Transitions

Have you ever seen a skateboarder in a halfpipe start at the bottom and gradually pick up speed to propel them to the top of the pipe? This feat of magic is accomplished through the physics of staying balanced while using the curved surface of the halfpipe to create forward momentum. In skateboarding and other “action” sports (e.g., snowboarding, skiing, surfing and mountain biking), these curved or angled surfaces are called transitions.

I started skateboarding when I was 12, skiing at 15, mountain biking at 16 and snowboarding at 22. All of these sports appealed to me because I found enjoyment in the individuality, creativity, innovation, and the lack of set rules or boundaries. I also found self confidence and self respect through the discovery and progression needed to figure things out on my own. These sports taught me about the perseverance to keep trying and that failing multiple times is part of the learning process.

I started coaching snowboarding in 1997, eventually branched into leading kids skateboard camps and then coaching mountain biking during the summers. As a coach of these sports for the last 25 years, I consistently talk to my athletes about the importance of finding and using transitions to generate forward momentum, launch into the air or land with less impact.

As my career in coaching progressed, I started working in coach education, development and training. I drew on my experience in these sports to bring the qualities of innovation, creativity and progression to develop and inspire the coaches I worked with.

Now that I'm launching a new chapter as a consultant in coach education and development, I intentionally selected the name Transition for my new business venture. The name Transition captures my unique perspective and background gained from my chosen sports. It also refers to the transitions we all go through to become better coaches and humans. Great coaches help their athletes realize their dreams and ambitions while helping them grow and develop into amazing humans.

I encourage you to seek out those transitions to propel you forward in your own life. Stay balanced, keep pushing higher and I’ll see you at the top of the halfpipe.