Jax Tillman of Clarkston enjoys Pine Knob right in his backyard, so much so that at only the age of 8, he's already a competitive snowboarder, winning medals in a sport he has grown to love. He started at the age of 5 and says he actually didn't love it right away because it was so difficult.
"I kept falling," Tillman said as he admitted his frustration.
But he then said he just kept doing it, and kept trying new tricks, and eventually within a year he realized he was pretty good at it. Bethany and Jacob Tillman, his parents, are skiers and originally didn't want Jax to snowboard, but they knew how much he loved it. They said if he promised to keep his homework up, then he could keep snowboarding.
"My wife and I are out here six or seven nights a week, he loves it," said Jacob.
Hit the slopes (aka pregnant waddled around the base of the hill) with Jax, the coolest 8-year-old snowboarder you’ll ever meet. A fun story with a future pro to come on @wxyzdetroit ❄️ pic.twitter.com/UT9hhgzJm0
— Jeanna Trotman (@JeannaTrotmanTV) January 26, 2023
Jax recently took his practice runs at Pine Knob to his first competition. A USASA competition in Northern Michigan, where he placed first in "slope style" and placed third in "rail jam." His bronze medal came against kids who were three years older than him.
"I just try new things every day," said Jax.
His parents run an Instagram account for Jax with videos of him snowboarding. It recently caught the attention of a company called "Never Summer" who sent Jax a free snowboard as a Christmas gift.
He said people do get surprised when they see him do tricks because of how good he is at such a young age. As for the future, who knows if snowboarding will be a hobby, a way of life, or a career. If you ask Jax, he sure hopes the slopes and a board are present years down the road. Jeanna Trotman, WXYZ sports reporter, asked Jax "how cool would it be if you were a professional snowboarder one day?"
Jax replied in pure snowboarder fashion: "that'd be sick."
