any way you can, whether that means thinking about him for 10 minutes a day and sending all the positive vibes you can his way, reading about his feats here and leaving messages of encouragement, or donating to the "BOOYA RY!" fund we have linked through paypal on this blog. We love Ry-guy so much and are so grateful that he is still with us today; anything you can manage will mean more than you could know to the McConnell's, the Bobcats, and the rest of his friends and family that has expressed so much care over this past week.

Thank You

From the McConnells

Ryan McConnell is a 22 year old senior at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana studying Construction Engineering. He is a member of Montana State’s Division I ski team, where he just recently finished racing in the 2014 NCAA Championships in Park City, UT culminating a life long career of alpine ski racing, a sport he truly loves. Ryan was born and raised in the beautiful and well-known ski town of Steamboat Springs, CO. Along with his father Tim, mother Wendy, younger brother Will and older brother Cory, the McConnell’s are actively involved in the Steamboat community as members of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, Steamboat Youth Soccer, school athletics and Concordia Lutheran Church. In Ryan’s spare time he, of course, loves to ski and throughout the summer months he is constantly riding his mountain bike, hiking, camping, and fishing with his many friends and also enjoys hunting both back home in Steamboat and up in Bozeman at school. He truly touches the lives of everyone he meets and is loved by all.

In the early afternoon on March 12, 2014 Ryan was hiking with some of his friends at Arches National Park near Moab, Utah, where he was spending some much needed time off from school over his spring break. Ryan was walking on top of a plateau-type ridge when the ground underneath him crumbled, making him loose his footing. He then slipped and fell over a rock ledge, falling what we think to be approximately 80-100 feet. The friends he was with at the time of the accident were able to get to him within minutes and help was on the way shortly thereafter. Ryan was airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, CO where he is currently. He sustained multiple injuries including; brain/head trauma, a broken neck and back, lacerated liver and spleen, and bruised lungs. Currently Ryan has been fitted with a “halo” neck brace that he will wear for several months which will allow his neck to heal properly.

Though his injuries are extensive, it is a true miracle and gift from God that Ryan is still with us today. He is one tough kid and on the road to recovery. Ryan definitely has a long journey ahead of him to fully heal, but everyone is pulling for him. Our heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone for your thoughts and prayers, we are truly blessed to have such a supportive community.

Sincerely,

The McConnell Family

The BOOYA boys! 

Trav, Ryan and Brannan. Ry getting out for some much needed sun today, day 11! He's looking good!

Photo courtesy of Wendy McConnell

Please help Ryan get back on his feet, so all the McConnell family has to worry about is getting Ryan better!