I live in big bear, where you started? I was born here in 1980. I started riding when the sport first became popular in the tacky 1990s haha, 1993/4 to be exact. I had heard girls and guys I rode with speak of "sponsorship" and this and that. But I wanted to go big with it...at the time. I got psyched out when I went up to Boreal in 1996, after riding @ Snow Valley mostly (when Schiridge was the best park between all 3 mountains). I then ended up living away from the snow and allowing things (friends, bf, high school)get in the way of my dream to make it to the first ever Olympics that would have snowboarding in Salt Lake, i believe it was 2001. For me it was never teh sponsorship I even thought of...I just wanted to be recognized as a rider. To achieve something amazing. I still love to ride, and for the few years I had to be away from the snow it was almost as if I was having an out of body experience.lol. You are so right. The sponsors dont care about the SPORT itself, its all a marketing gig to them. I was even told by a certain nameless rider that "snowboarders are tools. They use us to sell their products and if you don't sell then they drop you". Pretty sad. These riders ride because they love to ride, they complete in hopes of making a career out of it. Sponsors who stunt the "growth" of the athlete by owning them, in a way, yet not paying them "rent" so to speak are in fact ruining the idea that someone performs best in their CHi environment...for most pro riders that is on their board...but, if you are worrying constantly that you couldnt afford your family to join you for the competition a few hours away around Christmas then what does THAT matter.....because your family is who will be there when you are too old to ride and those sponsors leave. So just like any other traveling corporate occupation these expenses, 401K, vacation, etc should all be applied. Tara; i think the idea that you want to achieve here can be done if you take the steps to form an official snowboarder union. Just as the grocery stores, etc every employee is a vote in the outcome of what happens. It woudl regulate your pay, travel, vacation, and even retirement...hope you have a great Christmas and happy new year. :)
i think you're awesome
HI tara,
I live in big bear, where you started? I was born here in 1980. I started riding when the sport first became popular in the tacky 1990s haha, 1993/4 to be exact. I had heard girls and guys I rode with speak of "sponsorship" and this and that. But I wanted to go big with it...at the time. I got psyched out when I went up to Boreal in 1996, after riding @ Snow Valley mostly (when Schiridge was the best park between all 3 mountains). I then ended up living away from the snow and allowing things (friends, bf, high school)get in the way of my dream to make it to the first ever Olympics that would have snowboarding in Salt Lake, i believe it was 2001. For me it was never teh sponsorship I even thought of...I just wanted to be recognized as a rider. To achieve something amazing. I still love to ride, and for the few years I had to be away from the snow it was almost as if I was having an out of body experience.lol. You are so right. The sponsors dont care about the SPORT itself, its all a marketing gig to them. I was even told by a certain nameless rider that "snowboarders are tools. They use us to sell their products and if you don't sell then they drop you". Pretty sad. These riders ride because they love to ride, they complete in hopes of making a career out of it. Sponsors who stunt the "growth" of the athlete by owning them, in a way, yet not paying them "rent" so to speak are in fact ruining the idea that someone performs best in their CHi environment...for most pro riders that is on their board...but, if you are worrying constantly that you couldnt afford your family to join you for the competition a few hours away around Christmas then what does THAT matter.....because your family is who will be there when you are too old to ride and those sponsors leave. So just like any other traveling corporate occupation these expenses, 401K, vacation, etc should all be applied. Tara; i think the idea that you want to achieve here can be done if you take the steps to form an official snowboarder union. Just as the grocery stores, etc every employee is a vote in the outcome of what happens. It woudl regulate your pay, travel, vacation, and even retirement...hope you have a great Christmas and happy new year. :)