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April, 2024

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Thinking about going to freestyle full time

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snowmosexual
Posts: 1928 - Karma: 9,965
For all my life I have ski raced, for all my life after race practice I go and do stuff in the park. I have always dreamed of going pro if I was going to in freestyle. I also have always told my parents and they agreed with me on this that if I wanted to i could stop racing once I complete the U14 level, this past year was my last year as a U14. I am great at both, I love both, sometimes one more than the other. I have raced at state level for the past three years but always get beat at that level. Next year it gets harder, more kids come into the council, the courses get harder, it gets more serious. I truly love both and I would still race for my high school, but I'm not sure if I want to switch, but next year would be a good year to. Help me out newschoolers any advice from past/present racers
Mar 31 2013 8:50PM
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edai
Posts: 4983 - Karma: 4,632
I'll tell you right now that if you do switch full time to freestlye you're gonna be fucking gnarly and get real good, real fast. Your edge control will be better than 95% of the kids on this site and youll have great style. I'd say make the switch.
Mar 31 2013 8:52PM
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DeRizzo
Posts: 3827 - Karma: 3,483
Make the switch man. I can't imagine how much easier it will be to progress now that you are already comfortable on skis.
Mar 31 2013 8:56PM
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walrussteeze
Posts: 327 - Karma: 212
Sounds like you'd progress really fast,especially on rails, if you switched. However, I skied for 8 years before moving into the park and I still suck.
Mar 31 2013 8:58PM
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Bateman
Posts: 8590 - Karma: 8,605
this. my cousin did race-skiing until he was around twelve. He then progressed super fast in the park, pulling pencil 720's the first season. Hell be pulling dub corks next season.
Mar 31 2013 8:58PM
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a_burger
Posts: 5206 - Karma: 20,187
Make the switch if you want, I did a few years ago.

It's a little frustrating at first but trust me you'll get it faster then anyone who went straight to park.
Mar 31 2013 8:59PM
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snowmosexual
Posts: 1928 - Karma: 9,965
The only thing that I'm kinda worried about is letting my family and friends down who have put time and money into me, Like any pro skier I have ever talked to said that they started out racing or they wish they did. And if they did that it helped them greatly and to do it to the level where it stops being fun/becomes to serious
Mar 31 2013 9:00PM
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.squirrely.
Posts: 7563 - Karma: 7,540
it will take you a while to develop a good style but youll be throwing down in no time cause you already know how to ski well
Mar 31 2013 9:01PM
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Bateman
Posts: 8590 - Karma: 8,605
If they really did go through a lot of effort just for you, i suppose they will let you follow what the fuck you want.
Mar 31 2013 9:05PM
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snowmosexual
Posts: 1928 - Karma: 9,965
yeah my parents will let me do what I want and I know they will support me no matter what, like today I asked my dad if I could try a backflip this week and he said If i knew what I was doing I could
Mar 31 2013 9:08PM
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Bateman
Posts: 8590 - Karma: 8,605
This wasn't exactly what i meant with supporting you but sure.
Mar 31 2013 9:13PM
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DeRizzo
Posts: 3827 - Karma: 3,483
Your parents put a lot of money into skiing, and you want to keep skiing. I don't see the dilema. Just because they put money into racing doesn't mean all that was a waste, it will help your skiing everywhere on the mountain.
Mar 31 2013 9:14PM
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AGOF
Posts: 2038 - Karma: 3,602
just do whatever you want to. odds are you wont end up pro either way just do what you love
Mar 31 2013 9:20PM
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Bateman
Posts: 8590 - Karma: 8,605
inb4 OP goes pro
Mar 31 2013 9:24PM
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snowmosexual
Posts: 1928 - Karma: 9,965
yeah I know I wont go pro, slim chance, but also there arent that many events to compete in park
Mar 31 2013 9:26PM
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fitchspencer
Posts: 8 - Karma: 33
I'm a U18 ski racer attending a ski academy in Vermont. It is definitely a full time commitment and honestly, it kinda fucking sucks unless you're the best. If I had access to a better park when I was younger and was better at it, I would have switched to freestyle, it's just a way better lifestyle in my opinion.
Mar 31 2013 9:28PM
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snowmosexual
Posts: 1928 - Karma: 9,965
yeah thats the road im seeing, the start of the unless your doing well, its a lot of extra work for nothing, just out of curiosity what academy
Mar 31 2013 9:34PM
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LIL_WAT
Posts: 1900 - Karma: 475
ie. less fun. Make the switch and enjoy yourself, you are still really young.
Apr 1 2013 3:36AM
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Rparr
Posts: 5363 - Karma: 42,447
If you make the switch you will progress crazy fast and develop a good style quickly. I skied for 12 years before ever stepping foot into a park and I can't tell you how much it helped. You already know how to ski very well. You would have so much fun.
Apr 1 2013 8:30AM
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snowmosexual
Posts: 1928 - Karma: 9,965
do you think your quality of skiing went down, and should I keep doing high school racing
Apr 1 2013 9:17AM
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gotti
Posts: 4269 - Karma: 4,548
I know of some racers who switched to freestyle. Such good style.
Apr 1 2013 3:17PM
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_Garagely_
Posts: 1943 - Karma: 3,223
Park is going to be more fun, and you'll have awesome style. Park skiers at my hill who have had past experience skiing before park are much more stylish than the kids who went straight to the park.
Apr 1 2013 5:59PM
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Plankton
Posts: 3226 - Karma: 6,840
i also raced, for 5 years. this was my first year doing park, and i can attest to the fact that progression in the park as a former racer is ridiculously fast. i couldn't do a 3 at the beginning of the year, and now i can do some decent tricks on jumps like a 8-1 (trying hard not to claim about my bad tricks haha), and the balance from racing really helps with balance for spins onto rails. make the switch man, you'll never look back. i can't say i was unhappy racing, but it was just something i did, like a team sport almost. it was really competitive by the time i quit, and i just didn't even know how much fun I could have on skis back then. this year starting park, I started skiing as soon as I could, in early november, and haven't missed a possible day since. last year, i don't even remember my first time skiing, or having a passion this much for skiing. I, a former racer, am in love with freeskiing, and you will be too if you make the switch.
Apr 1 2013 6:06PM
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ForeverYung
Posts: 8385 - Karma: 2,060
da fuq is a 8-1
Apr 1 2013 6:11PM
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Plankton
Posts: 3226 - Karma: 6,840
7..i kinda went out on a limb there
Apr 1 2013 6:24PM
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El_Barto.
Posts: 11630 - Karma: 24,465
Your not going to become a pro skier. All you would do is struggle, fail and and up hating your hobby because you took it too serious if your goal is "pro". youre not gonna be tanner so dont even bother. And dont think for a second that being a racer gives you an advantage. I dont know where youre from but damn near every skier i know grew up racing.

