Earlier this year, our man Will suggested we keep a look out for a kid he coaches. Sure enough, he was right. Eli has raw talent, and huge potential to carve his own path in the snowboarding world. We're stoked to have him as part of our team. Check out Will's words on the kid, and learn more about him in a quick Q&A.
"Eli has progressed rapidly in the 3 years that I have coached him, his raw talent and natural ability are impressive things to watch firsthand. He has gone from being the rookie on the team to being a leader of the squad. Although he is only 14 years old, Eli shows signs of having what it takes to make it in the snowboard world. His bag of tricks is filled with pro-level maneuvers, and he's always working on new ones throughout the season. Being his snowboard coach I am proud to say that I look forward to seeing this talented young man succeed and showcase his talents to the masses. Thanks goes to Illumine Collect for believing in the talents of this athlete and making him an ambassador of the brand."
-Will Rivera (Eli's Snowboard Coach)
Name: Eli McDermott
Age/DOB: 14 years old, April 23
Hometown: Wells, Vermont
How long have you been snowboarding? What got you into riding? I have been riding since I was nine years old. My family and I were sliding on ice one day and everyone was sliding it facing forward but I was doing it sideways so my dad suggested that I try snowboarding.
You recently broke your arm. What happened? What does the recovery process look like? I broke my arm December 20th. I was trying cab 720 and I just landed with my arm before my snowboard so my arm broke the fall. For recovery its 3 weeks before I can snowboard then another 3 weeks before I can compete.
You’ve got some big contests coming up. Which one are you most excited about, and what do you do to prepare. My biggest competition coming up is the Mammoth Rev Tour. There is no preparing for that contest because it's the first time I can actually do tricks snowboarding because of the broken arm.
You were in Austria towards the end of last year. What was that like? Any other travel plans this year? Austria was the sickest place ever! The Stubia Zoo terrain park is amazing, so perfectly built. I learned a bunch of tricks there. I will be going to Mammoth, Ca for a Rev Tour then I'll be going to Copper, CO for Nationals.
What are your goals for the season? I would like to learn front double 10, double wildcat, cab double 9, and maybe switch back double 10.
What’s your favorite part of snowboarding? Travel, friends, contest, fun? To be honest, my favorite part of snowboarding is just ripping through the park with my friends doing whatever I want to or whatever comes to mind that run.
Any shout outs or thank yous? My biggest thank you is to my coach, Will Rivera, for getting me into events and camps, and to Jeremy for hooking me up with some sick Illumine gear.
