"Growing up just outside Melbourne, Australia, Scotty James was more likely to spot the Loch Ness Monster or Big Foot as he was to spot snow. For him, the winter Olympics seemed about as accessible as Mars. "It is very unique, being an Australian in winter sports," he said. "We're very few and far between." Unique, but not impossible. Because if he qualifies for February's Milano-Cortina Olympics, as expected, James will become the first Australian man to represent the country in five separate Winter Olympics."
"Yet it almost didn't happen. If his father Phil, a passionate snowboarder, hadn't talked a Vancouver ski-shop worker into selling 3-year-old Scotty a miniature display board during a family vacation to Canada decades ago, James still might be watching the Winter Olympics on TV. "My parents were always making sure that I realized how fortunate I was to be doing what I was doing," said the 31-year-old James, a four-time world champion and the most successful halfpipe rider in history."
Scotty James grew up near Melbourne with little local snow and an unlikely path into elite snowboarding. An early family purchase of a miniature board sparked a career that produced four world titles and dominance in halfpipe. James could represent Australia at a fifth Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina and potentially win a third Olympic medal, becoming the nation's most decorated winter athlete. His parents provided sustained support and perspective through challenges and successes. A documentary film, Scotty James: Pipe Dream, will be available on Netflix, and winter sports face participation limits due to global lack of ice and snow.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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