Contributed Photo
Watertown’s Tim McCall rode against the best snowboarders in the country a the USASA Nationals in Colorado in April.
Watertown High School sophomore Tim McCall recently returned from Frisco, Colo., where he competed in the 2018 USASA Snowboard National Championships. While there he showed he was among the best in his age group.
Watertown News asked McCall about his experience, and how he fits snowboarding into his life as a high school student, and multi-sport athlete.
1) Earlier this month you competed in the USASA Snowboarding Nationals in Colorado. How did you do and what was the experience like?
TM: My experience in Colorado was great. I was out there with a lot of my friends that I ride with every winter up in New Hampshire, so it was nice being able to be with my friends on the days that I had competitions. I ended up coming in second overall for my age, which is 14-15.
2) How did you first get into snowboarding?
TM: I got into snowboarding because of my mom. She was a skier when she was a kid, and even competed in ski racing for a little while. So, we ended up renting a ski house up at Loon Mountain when I was 2 and as we went it got more enjoyable and I kept progressing, so we decided that I should start competing when I was around 6.
3) Do you have a goal in your snowboarding career?
TM: I did, and that was to get a podium at Nationals which I was able to do. I don’t plan on competing anymore just because if you want to go pro in this sport you have to be traveling so you can snowboard all year long, which means you have to miss full years of school. I’ve got my priorities straight and will just continue to have fun with it.
4) What’s your schedule like, going to Watertown High School and training to compete? Where do you practice?
TM: During the week I would go to school, just like everyone else, but when the bell rings at 2:30 on Friday I have to rush home, pack and get into the car and drive up to Loon Mountain, where I practice.
5) Do you have a favorite snowboarding spot?
TM: Loon Mountain. It is my home mountain, and it’s where a lot of my best friends are, so when you get both it is just a lot of fun.
6) Who are your favorite Olympic/professional snowboarders, and why do you like them?
TM: My favorite professional snowboarders are Sebbe De Buck and Marcus Kleveland. I like both of them just because they have a lot of style and do the sport differently than most.
7) Do you play other sports?
TM: Yes, I play golf and baseball for the school.
8) I hear you are not the only talented athlete in your family. Tell us about your siblings and what they are up to.
TM: Yes, both my sisters were talented athletes. Ally played high school field hockey and won the state championship all four years, and didn’t lose a game in any of those four years. Hannah was a part of one of those championships, but then decided to do all three running seasons when she got older. Ally now plays field hockey at Keene State College and just won the LEC championship in the fall, which is like the state championship for college. And Hannah decided to use her brain and was able to get into the nursing program at UNH.