Pro Snowboarder Shaun White. Original photo taken by: Veronica Belmont - http://www.flickr.com/photos/28034678@N00/2806556142
There’s a lot of people out there who want to be a sponsored pro, especially among the younger crowds, but how much of what you know about pro skiers/snowboarders is true?
Myths Vs. Facts
1) Pros are earning a lot of money
Not really. The top snowboarders are definitely earning a lot of money (the top 10 snowboarders are earning $1 million+ per year), but outside that small top tier of snowboarders, most pros don’t even make even to pay their living expenses.
It’s very common for most pros to be just living paycheck to paycheck and waiting tables as their second job.
As well as this, pro freestyle skiers earn even less than pro snowboarders, due to the smaller amount of exposure they have for their sport.
2) Pros get to party all the time
Yes and no. They certainly do like to have a good time and you will find that many enjoy a good party. However, being a pro means they have responsibilities too.
Pro skiers/snowboarders need to be working on filming their next video part or practicing and learning new tricks for upcoming competitions. It’s a balancing act. On one hand, there are a lot of parties and other events that they have access to, but they also need to know when it’s time to do work. Some nights you can’t be out partying because riding a 75 foot gap jump while hungover isn’t the smartest idea.
You’ll find that the most successful pros are the ones who are able to find a good balance. Many skiers/snowboarders have moved to Whistler with the goal of becoming a pro and ended up going nowhere after spending too much time partying.
3) It’s an easy job, you just get to ski/snowboard all day
Well, you’ll definitely get to ski/snowboard a lot, but you’ll also be under a lot of pressure to land big tricks at competitions or in the backcountry when the cameras are rolling. You don’t just get to do whatever you want on the mountain every day.
If you’re a competition rider, you need to handle the pressure of landing tricks when the spotlight is on you. It can be the difference between walking away with a big payday or walking away with nothing. If you’re filming in the backcountry, you may film months of riding for 1 tiny 10 second shot in your video part.
Additionally, the more successful you become as a pro, the more time you spend doing media events and other sponsorship obligations.
4) It’s an amazing lifestyle
Very true. At the end of the day, many become pros because they love the lifestyle and they enjoy challenging themselves. Sure there’s the pressures of having to perform well in order to keep your sponsors, but you also get to travel all over the world.
How many other jobs let you spend most of your work days on the ski slopes? There’s not many people who get to put their ski/snowboard boots on in the morning and head to work.
5) Pros are daredevils
Not really. I prefer the term calculated risk takers. Pros do the crazy things they do because they share that same sense of excitement and joy at conquering that new trick or terrain. There’s not much else in the world that matches that feeling when you finally land that trick you’ve been working on for weeks.
I say calculated risk takers because they don’t want to take stupid risks. No pro wants to get injured. Broken backs and torn knee ligaments suck. It’s a constant risk vs reward analysis that is playing inside their heads as they work out the best way to learn new tricks and maneuvers.
Final thoughts: At the end of the day, sponsored pros are pros because they enjoy pushing themselves to learn new things and they really love skiing/snowboarding. Don’t aim to be sponsored, just go out and enjoy the slopes while you learn new tricks and progress your riding.