Youre like 14 dude. Go ski and dont think about it
Apr 1 2013 6:29PM
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Dingo69
Posts: 1330 - Karma: -171
This. Race style < natural style
Apr 1 2013 6:38PM
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*ninja*
Posts: 2108 - Karma: 1,143
Don't race but don't do just park just have fun and don't try to go pro bcus that's stupid
Apr 1 2013 6:48PM
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TripleBlack
Posts: 87 - Karma: 73
You're not gonna forget how to ski if you quit racing. Just because you're not racing competitively anymore doesn't mean you have to go "freestyle full time" either. Whatever happened to skiing the whole mountain and having fun? There's pow, bumps and trees, and you can still rip carves down the groomers. As long as you're trying new things and pushing yourself, you'll still become a better and better skier.
Apr 1 2013 7:25PM
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SpliffyJ
Posts: 778 - Karma: 565
seeing how E-Dollo raced until he was 15, i think this kid will be alright in the style department if he tries. I did the switch at the same time you did, and it really is the right choice.
Apr 1 2013 7:27PM
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snowmosexual
Posts: 1928 - Karma: 9,965
I think I'm going to make the switch, I will probably talk to my parents this week about it
Apr 1 2013 10:04PM
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B_mountain
Posts: 19 - Karma: 18
Definatly make the switch dude I just switched and I am so much more comfortable hitting jumps and I can already do so much for it being my first year
Apr 1 2013 11:40PM
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snowmosexual
Posts: 1928 - Karma: 9,965
for those who have switched did you miss racing at all, cause like I love them both, but i know at some point i will have to chose one and im trying to do it at an eaiser point
Apr 2 2013 3:56PM
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250r
Posts: 2274 - Karma: 1,020
i stopped racing at 15 after doing it for 5 years to go ski park and pow instead. The racing has helped me a ton, and i still ski a bit like a racer today, but making the switch was one of the best choices ive ever made for my skiing.
Apr 2 2013 4:19PM
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snowmosexual
Posts: 1928 - Karma: 9,965
do you ever get bored though
Apr 2 2013 4:29PM
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jake_tom_sully
Posts: 356 - Karma: 242
"I love both" there's ur answer man.
Apr 2 2013 4:29PM
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snowmosexual
Posts: 1928 - Karma: 9,965
right now im doing both
Apr 2 2013 4:45PM
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kung_powpow
Posts: 1990 - Karma: 3,669
Park skiing isn't all about competitions
Apr 2 2013 7:21PM
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kung_powpow
Posts: 1990 - Karma: 3,669
You only get bored in the park if you arnt progressing. Progression is what fuels all park skiers to ride and is the reasoning behind skiing on a piece of turf in summer. If you arnt progressing at all, you may fin yourself getting bored doing the same tricks over and over. With that being said, it's fairly easy to learn a new trick in a couple hours or day, or work on your style
Apr 2 2013 7:28PM
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snowmosexual
Posts: 1928 - Karma: 9,965
ya but im worried about competing because it is an excuse for my parents to drive me to another hill, and competing is fun
Apr 2 2013 7:34PM
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Shark.
Posts: 3158 - Karma: 270
I raced until I was a little younger than you (12ish i think) and then swapped over full time to freeriding. So much more fun man, racing is overrated unless you're going places.
Apr 2 2013 7:40PM
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fitchspencer
Posts: 8 - Karma: 33
Green Mountain Valley School out of Sugarbush
Apr 2 2013 9:19PM
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kung_powpow
Posts: 1990 - Karma: 3,669
By the time that you are skilled enough in park skiing to compete, you will most likely be able to drive. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about competing before you actually commit to skiing park.
Apr 2 2013 9:26PM
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kung_powpow
Posts: 1990 - Karma: 3,669
By the time that you are skilled enough in park skiing to compete, you will most likely be able to drive. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about competing before you actually commit to skiing park.
Apr 2 2013 9:27PM
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