Marquette, MI – February 24th, 2026 – This week, we were lucky enough to be joined by two members of the Marquette Mountain family.
In the first segment of the show, we sat down with Kaet Johnson, the general manager at Marquette Mountain. Johnson grew up in Negaunee, Michigan, and after a friend convinced her to try skiing just once, she instantly fell in love with the sport. That single experience sparked a lifelong passion that eventually led her to take the reins at the mountain.
We got an inside look at everything that happens behind the scenes, from snowmaking operations to ski lessons and the popular T-Bar restaurant. Johnson also shared what goes on during the offseason and how much work it takes year round to keep the mountain running smoothly. If you enjoy the outdoors, this is definitely an episode worth listening to.
In the final segment, we were joined by Jim Kelly, the Marquette alpine ski race manager and a coach with the Marquette Mountain Racing Team. We had a great discussion about the fundamentals of ski racing and the continued growth of the program. Kelly explained that young athletes can join as early as age six, provided they can complete a few basic tasks such as putting on their own skis, loading the lift independently, and getting up after a fall.
Be sure to click the link to listen to the full show.
OR
Next week, we’ll be joined by Mike Koziara from Marquette Adventures to talk about his journey in building the business. MQT Adventures offers ice fishing on Lake Superior and inland lakes, family-friendly fishing experiences, waterfall fishing tours, kayak rentals, Yooper stone rock hunts, walleye and pike fishing charters, fly fishing trips, recreational hiking, and interpretive tours. Tune in as we take a deeper dive into these unique Upper Peninsula adventures.
The Big Local Sports Show will be live from Slabz Bar and Grill next Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. If you can’t make it in person, you can listen on Fox Sports Marquette 105.1 and 99.9, catch the replay at 6:00 p.m. on 97.5 GTO, or watch the show streamed live on the mediaBrew Communications Facebook page.
