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March, 2024

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Am I Too Old?

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CCampbell-A1
Posts: 264 - Karma: 13
Am I too old to have any hope of succeeding in the freestyle world? Not to brag, but I've got a fuckload of natural talent on skis, but I only recently got into park, and that's the only option to make it big in Nova Scotia. Seeing the freestylers who have been skiing park since their early teens (I'm 17) and knowing that they've got years of experience on me, I want to close the gap, and know I can, but I don't know if it's even worth trying to make it big in the park. My family doesn't have the cash to travel to Aspen for 3 weeks of the year, or pop off to Sugarloaf for a weekend whenever we feel like it, and I don't know how I can work on my skiing during the summer. The only local competitors aren't that good, and don't seem to have much of a drive to become better, but I don't know how I can close the gap.
Apr 7 2010 5:40PM
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broto
Posts: 9039 - Karma: 25,658
never too old to ski, you can ski your whole life. and you dont need to do it because you want to beat everybody else, just do it for fun.
Apr 7 2010 5:44PM
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DsMoK3
Posts: 467 - Karma: 198
your never too old, but if you dont have the drive why bother
Apr 7 2010 5:47PM
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WVskiing
Posts: 3007 - Karma: 1,948
get full tilts
Apr 7 2010 5:47PM
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CCampbell-A1
Posts: 264 - Karma: 13
I've got the drive to succeed, and I'm not doing it for anyone but myself, but I don't want to waste my life chasing a dream that probably won't happen. Fuck it, I'm gonna ski.
Apr 7 2010 6:02PM
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baaangthat
Posts: 2245 - Karma: 2,587

you sound like a steriotypical racer...

Apr 7 2010 6:16PM
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JacheOReally
Posts: 3597 - Karma: 253
yeah, the whole natural talent thing gave it away, any monkey can bomb a hill
Apr 7 2010 6:23PM
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laurence^
Posts: 1575 - Karma: 19
If you're considering entering a sport just because you think you're going to "make" it or get famous then IMO you're in it for the wrong reasons. Look I'm 19 going on 20 and I've been skateboarding for a long time. Am I good? Not really. I can land basic tricks and do basic things in a skatepark but I never once thought about quitting because I'm skating next to a 14 year old prodigy. Do it for the love not for the money. As for making it  in life I would suggest concentrating on school. Either way if you do get extremely good at this then there you go...we all have our talents, just find out what they are.
Apr 7 2010 6:24PM
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teleak
Posts: 2251 - Karma: 105
have some good ol' fun, bro.
Apr 7 2010 6:29PM
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Elmo.
Posts: 4317 - Karma: 663
^^^ haha this... u made my day a lot better
Apr 7 2010 6:31PM
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weiler
Posts: 735 - Karma: 654
Sounds like your in it for the wrong reason.  You want to freestyle ski  becasue it's the only way to make it big???  You don;t have a chance because you don;tlove this shit.  I'm 27 and will do this shit till i die.
Apr 7 2010 6:35PM
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Download-My-Apps
Posts: 5069 - Karma: 1,017
17 too old? really?  There seems to be this misconception that you have to be super young to get good at skiing.

Maybe you won't go pro because sponsors tend to focus on the young but physically you've got many many many years to go. I was a bit like you,I realized skiing was what I wanted to focus on at about 19, after years of taking track and field seriously. You make your own opportunities, I went to the water ramps on my own bucks moved to Banff and had fun. Sure I had to swallow my pride when a 13 year old is throwing doubles and I was learning rodeos at 20. But its really not that big of a deal. I feel that I improve at the same rate as any of them, the only set back is it takes me a bit more time to recover on a big spill, no big deal. And when you're older you need a job, university gets in the way and you're friends get less keen to try this stuff, but thats why I often ski with younger people, no big.

Not to mention that those who are very successful at sports at a young age are much more prone to chronic injuries.

Also I think having the goal of being sponsored/ pro isn't the best idea, those are elements you can't control and can often lead to frustration. Pick tricks you want to do, places you want to ski and have fun, no point beating yourself up trying to get StartFragmentrecognition.

