Thomas Koppenhaver
Snowboard Pro Forum

Name: Thomas Koppenhaver

Date of birth: 1993-06-25

Started riding in what year? 1998

Sponsor/s? Bikle's Ski Shop

Where did you grow up? Mercersburg, PA

Live now? Mercersburg, PA

Fave places to ride? Ski Whitetail, Ski Liberty, and Ski Roundtop all in PA

Do you warm up each day before you ride? If so, what do you do to warm up? no. ripping it up on the mountain is warm up enough

How keep in shape in season? How keep in shape for snowboarding out of season? snowboarding itself is keeping in shape during season. in the off season i skateboard, ride bike, swim, and chase hotties!!!

Fave riding buddies? Jansen Springer!!! Kyle Wareenfeltz, Aaron Long, Ryan Akers, Danny Spickler, Vinnie, and of coarse all the awesome guys from Bikles!!

Who do you admire in snowboarding or outside and why? Shaun White - he is proof that i can reach my dream of being a pro
Ross Powers and Danny Kass
my Mom - she is the best mountain roller!!
Hannah Teter - she is what i call a hottie in more ways than one

Do you ever get bummed out about your riding, and why? yeh, sometimes i am riding for more than 12 hrs a day and if i can't make a jump or a landing the way i think i should, i can really beat myself up. once in a while i can really get bruised up from hitting the rails and that kind of wears me down.
How do you fix it? a laugh and a hot chocalate with friends, sometimes a good nights sleep, and if all else fails i just keep trying until my mom says that it is time to go.

Do you use visualization, and if so, how? i sometimes watch others, but usually i am the one being watched. i am always watching x games and stuff on tv to learn new moves or techniques. video games help alot also.

What safety equipt. do you wear, use for snowboarding? all my gear is furnished by my sponsor, Bikle's Ski Shop. my burton punch board, ride ls bindings, ride boots, helix coat, mt presion pants, red helemt, and oakley a frame goggles. they have also gave me recoil socks, wrist gaurds, and gloves.

If you're pro, when did you decide to “go pro” — and what happened to get you there? if pro means getting sponsored, i didn't decide. everyone that shopped at Bikle's would make comments about me at their shop, so one day they came to Whitetail to look me up and offered me a sponsorship. i was and still am very grateful!! Bill and Barb are the best!!

What have you read, listened to seen that you liked lately? i am currently reading a book on Neil Armstrong. I read alot for school. at least one book a week.

Where have you traveled to lately that you like? i have only been to whitetail, liberty, roundtop, and windham in NY

Any guilty pleasures? have no fear. BALANCE!!!

Anything that not many people know about you that you would like to share? i like alot of syrup on my pancakes.

Encouraging words for beginners? practice in powder, not on icey days, it hurts less when you fall. don't ever give up.

Advice you want to share? don't be afraid to try new stuff!!