Community April 3, 2014

Jed Waters (X-Camps)

Jed Waters is serious about skateboarding.  He’s been riding since he was five years old and spends an average of eight hours a day at the skate park in Hailey during the summer.  He is also a skier and plays hockey, but Jed says that skating is “his passion and his main sport.”  Jed is also serious about school (he’s a straight-A student), and makes sure to get his homework finished before any and all skating outings.  
How long have you been skating?
 For seven years.
 
How did you get into it?  
My dad and I kept driving by the skate park in Hailey and I wanted to try it.  I promised to wear my pads and helmet, and my mom said I could check it out.  
Where do you ride?  
Mostly at the skate park in Hailey, sometimes in Ketchum, and whenever we travel anywhere, I find a skate park.  
What are the keys to being good at it?  
To get back up and keep trying.  You have to live through the pain and make sure that you wear your pads and helmet. 
What are your greatest achievements so far?  
The back flip that I learned at skate camp and taking first in competitions.  
Why is the Wood River Valley a good place for your skills and passion?
The parks in Ketchum and Hailey are great—they’re made by Dreamland, who builds professional skateparks, so we’re really lucky to have such nice parks.  
Any tips for people new to your sport?
Make sure to wear pads and helmets and “call your drop” so that you don’t run into anyone while you’re skating.  
Who are your biggest influences?
Buckey Lasek and Bob Burnquist (both professional skaters).
What’s your favorite flavor ice cream?
Peppermint.
Who is your hero?
Martin Luther King, Jr.
What’s your motto?
 “Always try your best.”
Favorite movie?
“42: The Jackie Robinson Story”
Favorite book?
Wonder, by R.J. Palacio.
Place you’d most like to visit?
The Bahamas.
What’s your favorite “kids” meal? 
Chicken nuggets with ketchup.
This article appears in the Issue of Sun Valley Magazine.