Today we’d like to introduce you to Jack Ellis
Jack , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Grand Haven Michigan, however I was born in Lancaster PA, and started snowboarding at a local hill in Grand Haven called the Mulligan’s Hollow Ski Bowl, a hill with no chair lifts and all tow ropes.
I soon made friends with a fellow snowboarder named Pierce Yonker he was a couple years older than me and would push me to improve my snowboarding and eventually pursue competing, from then he introduced me to a program called ASTC (American Snowboard Training Center) an academy for snowboarders based in West Dover VT.
Pierce and I convinced our parents to let us do online school so we could attended the academy in the winter. I ended up going out there when I was 15 and pierce was 17, we had an amazing season learning so much, however it was cut short because of Covid during 2020 and we had to go back to Michigan and quarantine. This was really hard on pierce as he had already struggled with mental heath and he ended up committing suicide April of 2020.
This devastated me and our snowboard community as pierce was a huge leader and role model to me and those around him, however this did not stop me from pursuing what I love.
The following winter I went back out east to continue competing in Rev tours Nor ams and Euro cups traveling all around the US Canada and parts of Europe, now I’m 20 years old and go back east each winter as a coach, helping the younger generation of riders while still competing and filming.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not a smooth road, loosing Pierce was definitely the hardest things I’ve been through it totally flipped my whole world upside down, being so young at the time I didn’t know how to deal with something like that, however I had amazing support from friends and family to help me get through this difficult time.
There’s also many challenges that come with snowboarding such and injury set backs, not meeting your goals with tricks or contest, and also the pressure of social media and sponsors. Now with Instagram there’s always something new coming out and something new to be expected which I feel like puts pressure on athletes good or bad.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I guess you could consider my work content creating, however I don’t like to use the term influencer. I love making videos people like to enjoy watching or other snowboarders find appealing, and try not to be as basic with my marketing. In the summers I do enjoy working as a line cook at American Dunes Golf Course.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I would say that I found a great snowboard mentor and life mentor at somewhat of a young age, Ron Chiodi the founder of ASTC has been a great role model in my life always looking out for what’s best for my future in snowboarding and outside of snowboarding. Within this program I have found some other amazing mentors Luke Hahn and Steve Jesionowski coaches of astc.
My advice for networking would be to just go, go to the event, go to the hill even if your friends aren’t going because you’ll never know who will be there, also never be afraid to introduce yourself more times than not it will go well.
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