One on One: Sitting Down with Skater/Snowboarder Brandon Smith

This is part of the blog that is going to be one of my favorite portions this upcoming summer. Over the course of the summer, we are going to try to interview different athletes from around the area and try to get to know them a little bit and what their background is when it comes to their respected sport. For the first interview of the blog, we sat down with local sumner skater Brandon Smith to get a little insight about his world of skating and snowboarding. Here is what we learned from sitting down with him.

Rider: Brandon Smith

Birthday: August 4th, 1991

Hometown: Seatac, Washington

Resides: Sumner, Washington

Years Skating: 9 years

Years Snowboarding: 6 years

Riding Stance: Regular

Sponsors: Emerald Pacific Outfitters, Rainier Boardshop and Slash Skateboards

Interview: 

Q: So, we finally get to sit down with the one and only Brandon Smith. What got you started into skating/snowboarding? 

Well, what got me started into skateboarding was the neighborhood that I lived in around 6th grade. Everyone skateboarded so it looked fun. I played Tony Hawk Pro Skater just about everyday after school, so on one Thanksgiving Day my cousin brought his skateboard and we started skating down this hill on it and I fell in love with it. When it comes to snowboarding, I have always wanted to snowboard since I was really young, like around 2nd or 3rd grade. When I was younger, I took a trip up to Crystal Mountain with my best friends and we played up there and watched all the snowboarders and wanted to do it so bad. I didn’t start snowboarding until 2007 when I traded a Johnson guitar I got for free for a MLY snowboard and Burton freestyle bindings.

Q: We’ve heard that you were once an instructor for the Timberline resort down in Oregon. What brought you to Oregon to instruct and what are some of the craziest experiences you have had instructing?

Well, what brought me to Oregon was a family I lived with in Sumner for a while. Their friend owned a cabin in Government Camp, Oregon just down from Timberline Resort. The family I lived with wanted me to get a job at Timberline so early that winter that I filled out an application and got call back to show up for a week long interview at the resort and I had a blast. While I was there, I got the job and was super hyped. I started living in a four story cabin which was so epic. To be an snowboarding instructor was so awesome because I love to teach and love to snowboard so I got to do both almost everyday; it was sweet. The craziest thing I’ve had to say is when I fell and hit my head and had to go to the hospital to find out that I was fine. Ski patrol said I needed to go but then I had to wait in the hospital for about seven hours because nobody could pick me up. It really sucked.

Q: Out of all the places you have skated and shredded, which places have been your favorite?

Well, I have skated many cool and new places. Out of everywhere I have skated, I would have to say pretty much anywhere in northern Oregon like Burnside, Aumsville, Donald and Westlin because they’re all full of awesome skaters and super nice bowls.

Q: What is your favorite or “Go To” trick when riding? 

My favorite “Go To” trick would probably be either a rock and roll or my roast beef hand plant.

Q: What is your favorite memory from skating/snowboarding? 

I think some of my favorite memories from skateboarding was when I first started skating when we were all in middle school. Me and my friends would stay the night at someone’s house and watch skate movies all night and then wake up early, eat and go out and skateboard all day and just skate the whole town. My favorite memory from snowboarding probably would be when I had free time at Mt. Hood when I lived there because I would go up in the untracked powder about a mile up the hill from my house and take the dog up and shred through the trees while the dog ran down the hill and followed me. It was really cool.

Q: If you could shred anywhere in the United States, where would you go and why?

If I could skate anywhere in the world, I think it would probably be Japan because they have the worlds largest skate park and I think that would be a dream come true to skate that big skate park.

Q: Last year was a great summer for you with your sponsors Emerald Pacific, Slash Skateboards and Rainier Boardshop. What was your favorite experience from last summer?

I think my favorite experience from last summer was, for one, being involved with Emerald Pacific, Rainier Boardshop and Slash Skateboards and traveling around and skating in all the competitions with all my friends and fellow skate buds. I also enjoyed meeting new friends while skateboarding and all around having fun with everybody while enjoying the nice hot summer sun.

Q: What are your plans for this upcoming summer?

My plans for this next summer is to learn new tricks, as always, because learning new tricks is something I really like to do. I also want to have a lot of fun skating and entering into competitions again because I really like competing in them and have all kinds of new experiences from them.

Q: If there was any piece of advice you could give to newer skaters and snowboarders, what would you advise?

The advice I would give to new and upcoming skateboarders and snowboarders is go out, be safe and have fun. Make new friends, travel around and take lots of photos and videos and just remember that it is all about having fun.

Q: Since you were once an instructor, we have one more question for you. Would you be willing to ride up with someone to teach them? If so, how can they get a hold of you?

Well, like I said earlier, I love to teach and I’m always willing to teach new people how to snowboard because I did use to teach at Mt. Hood. I love getting more people into something that I love so much and if anybody wanted to learn and get ahold of me they can hit me up on my Facebook. If they have my number, they could call or text me as well.

Q: Have any last few things you want to throw in before we conclude the interview?

The last thing I would say is don’t take anything too serious and don’t be a skater or snowboarder who thinks that they’re the best in the world and thinks he’s too cool to talk to anybody. Those type of guys are posers even if they’re good. Just remember to have fun. Don’t worry about being good or being sponsored. Just skate and if you get good enough in the process of doing it, then that’s awesome and that’s what it really is all about.

Thank you for sitting down with us! We look forward to seeing how you do in this upcoming summer. 

Your welcome! I look forward to the summer as well as to the upcoming year and years to come. Thank you for having me.