From Pitch to Powder: How Top Players Spend the Winter Break

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Ever wanted to know what your favourite football players do when league play stops for a few weeks?

The answer might surprise you…

While many fans are glued to their TVs waiting for the next game, top players are trading their soccer boots for ski boots. They’ll hit the slopes for a little rest and relaxation before the second half of the season begins.

It’s not just footballers who do this you know. NFL players, Basketball stars and Tennis players all jet off in search of pow during winter.

Here’s the thing:

Going from pitch to powder is now a legitimate tradition among pros. Skiing is one of the few offseason activities that can provide you with exercise, enjoyment and a mental reboot all at once.

But professional athletes don’t just grab whatever gear is lying around. They’ll make sure to visit a ski equipment store before hitting the slopes. After all, their bodies are their income. A quick search for ‘a Sun and Ski Sports shop near me’ pulls up the kind of ski equipment store many pros depend on for boots, bindings, helmets and durable outerwear.

Here’s What You’ll Find Inside:

• Why Top Players Choose the Slopes
• The Winter Break Tradition Explained
• Where The Pros Actually Go
• The Gear Behind The Glory
• The Risk Factor Nobody Talks About

Why Top Players Choose the Slopes

Skiing is one activity that fulfills all criteria for an athlete.

Here’s why:

• It’s a full-body workout without the brutal impact of running
• It builds core strength, balance and proprioception
• It clears the head after months of match pressure
• It’s just plain fun

Football is especially taxing on the body. Elite professionals will train four to six hours every single day on top of games during an active playing calendar. When winter break comes, their bodies (and minds) crave a change of pace.

Skiing scratches that itch. It works muscles that football, basketball and rugby neglect.

The Winter Break Tradition Explained

The winter break isn’t a new thing — but it’s getting bigger every year.

European Leagues have done it for years. Italy, Germany and Spain close down for 2 or 3 weeks in December or January.

The Premier League got on board with the trend eventually, affording players a couple of weeks’ mid-season break to recharge their batteries. That should be enough time to jet off somewhere, squeeze in a few days skiing and return re-invigorated.

Please note that the majority of clubs will still expect you to do your own training during the break. You will see the pros flocking to the slopes for a few days, then hitting the gym in their 5-star resort for some active recovery before hopping on a plane home. Balance…

Where The Pros Actually Go

Some destinations come up again and again on the players’ social feeds.

The classic European trio is hard to beat:

• Swiss Alps — Zermatt and St. Moritz see many football players each January
• Courchevel, France — popular with Premier League and Serie A stars
• Aspen, Colorado — popular with NBA and NFL players that can’t easily fly/drive to Europe

NFL players love skiing on the Rockies. Skiing is typically banned outright by player contracts (49ers contracts famously prevent players from snow skiing), but many stars sneak away for some turns while their team is watching.

Former NFL player Drew Bledsoe is one of the more well-known skiing alumni. Drew grew up skiing in Washington state and continues to ski today.

The Gear Behind The Glory

Here’s something most people don’t realise…

Professional skiers’ gear of choice isn’t always too drastic from what consumers purchase. Sure, most of the brands are top of the line. However you can find similar boots, bindings and outerwear at any quality shop.

The basic kit every serious skier needs:

• Properly fitted ski boots (most underrated piece of gear)
• Skis matched to your weight, ability and terrain
• A certified helmet
• Goggles with the right lens for the conditions
• Layered outerwear — base layer, mid layer, shell

Skiing is big business. The NSAA tells us that U.S. resorts logged 61.5 million visits last season (2024-25). Second highest ever. That’s a lot of people purchasing equipment and chasing powder.

Plus there’s an entire equipment market expanding with it. Ski industry research says the average skier spends around $350 on gear, with high-end gear accounting for the majority of growth.

The Risk Factor Nobody Talks About

Now for the elephant in the room…

Skiing is risky. Especially for athletes whose careers depend on healthy knees.

Former Rams running back Todd Gurley freaked out the entire fan base when he was photographed skiing at Beaver Creek. Why? He had already torn his ACL playing football. Also, over 20,000 skiers suffer ACL tears in the United States every winter.

That’s why so many pro contracts prohibit skiing completely. The 49ers include snow skiing with skydiving and motorcycle racing on their prohibited list.

But here’s the catch…

Lots of footballers ski — they just don’t admit it. Cristiano Ronaldo, Kevin De Bruyne among others have all been photographed near ski slopes over winter periods.

The truth? If you love it, you find a way.

How You Can Ski Like a Pro

You don’t need a multi-million dollar contract to ski like a professional. All you need is common sense.

Here’s what to focus on:

• Get fitted properly — boots are your single most important piece of gear, hands down
• Take a lesson — even just the one can speed things up immensely with a competent teacher
• Warm up — pros never just hop right on a lift cold; do 10 minutes of dynamic stretching
• Know your limits — most injuries occur on terrain just above your ability level
• Hydrate and fuel — altitude dehydrates you fast

Another thing pros are good at? They don’t go out swinging heroically on day one. They ease into their game, gradually build up over several runs, and know when to stop before they’re tired.

Bringing It All Together

Somewhat quietly, the winter break has become one of the cooler traditions in pro sports.

Footballers, NFL stars and tennis pros use those precious two weeks to:

• Recharge mentally
• Train different muscle groups
• Spend time with family
• Have actual fun for once

And for an increasing number, that translates to the slopes. The pitch-to-powder pipeline shows no signs of slowing down — quite the opposite, in fact. It widens annually as leagues across the board adopt the winter break.

If you’ve been considering DIY-ing your winter vacation this year, follow the athletes lead. Pack the appropriate equipment. Seek out fresh snow. And don’t forget — recovery is everything.