Torstein Horgmo

This is Torstein after his competition (actionrecon.com))

My personal career hero, Torstein Horgmo, is a very daring and adventurous man who is always willing to push the limit for what he does best, snowboard. Those are just a few of the reasons Torstein is my personal career hero. A few years ago I was watching the X Games Big Air 2012 and I saw him win it. His personality and skill made him become my favorite snowboarder. I have been snowboarding since I was three years old. After that I watched many more videos of him and those made me like him even more. He is so unreal on the mountain and he is one of the funniest people around. I would love to keep pursuing my snowboard career to hopefully be like him one day.

What is interesting about the career of being a professional snowboarder is that there aren't really any related careers. Skateboarding and surfing are probably the closest things to it and I do both of those when I'm not snowboarding. This makes it even more exciting and you have to take way more risks because you have to do great things with not too much time. The salary is all based on your sponsors and performance. Some of Torstein's biggest sponsors are DC, GoPro, Rockstar Energy Drinks, and Oakley. The average career length is about six years, depending on contest wins and health. The range is between $10 million and $20 million, ( eHow 1). Some of the most successful snowboarders, like Torstein, are very rich. Developments are being made every day in the snowboarding world. More board flex, less board flex, new ramp and rail technology, new types of boots, and more.

To be a professional snowboarder you can't learn how to be daring. It's a trait you are born with. As a young person you need to have the thrill and the daringness to go out and make a difference on the mountain. I believe snowboarding is a risk worth taking. I love speeding down the mountain and feeling myself fly through the air off a jump. That is also how Torstein has gotten to the position he is in. Torstein is number six in the world. "According to redbull.com he is the most progressive snowboarder around so he won't stop until he is the best." In 2013 he won the Gold Medal, Winter X Games Big Air. In 2013 he won 1st FIS Snowboarding World Cup Slope style in Czech Republic. In 2011, he won 1st Overall, Dew Tour Season Standings Slope style. Those are just a few of his major accomplishments. (Official Redbull website 1). These days he is still winning competitions making great movies and doing insane stuff every day.

My personal career hero is in lots of movies with his friends inspiring people everywhere. The biggest snowboarding film is called "Shredbots." ( Official Shredbots website 1) It's a very action filled snowboarding movie containing park riding and massive back country clips of Torstein and his friends. It has made a lot of money and it is a crazy movie to watch since Torstein is my favorite rider. He goes around the world to these beautiful places doing what he loves and it is breathtaking to watch. His friends and him bring humor everywhere they go so that makes it even more entertaining to watch.

With many other careers having all these internships and extracurricular activities, there isn't much I can do in those areas in high school. You make it or break it so you have to go hard while you have the chance. Same with in college, hopefully I go to a college that is near the mountains so I during the winter and thanksgiving break I can stay local and snowboard. I have to continue to go out to the mountains and do what I love and take the chances so I can hopefully make it the competition level of snowboarding. When a snowboarder retires they don't really have to do anything after because most of them are successful and will just to continue to snowboard for fun. My role model, Torstein Horgmo, inspires me every day. I hope to follow my role model's path so I can be just like him one day.