What does work in Skiing mean to you?
And why do you think people single you out as a hard working skier?
Well it’s flattering that people feel that way.
I never really looked at Skiing as work.
I fell in LOVE with it.
Skiing was my outlet or my way out.
I grew up with my dad as a single parent who had addiction problems.
So from a very young age I was motivated to better myself.
Motivated to break free of the lifestyle I was exposed to.
It helped me not get caught up with the wrong people where I grew up.
I can say with all my heart I would not be here today without skiing.
Skiing saved my life.
As far as people recognizing what I do, I greatly appreciate that.
Tell me a bit about how you linked up with them and what you think they are doing right?
It seemed like a perfect fit for myself to team up with Planks Clothing.
Those guys have been amazing so far!!
But since that storming first year, they seem to have lost a bit of momentum.
Do you think thats a fair analysis?
I dont think that helped the situation.
Skateboarding is a great example of this.
Team movies and events in my opinion will be a positive route for our industry to go.
Its one of the most simple ways to create brand and athlete recognition.
Does the ownership matter or is it a brand by brand thing?
I personally think one of the things our industry is really lacking is rider created/ rider owned brands.
We need more people working in are industry who are core skiers, who really know whats good.
That all being said yes ownership is very important.
I think its very important for business owners to relate and connect on a personal level with their athletes.
Recently a few brands have been experiencing difficulties.
Do you have a take on the overall health of skiing?
Yea man, shits wack right now.
Big up to people who want to chase those medals.
I just dont get how companies can justify spending crazy money on one athlete to go to one competition.
The rest of a team gets their budget cut and are supposed to just be ok with it?
I mean what is the olympics to us anyway?
I get things change but its always important to stick to your roots!
There needs to be a change for our sport to get out of the funk its in right now.
I do not think the olympics is the answer.
You arent basically a comp skier but youve been in a few Rails To Riches etc.
Do you enjoy competing at all?
Do you feel that side of the industry is over prioritized?
So i’m really not down with the labeling of comp guy rail guy “film guy etc.
I am a skier.
I loved what competing was at one time.
Its such a great feeling to stomp a run or trick in competition.
I competed a lot when I was younger.
I was doing junior olympics and all that other shit.
I lived with Ian Compton for a season and he opened my eyes completely.
Other guys like Dale Talkington, Sean Jordan, Jake Doan, and Chris Laker were there.
It didnt feel like a comp, it was just the homies shredding and feeding off each other.
People are throwing down and its gnarly but there’s no bad vibes.
Competing has a totally different vibe now.
It lost the roots of where skiing came from, how it all started.
What made you decide to shoot B.U.F.U this year?
What was the hardest part of actually getting it done?
On top of that this spring the four main people working on B.U.F.U were all in different states.
Trying to send files and who had what footage was tough at times.
Learning the organizational side of making a movie was a huge learning experience this year.
You headed back east to show the movie on the East Coast Movie Tour.
Is it important to you to go back to your roots there?
I love the East Coast, it made me into the person I am today.
That will never change.
Youre showing it alongside the two Inspired Movies and youve always had a connection with Inspired.
These dudes work so damn hard and have so much love for skiing.
They truly want to help push the sport to new places and always stick to their roots.
Those three have done so much for skiing.
Its a dream come true to have linked with Inspired.
Obviously Eric Iberg has played a huge role in all this as well.
One of the most accomplished filmmakers in our industry.
From the movies he has created to the athlete lineups in his films over the years.
Iberg is as OG as it gets, he has been around doing this since day one.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BJx1hHxAdAH/?taken-by=lupe860
What made you a skier in the first place?
I was luckily born into skiing.
My dad and mom put me between their legs and skied me down the mountain before I could walk.
I dont think my family ever thought it would take over my life like it did tho haha.
Around 8th grade I was doing everything in my power to ski as much as possible.
There was really nothing else to me, skiing was it and still is!
That seems a perfect note to end on, but just briefly, what’s up this coming winter?
I am going to make another movie, I am trying to plan all that right now.
Film all day every day is the plan!
