I was at Momentum ski camps for the second year. It was the summer of 2007. I was so stoked to have a grand old time with Tanner Keim. We were going to learn back flips on snow. Our group was on a jump and we were sessioning it all day. Tanner did a back flip and I got super stoked but the coaches didn’t trust me enough to do one yet. The next day was out day off. I was all stoked to go paintballing with everyone but I had to go to the water ramps to show the coaches I could flip. I was about to go to paintball but I thought, “I am here for a reason, to do a back flip. If I don’t go to the ramps I might not get this chance for a whole year.” I decided to go to the ramps at the last minute. I would rather do a flip with my friends than paintball and I can do paintball anytime. I did about 15 flips and I got the ok to do them on snow. When we got to the glacier I was visualizing it in my head. I felt really good but when I was going in for my first try I thought, “oh god I’m gonna die, I’m gonna crap my pants!” when I was up-side down I yelped like a dog really fast. I over rotated to my back and ate it really hard. But after that I landed all of them almost 100% perfect.


I was doing flips and having a great time in the village with Tanner and our new friend Troy. We were so awesome picking’ up chicks, hanging with club bouncers, we were even on the Amazing Race TV show. Too bad we pointed a team on the show in the wrong direction! On the last skiing day we had dual moguls. During practice though I hit a bigger jump, flailed, and over rotated to my head. I got up and I had a huge headache and I felt like crap. I went to the tent, had some lemonade, and took a Motrin™. I knew I had a concussion. I told Tanner to tell my coaches that I couldn’t go. Then I remembered that last year I fell during duals and I didn’t get past the first round. I thought, “ screw it, I need to do this.” When I was riding up on the T-bar I noticed my pants falling down. It was unusual because I had a belt on. When I got to the top I verified with the coaches that I was good to go. When I remembered about my pants. The belt I had bought that morning broke. The buckle snapped in half! I knew I had my work cut out for me.


I didn’t know what to do. I would have to spread my legs to keep my pants from falling down but this technique is horrible for skiing moguls. My first dual was coming up soon. I acted quickly. I pulled the belt tight and tied it in a knot. It held up pretty good until I hit the first jump. When I landed the belt broke again and as a reflex I spread my legs. I pulled my pants up every 4 bumps. Thankfully I was able to go fast enough and I won the first dual! Things carried on like this for the whole day. When I got to the final round I was like, “This is it. This is my chance to be awesome.” The race started and I went straight the whole way down. When I got to the second jump the other kid was well ahead of me. I knew I wouldn’t win so I did a HUGE back flip and when I landed my pants fell to my ankles. It was a glorious week. I had so much fun doing flips and chilling with my friends. The plane ride home was blue skies and smooth sailing. My headphones pumped, “Let go to get one, lose some to win some, story of a champion, story of a champion.” That is exactly what I did.