Joe Ruscito

Oct 10, 2008

Author: Stacy Fonas

There’s something extraordinary about 20-year-old Joe Ruscito from Connecticut, something that can’t be learned or faked. I’ve never been this impressed by a team rider—ever. With his positive attitude and ability to adapt to every situation, Ruscito has a natural talent to charm people, both on and off the water. We like to tease him about living in a place called Gladville, but for Rustico, being nice isn’t a public face; it’s just who he is, even when he’s having a bad day.
    Although he’d rather be off training for the PKRA, Ruscito is a mechanical engineering student at Florida Tech in Melbourne, two hours north of the Best headquarters in Delray Beach, so whenever it’s windy, he’ll drive down to ride with us. With Ruscito, it’s always, “What do you need me to do? Where can I go? How can I represent Best?” So whether it’s teaching pro lessons at the Best Lesson Center in New York, running gear demos, traveling to one of the kiteboarding events, doing video and photo shoots, or testing gear, Ruscito does it all, and he does it all well. If we could clone him, we would.
    His stoke for the sport spreads to everyone around him, and it’s always more fun when Ruscito’s on the water with you. He’s the guy who’ll cheer when you try something important, and even though you might be nowhere near his level, he makes you feel like you are. He’s got great style, knows how to ride for the camera, and doesn’t need to be told that his job as a team rider is to sell kites—he does this naturally. People want to ride what Ruscito rides. Best is lucky to have him representing the brand. ­­ —Stacy Fonas

Return to previous page