NS Exclusive: Interview with Jon Reedy

Interview by Ethan Stone.

NS: So where you at right now?

Jon Reedy: Hangin? out at my parents house in Reno, Nevada.

NS: Basics... how old are you?

JR: 19.

NS: Going to school this winter, or skiing?

JR: Purely skiing. I graduated high school before I moved to Mammoth this winter.

NS: So you're out with the Mammoth posse this winter. How's that working out?

JR: Super well, everyone out there is really pushing things right now. Tanner and CR are on top of their game. Hanging out with JF is dope too, he's a skid.

NS: Where did you ride before Mammoth?

JR: I spent the last few seasons in Whistler. The Whistler scene is amazing, the partying, friends and the general amount of stuff to do is killer. But, occasionally the weather got to be a hassle...

NS: Any plans for this winter, competition-wise or film-wise?

JR: I'm going to compete and travel as much as my budget will allow. I plan on splitting my focus between competing and filming equally. I always prefer to film because I've been competing for so long but competitions are where the money is and it's something that?s sort of natural for me. An X Games spot would start my year off quite nicely.



NS: So will you be at the Breckenridge X Qual?

JR: I'll be at the Breck X Qual for sure.

NS: Shooting for both pipe and slopestyle?

JR: I'm definitely going to enter both and I've been training both but I think my chances are better in pipe right now...so if I'm going to be taking one more seriously than the other, it will be pipe.

NS: Best of luck with that. If you've got a solid switch trick dialed after your corked 7, that would be pretty formidable.

JR: It's in the run. Right now are only a few guys who can do it solidly. Boyd Easley and Chris Turpin have it dialed pretty well. Pep is makin? it work too. It's just something that takes time and commitment.

NS: You were on the Canadian National Freestyle Team for a while. When did you make the switch to newschool?

JR: Last season in the middle of February. I pretty much went into a Nor-Am in Snowbird, Utah with the mentality that it was do or die. I knew where my heart was, and it wasn't freestyle anymore. My last run I finished off with a cork 7 and called it quits. I'm willing to say it was one of my better days, it marked the beginning of something much better.

NS: The freestyle team was a good starting point though, for training, sponsors and whatnot.

JR: Definitely. In that environment it?s all business. It's a good way to learn discipline and a professional attitude. As for sponsors, it was much worse. There?s a system called a pool, which basically means that any money you receive from a sponsor must also be matched by that sponsor and sent to the organization. As well, the money must be deposited into a trust account in order to continue as an amateur athlete. Jeremy Bloom is fighting this right now...basically it just makes it very tough to convince a sponsor to put that kind of investment into you.

NS: I hear you. Are you still solid with Dynastar?

JR: Definitely. Dynastar has been amazing with backing through both my endeavors in the sport. They are a great company and are very interested in pushing the freeride side of things.

NS: They were probably pretty happy to see you on the cover of Freeze magazine, too [October 2002]. How did that come about?

JR: Yeah, I think that helped things along. I still to this day don't really know how that happened. I do have to say that the day I found out was one of the better days in my skiing career. At Parkasaurus everybody was sessioning the transfer table with the dinosaur and I wasn't really feelin it like a lot of the other guys so I went to check out the pipe for a bit with [Dave] Crichton. He and I were sessioning and then Nate Abbott showed up and Josh Berman showed up to shoot a bit and Nate ended up getting some good shots; without either of those guys it would have never happened.



NS: I imagine you were pretty stoked when you found out you had the cover.

JR: To say the least. I'm still a little shy about it though. There are a lot of people that have been in it a lot longer than me who don't have covers. It's all timing, right place right time sort of thing.

NS: Do you feel more pressure to perform this season, now that you've been on the same cover as guys like Jon, Tanner, and Seth?

JR: Not really, the only pressure I ever feel is always only pressure I make myself. I'm just going to keep doing my thing and loving what I do.

NS: The first time saw your name was in Certifiable [Aggressive Instincts Productions, 2001], and you had a section in Strike Three [Level 1, 2002] this year. Any other film coverage, and who are you planning on shooting with this year?

JR: I have a section in NS Media?s In The Haze as well this year. I'm going to be filming with Berman again this year and I would also like to do some stuff with Steve Rosendaal and Volume. I think he does a good job of documenting the season as it progresses.

NS: Anything to say about style? Is there something in particular that you keep in mind while riding?

JR: Style is everything. I have a hard time respecting anything if it's lacking smoothness, which is my personal definition of style. No matter what it is, if it's whack then it?s whack. Personally, I try not to think at all when I?m riding. Just let things happen and hopefully it comes out how I want it. If the trick feels dope, it probably is dope.

NS: Any words of advice for the kids?

JR: For sure. Ski because it?s fun, and most of all rep your OWN style; diversity is progression. Also, ski for the ladies cuz the next best thing after an epic ski day is a fine ass chick.

NS: Word to that... have you used your cover to get any lately?

JR: Haha not recently but it's definitely been a utensil before!

NS: Any musical influences?

JR: Music is a huge influence in my life and in my riding. I'm really into Damian Marley and Bob Marley, extremely talented family. As for hip hop, Nappy Roots is pretty much the most solid group in the industry, and to support my roots Nirvana will forever be playin? in my mini disc!

NS: Shoutouts?

JR: Ya for sure, friends are the most important part! First and foremost I have to thank Anthony Boronowski for being my best friend and the raddest guy alive. JF the white tiger. Boyd, Kristi, Chris T, Pep, Chris Benchetler, all my friends in Whistler, Charlie Adams, Tim Curran, Louis Boudrias and Steve Gardner from Dynastar. Greggles, haha. Eric Highberg and anyone else that I?ve left out, here's to you!
NS: Anything I left out that needs to be addressed?

JR: Yeah, Christina Aguilera is one hot piece o? ace!

NS: Agreed... boioioioioing. I'm more into Natalie Portman, though.