You make your own opportunities no need to settle for anything less.
EndFragment
Apr 7 2010 6:36PM
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mseward
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 1,243
um
Apr 7 2010 6:38PM
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DsMoK3
Posts: 467 - Karma: 198
word, thats why they call it a dream
Apr 7 2010 6:57PM
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steezysteeze
Posts: 1739 - Karma: 1,012

yeah man nova scotia!

yeah im one of thoes kids in there early teens your looking at in the park, but i mean 17 and like 13 arnt going to make much of a difference id you have natural talent

Apr 7 2010 6:59PM
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clarkryder
Posts: 51 - Karma: 16
I know a 40 year old who learned 3s this year.  He's having a blast with it.  Like everyone has said its all about having fun.  I love ripping with the groms in the park who are better then me, super fun and inspiring.   Just enjoy being on the sticks and ripping, and you will get better. 
Apr 7 2010 7:07PM
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VCharette
Posts: 4276 - Karma: 1,047
Sponcore hoes always end up being frustrated. Sounds dumb but just go ski for yourself and if you're lucky you will be sponsored, if not, whatever you're having fun.
Apr 7 2010 7:14PM
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Style+eeze
Posts: 6901 - Karma: 551
wow. you are not too old.

ski for fun, not to "make it big"

if you have enough fun, and progress that way, maybe you will "make it big"

skiing is a sport, a hobby. it's not like college. my parents haven't been telling me i need to be a pro skier later in life, i grew up knowing i would go to college.

skiing shouldn't be a form of stress, it should be a stress reliever.
Apr 7 2010 7:16PM
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3-6-steeze
Posts: 1135 - Karma: 146
Just have fun with it, there's not much going on in Nova Scotia anyway
Apr 7 2010 7:33PM
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Testicles
Posts: 1432 - Karma: 13
Skiing should be about having fun, not "making it big".  Sure it would be nice to get some income out of it, but if you don't enjoy it why bother?  If you like it you could definitely get good quick, I just started last year when I was 16 and have definitely come a long long way.  If you want to get sponsered and whatnot, think about guys at the top of our sport (Wallisch, Dumont, Olsson, etc.).  Most pros are in their mid-early twenties, with a few exceptions of course.  I'm sure by the time you get 4-5 years of good park skiing in you could be as good as some, so just have fun with it and go with the flow
Apr 7 2010 7:51PM
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-Andrew
Posts: 1 - Karma: 10
Off topic but, you mentioned you're from Nova Scotia. So I went to you're profile and you live in Halifax.. me too man. :)   Not downtown but like, Bedford kinda.
Apr 7 2010 7:54PM
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rickroller
Posts: 2468 - Karma: 483
dont give up just ski and have dont worry about going pro just have funnnn!!!!
Apr 7 2010 7:55PM
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CCampbell-A1
Posts: 264 - Karma: 13
Yeah, I guess I should've worded my post better.

I'm no racer, and I hope I'm not a douchebag. I do two things well, skiing and academics, and I'm damn proud of that. I figure I might as well run with one or the other, and skiing is certainly more fun. :P I realize it's a total long shot to become a pro skier, and that's not my "plan", although skiing is what I love, and I'd rather be able to do that than anything else. I don't plan on screwing up my future for a pipe dream, I don't want to end up like so many people today, and I want to go to uni and get a good job.

I'm not in it for fame or money, I'm in it because I live for and love to ski, and I'd rather be able to ski as much as possible than to have it as a hobby, I just want to get out there. I don't really know how to articulate what I mean, but I'm not in it for money or fame, I'm in it to do what I love and to live my life, it's the only one I've got. I don't plan on stressing myself out trying to be the best, I just get such a thrill from throwing a huge air or nailing that one line I've been casing, know what I mean?

Thanks, garnia and BK, you two deserve ++K.
Apr 7 2010 8:27PM
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CCampbell-A1
Posts: 264 - Karma: 13
Double post, but if I'm really incoherent it's because my head is pounding like a bass drum. I can't tell if what I'm saying makes sense or not. I do apologize for any douchebagginess, though.
Apr 7 2010 8:28PM
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Ducky.
Posts: 5811 - Karma: 1,420
no bueno!
who cares about age, as long as your having fun in life, your golden!!!
Apr 7 2010 8:36PM
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gigi.d
Posts: 1588 - Karma: 302
Atta boy. That's what I like to hear!
Apr 7 2010 8:41PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15949 - Karma: 9,431
youll never get good unless you ski because you love it.
Apr 7 2010 8:44PM
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Pahina22
Posts: 151 - Karma: 13
youre 17 years old....this cant be a serious question. It sounds like you are more embarrassed to fall in front of people you dont know who are better than you, in fear of them maybe labeling you as a gaper or something idiotic like that. I am 20, i just converted from snowboarding this year, and dont consider myself too old to start skiing park when I start to attempt more next season.

