Jazmin Averbuck '10: Championing US Strongman in VT
Jazmin Averbuck has been an active member of her community since she graduated from Castleton in 2010. She has worked with the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains in the Outdoor Programs Department, networking all throughout both Vermont and New Hampshire and working hard to get the scout troops involved in summer and outdoor activities.
Her volunteer work as well as her professional experience in management positions then brought Jazmin to her current role as Development Manager with the Vermont Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Collaboration and community engagement are two of her favorite things about her day-to-day life and work. Averbuck works on the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Rutland, VT, and the Upper Valley, along with leading The Longest Day Event.
One of her passions is strength sports - which is different than powerlifting. Strength sports is an umbrella term for when a person gains strength in non-traditional ways and encompasses different types of exercise. Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. She is a competitive strongwoman, and while “Strongman” is her strength of choice, she loves the entire strength sport community. Jazmine is also the Business Manager for Vermont Powerlifting. Her role oversees the All-Raw Powerlifting Federation and supports multiple strength sports all throughout the state of Vermont. This position has allowed for a more flexible schedule that has let her turn a passion into a business venture.
Her passion for strength sports has led her to become an inspiration leader in the powerlifting community. Averbuck is the Vermont State promoter for United States Strongman (USS). Due to her leadership roles, Averbuck was able to organize the first Green Mountains’ Strongest in September 2022; this was the first USS event that has ever been held in Vermont. Averbuck was responsible for everything related to this event; identifying the venue and sponsors, marketing, and curating the athlete experience. This was alongside the logistics of permitting, spectators, and volunteers and creating an inclusive, athlete-inspired experience. The Strongman event in Vt. consisted of 38 athletes and over 100 spectators. The event took place at Switchback Brewery in Burlington VT. Due to the success of this event, Switchback plans on hosting another event in October 2023. Jazmin is also hosting two other USS-sanctioned events in January and July 2023.
Through her time at Castleton, Averbuck says she learned how fun it was to share her passions with people by putting on events for the Castleton community. Planning events with her friends fostered her love for event planning and community engagement. Jazmin encouraged the Castleton community to be open to trying new things. “You need to put yourself out there. If the path isn’t plainly there… make one that works for you! You need to network; make sure you have certain speeches that fit your audiences. You also need to smile, laugh, and have fun!”, she said.
