“Life on the road as a professional snowboarder isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t appreciate how lucky I am to chase my dreams and do what I love.”
– Alex Deibold, Olympian and Professional Snowboarder
Becoming a top-level professional athlete requires tenacity and a steadfast resolve. Alex Deibold experienced this in his journey as a professional snowboarder. A single discipline takes years to master, but Alex trained in a total of five disciplines. That meant sacrificing the majority of his youth in order to achieve his Olympic dream.
Humble Beginnings
Alex started snowboarding early when he was four and aced his very first snowboarding competition at age eight. He remembers, “I entered and won my first competition at eight years old. It was a slope style competition at the Bromley Mountain. I was officially set from there.” He reaped rewards for his efforts when he turned 13 after several years of practice and competing. “Some of the local coaches noticed me, and I was invited to apply to Stratton Mountain school.” His life changed as he enrolled full-time in one of the world’s premier snowboard programs.
Rising to the Top
As soon as he graduated, he became part of the US Snowboarding boardercross team. But this wasn’t enough for the ambitious athlete. He tried to qualify for Team USA during the 2010 Winter Olympics. Unfortunately, his performance came up short but his coach allowed him to attend as a technician. This unique experience was life-changing, allowing him to experience the games without any pressure to compete.
Despite not competing at his first Winter Olympics, the opportunity motivated him to try again for Team USA at the Sochi Games. Witnessing the real action from close quarters at 2010 fired him up to practice even harder for the next edition of the games. Another incident that greatly motivated him was his friend Seth Wescott’s awesome gesture of putting the Gold medal he won around Alex’s neck. He touched and felt an Olympic medal for the first time, leaving Alex mesmerized and in awe.
Alex’s perseverance paid off when he qualified for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. He ended up winning a bronze medal.
Getting Back Up from Start to Finish
Alex’s career shows that striving is about constantly pursuing the uncomfortable and making sacrifices. Alex literally invested all his youth into his Olympic dream, something only the very determined can achieve. Even when he did not qualify for Team USA at his first try, Alex continued working tirelessly; he seized every opportunity that came his way and ended up realizing his long-cherished dream. His perseverance and grit are testaments to a human being’s limitless potential.