Yes you are too old to expect to go pro in the sport, but hell, who really cares about that. its about having fun. I think this is less an issue about you not being "young" enough to start, and more an issue with your self esteem being too low to risk falling while people who are better than you watch
Apr 7 2010 9:00PM
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leahey
Posts: 2548 - Karma: 32
Without even reading it no. No no no no no. You are not too old at all. There is no reason to even question that, skiing isn't supposed to be some young gun dub cork shit, that isn't what it's all about. You don't need to be able to go pro to have a good time in the park or anywhere else. Keep skiing man.
Apr 7 2010 9:04PM
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amo2le86
Posts: 131 - Karma: 10
Well I am 23 and I hope thats not too old considering I just started park a few months ago. I dont expect to go pro obviously but just want to learn some basic trick since Ive been skiing all my life and im ballin at the rest of the mountain
Apr 7 2010 9:09PM
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CCampbell-A1
Posts: 264 - Karma: 13
Pahina22, I think you've got it right. I've always sucked at sports (save for skiing), it hasn't given me very much confidence. Whatever, though, I'll get over it. I've started realizing that that shit doesn't matter.

And like I said, going pro isn't the aim. My aim is to ski, and ski as much as I can. I just wanted some perspective on whether or not I'm batshit insane to think about getting spancered.

I'm out to have fun, and skiing has absolutely, 100% changed my outlook on life. I'm so much happier now.
Apr 7 2010 9:10PM
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samsquamch
Posts: 342 - Karma: 96
I dont know about that, the dudes out in nova scotia are killin it, provincially and nationally, and every week I go up I see brand new shit comin out of all of them. So i definately see a drive to become better
Apr 7 2010 9:13PM
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Midwestjibski
Posts: 1676 - Karma: 77
hahaha I loled
Apr 7 2010 9:41PM
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Charles^stevens
Posts: 859 - Karma: 341
Yea listen to Lou,  out at the hill on any given weekend you'll see all the boys killing it.  I just think you missed a few things.  Are you going to Uni in Halifax?  If you ever want to session and learn some new shit, honestly come by my place your more then welcome.  Got a good setup, hoping to get the summer one on the go soon.  17 is never to old, you got loads of time.
Apr 7 2010 9:42PM
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CCampbell-A1
Posts: 264 - Karma: 13
Yeah, I didn't mean it like that. They do kill it, but I know I could be as good as any of them, and even better. Charlie, Stefan, Greg, Louis, they're pretty sick.
Apr 7 2010 9:42PM
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1337
Posts: 31038 - Karma: 29,003
you should pop down to sugarloaf more often
Apr 7 2010 9:45PM
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CCampbell-A1
Posts: 264 - Karma: 13
Thanks Charlie, and Lou, no disrespect meant. You guys are what I aspire to be. Seriously, keep on killing it.
Apr 7 2010 9:48PM
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samsquamch
Posts: 342 - Karma: 96
no dude not at all, but yeah keep killin it dog
Apr 7 2010 9:53PM
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Yung_Gnarley
Posts: 9091 - Karma: 3,016
This guy is stressin.
Apr 7 2010 9:58PM
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CCampbell-A1
Posts: 264 - Karma: 13
This thread is why NS >>>> TGR. Seriously, you guys are a pretty awesome crew.
Apr 7 2010 9:59PM
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lilwhiz165
Posts: 502 - Karma: 47
this is jake lockes little brother your a bitch
Apr 8 2010 5:22PM
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CCampbell-A1
Posts: 264 - Karma: 13
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. And Jake Locke would be? Sounds familiar, vaguely.
Apr 8 2010 5:47PM
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Jthoms
Posts: 201 - Karma: 13
cool story hansel.
Apr 8 2010 6:00PM
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K2skipunk
Posts: 2837 - Karma: 111
haha. funniest thing of the day.
Apr 8 2010 7:55PM
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Mr.Huck
Posts: 6096 - Karma: 14,893
Take it from me; you are way to fuckin old.  Give it up and go get a prescription for Viagara. 
Apr 8 2010 7:56PM
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CCampbell-A1
Posts: 264 - Karma: 13
Will Viagra leave any weird stains in my Depends?
Apr 8 2010 8:23PM
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technique.
Posts: 1538 - Karma: 308
CLAIM
Apr 8 2010 8:27PM
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MADDECENT
Posts: 5579 - Karma: 951
He's planning his life. "Should I become a pro skier, or shouldn't I?"

P.S. OP: Park skiing is hard as fuck.
Apr 8 2010 8:27PM
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Mr.Huck
Posts: 6096 - Karma: 14,893
No, especially if you rock em low like I do.  So thug!!!
Apr 8 2010 8:28PM
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CCampbell-A1
Posts: 264 - Karma: 13
This is srs business. I've since realized that I was sketched the hell out when I posted this, but what the hell. So am I too old to be a Depends underwear model? I hear they pay well.
Apr 8 2010 8:50PM
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Dan-Man
Posts: 7482 - Karma: 3,607
I feel you man.  it's tough not living real close to a good hill or having money for gas to go whenever you want... but don't give up on your dreams man!!! who knows what could happen!
Apr 8 2010 8:51PM
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