That's a long haul…. Shows how much passion you have for snowboarding to have stuck that long at it. I don't know why I tried so hard for so long. When all my friends dropped off, got real jobs and went to college, I just kept struggling, trying to make it. I don't know what it was, I just couldn't stop, not until I got there. I tried so hard that I over compensated, and it ended up way bigger than I imagined. I never thought I would get here. I can sit here today and say that I never honestly believed I was going to make it. Even when I won those first awards, cause I was so used to being kicked down, I was thinking, this is good for today but tomorrow no one’s going to give a shit, so keep trying. I think that helped me in the end. So how do you feel about the position you are in today? Respected, winning awards, travelling… Its crazy, I’m still getting used to it and trying to see it as a good thing. Maybe a year or two ago, I was so used to having to battle for everything, I thought this was just going to be another battle, get ready for it! But it’s not.
It’s amazing to hear the amount of time and effort you put in to get something back. In this day and age people think things come with minimal effort, some people probably look at you and think how lucky you are… I get that from some people in the industry too, people who don't know my back story, who just think I showed up and took everyone’s coverage away from them. I get that vibe from some people. But you don't know me, don't know what the fuck I’ve been through. I guarantee it's nothing that you've ever seen in your lifetime. When you're at the top people are always going to try to take shots at you to cut you down. That's something that I’ve got to accept and not take personally and do something good with. Do you find the hater side of things difficult to deal with? Yeah, but it probably drives me a little harder. I’m going to show you!
Guys have no clue what it's like for girls growing up, with all those messages
If I look at it in a different sense, I have a chance to do something for something I give a shit about, which is girls and giving little girls a reason to look at something good, instead of this stupid nothing, this Barbie idiot. This is what I think is the raddest thing about being in this position now, just being able to have a positive influence without forcing it. When I was young I hated being told what to do, but if you just show someone by your actions, set a good example, then they will look at it and follow that way. Instead of you saying ’go to church, stop doing drugs…’
And show girls that there’s more to life than sitting around looking pretty and feeling shit about yourself? Yes, it's fucked! Guys have no clue what it’s like for girls growing up, with all those messages. When you’re young you don't really think for yourself, you just think what you’re supposed to think and a lot of that is totally nuts stuff. Its unfair but at the same time if you can break out of that. You think if I was a dude I’d be anywhere in snowboarding? No! I’d just be another one of the mix. But the thing about being a girl, and when I was younger I always wished I was a dude, is that you have a chance to be something different and that makes such an impact. More than to just be another guy that's good at snowboarding.
Do you ever feel like you push yourself too hard? Yeah, logically I guess so. But in my own mind it doesn’t feel like it. If I can step back from a situation I can think, ok that was a bit much. But if it's just me doing what I’m doing, that's how I do everything. It's the same thing with rehab and training, I go all out. I can’t do anything half assed, I just don't know how!
It seems to work… Most of the time, unless I fuck myself over. Do you ever feel like you have to control yourself? All the time. You can see it in your riding, pushing yourself hard! I’ve been going like a motherfucker this summer, I’ve never done training before but I’ve been doing a ton of rehab for my knee and getting super strong. I think that's going to help me. Being in way better shape, if I fall I won’t get hurt as easily and I’ll be able to recover faster. Sounds like your maturing as a snowboarder? Yeah. Hopefully. So I won’t be so loose! People were expecting that I’m always going to be hurt cause I’m stupid but it’s not that, I’ve just got to do things, and some people look at that and think your way too loose! Your part in Think Thank, exposed you from the shadow,