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Cheever
American Jonathan Cheever has had numerous World Cup podium finishes in SBX.  Learn from his experiences below.
Learn from top US Snowboarder Jonathan Cheever


I have capped the worst season of my snowboard career by watching the Olympic Winter Games on TV, with a broken ankle, two world cups left in the season but with no chance for redemption. As an athlete, situations like this can be way more emotionally painful than physical. I can't say how many times I've heard, "you are still young" "it could be worse" and "get em' back next season"; however that is no consolation. I know I am extremely lucky do to what I do and I will never take any of it for granted. But as a competitor, watching can be the toughest thing.

            I always thought this sport of SBX is like a relationship... high highs and low lows. But that is what makes me love it. That is how I pull the positives from the lowest low. Last season I finished my winter with five top sixes including a podium. I was ranked sixth in the world and third in the US. This year I caught Olympic fever and buckled under the pressure. I could have gone about this two ways, piss and moan or learn from it.

To let everyone in on a secret, I should have been doing this my whole career. FIS races used to get me pumped up years ago, then Nor-Ams. Once I made World Cup, I was nervous, but then it turned into just another race. I should have been anticipating this season well before it happened. Oly qualifiers came around, I felt so much pressure and I was just riding cautious. Racing defensive is an oxy-moron. When I am racing I need to have that notch turned up to a 10. If I back it down to an 8 or a 9, it will cost me a fifty hundredths or even a second. That can be the difference between first and last sometimes. It took me half my season to figure that out.

Whoever reads this should learn from my mistakes. I sure have.

 

1.  What lesson did you learn as a young man or woman that has continued to serve you now?  How did you learn it and how are you still benefiting from it?

 

I was brought up by hard working parents. They supported me in everything I do, but I had an excellent work ethic to get to where I am. I still need to take that mentality to continue to achieve and better myself.

 

2.  What coach did you have that made the greatest impact on you?  How?  How are you benefiting from this experience today?

 

Nathan Park is the first person that comes to mind. I don't want to say he single handily helped change me from a kook to a threat on the SBX course, but he is a big part in pointing me in the right direction. He helped me look at it as its just snowboarding. If things are going south,  the worst thing that could happen is I get to snowboard.

There are many other coaches that have gone out of there way to help me out. Right now Peter Foley and Jeff Archibald are the US Team's SBX coaches. They are the best coaches in the world.

 

3.  Where is your favorite place to ride and why?

 

I know the Canyon's in Park City like the back of my hand. That resort is one of the most underrate resorts in the country. Japan is one of my favorite countries to ride I hope I get to go back soon.

 

4. What is your favorite wax combination?  Why?  Have you used it to success?

 

I can't give away my wax secrets. Turn the iron up real hot... if it ain't smoking it ain't fast.

 

5.  What person has touched your life deeply?  How?  How has this changed the way you are or the way you try to be?

I try to pull something positive from everyone I meet. My parents helped shape me into who I am today. I also had some of the best teachers whether it was in high school, plumbing school or college. Brother Thomas Petite was my 12th grade religion teacher helped teach me about service. We should all be trying to help those that are less fortunate.

 

6.  What do you consider your weakness to be currently and how are you working to turn it into strength?

 

Heel side turns are one of my weaknesses. Sometimes I do not initiate one clean arc throughout the whole turn. Edging more than once costs time. Now, every time I turn on a course, I try to say out loud, "One clean arc."

 

7.  What is a difficult thing that you have had to overcome?  How did you do it and how has it made you stronger today?

 

I am fortunate enough to not have gone through any real tough times. Right now, is the most emotionally exhausting thing I have been through, (although the Bruins lost the ΒΌ final round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in game 7, in sudden death overtime to the Hurricanes and that was rough) so I am sure I could answer that in a few months.

 

9.  What "extra" thing are you doing currently, or have you been doing, to try to achieve your goals?

 I try to be in the best physical and mental state before every race. Being physically fit helps out a ton with recovery and how I perform. Chicks dig it too.