Shredding the Gnar
Many students at Blue Valley participate in sports in and outside of school. Whether it’s in Kansas or on vacation — students find a way to be active and have fun.
Some people are more competitive than others when they participate in a sport. A sport can be just a way to get active or something they want to pursue as a career. In the end it’s the passion that determines how far a person goes in that specific field. Senior Caleb Nelson said he has had a passion for snowboarding since the day he picked up a board.
“The first time I picked up a board I was 9 and now I’m 18 and I still love everything about it,” Nelson said.
Nelson tries to make at least 5 trips a year to Minnesota or Colorado to maintain his snowboarding status. He said this season he is planning on making 8 trips and attending snowboarding camps to improve his skills.
His passion for snowboarding is something he wants to pursue and is not letting anything get in the way of his dreams — not even a couple of injuries.
“One time, I slipped on some ice while airing off a cat track and fell back and hit my head on the lip of the drop,” he said. “I only got a concussion, but apparently I was pretty loopy that night.”
Aside from the injuries Nelson has had to overcome, his dream of going pro has not changed. These setbacks have shown him the amount of work and dedication that is needed if he wants to continue pursuing snowboarding.
“Going pro would be amazing,” Nelson said. “Snowboarding has become such a competitive sport and is hard to be a pro if you’re not constantly competing. I’m not quite at that point yet but I know it’s possible. After snowboard camps and moving to Colorado I’ll hopefully be able to pick up a sponsor or two.”
Whether he goes pro or not, Nelson will continue snowboarding. Snowboarding has become something bigger than just a competition to Nelson. He enjoys every aspect of it.
“I love the way the board rips through the powder. It feels like I am riding a cloud. Even just hoping on the chairlift is such a rush knowing what is in store once you get off.”
Allie Ament is a junior, staff writer for “The Tiger Print”. She has loved writing from a young age and enjoys writing entertainment stories that make...
Alli Williams is a co-editor in chief for “The Tiger Print.” She works as an assistant teacher at a math tutoring business. Her favorite part of journalism...
