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The Progression and Evolution of Snowboarding Essay

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Throughout time, the progression and evolution of snowboarding has increased greatly. It has gone from non existence in the late 1970’s, to one of the most watched action sports in a matter of thirty-five years. The upward takeoff and popularity of snowboarding relies on two people, Jake Burton and Shaun White. Jake Burton back in 1977 had the vision for what snowboarding would be, but Shaun White had what it took to manifest that vision. Evidence has shown that time brings change in sports, history has repeated itself with snowboarding, this history reflects the time & changes that has occurred in America.
Snowboarding started as one single brand, Burton. Jake Burton, literally the inventor of snowboarding, was the first to set the bar …show more content…

To be apart of something permanent such as a Hall of Fame is another incredible achievement in itself. The mediocre days of Burton up until the early 2000’s were close to an end. Jake Burton and his company were about to take off due to a kid with a passion, a kid by the name of Shaun White.
Snowboarding before the time of Shaun White was like the calm before the storm. At the age of 13 Shaun was professionally sponsored and on his way to changing snowboarding forever. With so much skill and desire, Shaun brought the competition in and really took it to the next level. Not long after his arrival, Shaun was already the face of snowboarding.to snowboarding None of these accomplishments came easy for Shaun or his parents. Before the financial aid of the corporate sponsors took place, “Shaun White’s snowboarding activities cost his parents $20,000 annually” (Gale, 2006). The physical and financial dedication paid off in 1999 when Shaun was first signed to Burton Snowboards. Not long after that, the winning began. Starting with a pair of Silver medals in Halfpipe and Slopestyle during the 2002 X-Games. Gold medals in Slopestyle for 2003, 04, 05, & 06. Gold medal in halfpipe 2003 as well as 2006. Finally, Winter Olympic halfpipe gold medals in 2006 and 2010, with a total medal count of 15 medals (including bronze) between 2001 to 2010 (Gale, 2010). Arguably the winningest

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